The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel (2020)
28th October 2021 The Mirror and the Light is the final part of Hilary Mantel’s trilogy on the life of Thomas Cromwell at the court of Henry VIII. It follows Wolf Hall (2009) and Bring Up the Bodies (2012), both of which won the Booker Prize for Fiction. The second book ended with the execution … Continue reading The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel (2020)
Serotonin by Michel Houellebecq (2019)
9th May 2021 There can be little doubt that Michel Houellebecq is one of the most controversial modern novelists. This is partly because of the subjects about which he chooses to write, but also due to the political perspectives that his characters often represent, his occasional descriptions of scenes of disturbing horror and – in … Continue reading Serotonin by Michel Houellebecq (2019)
London Rules by Mick Herron (2018)
2nd April 2021 London Rules is the fifth in the series of Mick Herron’s modern spy stories based around the occupants of Slough House, a rundown Secret Service office situated near the Barbican in London. (It has been followed by Joe Country and Slough House, the latter published earlier this year). Slough House is where … Continue reading London Rules by Mick Herron (2018)
A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe (1722)
7th March 2021 It is perhaps not surprising that, in the current prolonged circumstances of dealing with the impact of Covid-19, I have been drawn to the great work by Daniel Defoe. I prepared for my reading of the novel with a little research into the Great Plague, which is estimated to have killed approximately … Continue reading A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe (1722)
The Second Novel is Published
6th February 2021 I am delighted to report that a significant milestone has been reached this week with the (electronic) publication of my second novel. In On the Carousel, we follow a young man’s journey through the 1980s, as he enjoys the benefits of success, but then starts to re-assess his values and priorities. The … Continue reading The Second Novel is Published
A Fictional Dozen
I have set myself the task of listing a dozen pieces of fiction that I really like. The items given here are not necessarily my favourite pieces of writing, but I have an affection for them for a variety of reasons. It will be seen that I have (mainly) excluded the great works that are … Continue reading A Fictional Dozen
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JR Alexander 