Suzi Feay
Nest of Writers
It’s unusual to get halfway into a novel and still not be quite sure what it’s about – unlike life, where the halfway point might be the first time a glimmer of shape and meaning emerges. Although not a long book, The Life to Come gives a sense of sprawl and expansiveness suited to its Australian setting. It’s composed of discrete sections each introducing a new character and location, but they are all linked, and gradually an intricate and unexpected pattern emerges.
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'Thirkell was a product of her time and her class. For her there are no sacred cows, barring those that win ribbons at the Barchester Agricultural.'
The novelist Angela Thirkell is due a revival, says Patricia T O'Conner (£).
https://literaryreview.co.uk/good-gad
'Only in Britain, perhaps, could spy chiefs – conventionally viewed as masters of subterfuge – be so highly regarded as ethical guides.'
https://literaryreview.co.uk/the-spy-who-taught-me
In this month's Bookends, @AdamCSDouglas looks at the curious life of Henry Labouchere: a friend of Bram Stoker, 'loose cannon', and architect of the law that outlawed homosexual activity in Britain.
https://literaryreview.co.uk/a-gross-indecency