Fiction

A Thousand Blues by Cheon Seon-ran, translated by Chi-Young Kim, is published in hardback by Doubleday

We all need to practise slowing down. The year is 2035, and robots have become commonplace with Bettys waiting tables, Darpas saving lives, and robot-jockeys riding horses. A Thousand Blues – already a huge hit in Korea – tells the story of Yeonjae, a high school student drawn to robotics. She buys a robot-jockey, Coli, who rode a beloved racehorse named Today, on the black market. Programmed with only a thousand words, Coli is inquisitive and offers a fresh perspective on life, despite not being alive. Coli’s prompts allow Yeonjae to become closer with her mother and wheelchair-bound sister and even make a friend, creating a showcase of strong female characters. The thoughtfully translated book has an unexpected narrator and beautifully tracks the sacrifices made to save the racehorse Today.

The Grapevine by Kate Kemp is published in hardback by Phoenix

Set in late 1970s Australia, in a quiet cul-de-sac Warrah Place, Canberra, The Grapevine sees a “close knit” neighbourhood disrupted one summer’s day, with housewife Naomi Kreeger scrubbing blood from her bathroom floor. The opening naturally makes you think the murderer’s identity is obvious, but that’s just the beginning. The story follows 12-year-old Tammy, who feels isolated and lacks confidence. In an attempt to win over her peers, Tammy goes undercover to crack the case of Antonia Marietti’s murder with the help of an unexpected new friend, eight-year-old Colin. Kemp navigates misogyny, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, absentee mothers and although it’s a whodunnit, there’s more to The Grapevine than that. Kemp delves deep into her characters’ lives, the women in particular, and gives them a voice. This page-turner will have you desperate to know more about the Warrah Place community, with its twists, turns and dark secrets.

Universality by Natasha Brown is published in hardback by Faber & Faber

Universality has all the elements for the perfect modern-day drama – a controversial newspaper columnist, banker landlord, anarchist squatters, violence, lust and a bar of solid gold. The second novel from Natasha Brown, whose debut Assembly won Foyles Fiction Book of the Year 2021, begins with a long-read encompassing all of the above. The final two thirds of the book deal with the fallout from a viral article and reveal all is not as it seemed. None of the characters come out particularly well in Brown’s searing portrayal of the extremes of society. And at just 150 pages, this book feels like it is over too soon, having only skimmed the surface of the complex tale Brown has crafted.

Non-fiction

Spring by Michael Morpurgo is published in hardback by Hodder Press

What do you envisage when someone mentions the season of spring? Is it finally reaching the end of the cold, damp winter, or the beginning of new life in our countryside and the sky above us? Much-loved British author Michael Morpurgo takes us on a deeper journey of discovery as the frost begins to melt away and a world of possibilities unravel around his Devonshire farm. Migrating birds begin returning home to nest nearby after the bitter chill, as wild flowers and trees start to blossom and the days continue growing longer, with the warmth of the sun gradually bringing a change to the landscape, both audibly and visibly. Morpurgo’s friendly tone gives us an insight into spring on Nethercott Farm, and the circle of life ever moving in this season of hope.

Children’s book of the week

We Need To Talk About Divorce by Kate Scharff is published in hardback by Neon Squid

For parents going through a divorce or separation, the main concern will be its impact on their children – and yet most of us aren’t experts in how to talk to them about such a complicated and emotional matter. Psychotherapist Kate Scharff’s new book helps present this difficult time in a digestible way for children, up to pre-teen age, but many of the conversations will work for young children too if parents read it with them. Split into sensible sections, with engaging illustrations and bite-sized chunks of text, We Need To Talk About Divorce tackles many of the questions children will have, including, why? Where will I live? And what happens on special occasions? As well as the rollercoaster of feelings children might go through during all the stages – from the news being broken to their parents dating other people. As a child of divorce herself, and with over 35 years’ experience helping families, Scharff covers all the bases, and most importantly, reassures children they aren’t at fault.