With good weather calling us to the beach, this is the perfect time of year to enjoy the sunshine with a fresh new, or classic, book.
Below, our editors share the read that will have gripped from page one.
Lindsay Judge, Deputy Editor
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
No one writes dystopian society better than Margaret Atwood, and what is fascinating about the Handmaid’s Tale, is that she based it all on something that has happened or is happening around the world. I’ve just finished watching the second series of the TV adaptation and loved it. Shocking and thought provoking, I can’t wait to read the book now and see how the two compare.
Charline Deek, Arabic Editor
Adriana Mater by Amin Maalouf
This book was one of the best French books that I’ve read last summer. Adriana lived in a country of war. This passionate young woman becomes pregnant as a result of rape. She insisted to keep the child, but she was so anxious if Yonas her son who carries both blood of the victim and the rapist will be Cain or Abel. Sometimes life is unfair but we always have the choice when it comes to our actions and reactions. I highly recommend this amazing book.
Diana Bell-Heather, Online Editor
Not Forgetting the Whale by John Ironmonger
There’s something about misfits and lost souls that make me engage with the character on the page. Not Forgetting the Whale tells a story of London analyst Joe Haak who created a software that could ‘predict’ the behaviour of the stock market. The ambitious project causes a global financial collapse that makes him to escape to a tiny village in Cornwall where he meets people that don’t know of his actions and embrace him. It’s charming, uplifting and enjoyable.
