By Lucy Powell, Katie Farr, Ayman Sabir, Jess Scaffidi Saggio, Iona Fleming
As Summer turns into Autumn, we’ve put together a list of some of the best books to read during this season, perfect for sitting down with when the nights get darker.
Translated from Japanese, Hisashi Kashiwai’s Kamogawa Food Detectives is a heart-warming and mouth-watering feast for the senses, filled to the brim with beautiful prose and cosy vibes. Centring on a Kyoto-based diner that unlocks the mysteries behind its patrons’ most memorable meals and recreates them, this book is perfect to sit down and read with a cup or bowl of something warm to drink or eat alongside. It is also a book that celebrates the value of good company and connections. Kashiwai’s second book, The Restaurant of Lost Recipes, will be published in October 2024, the sequel to Kamogawa Food Detectives. Kashiwai sits firmly in the ranks of slow, beautifully depicted slice-of-life Japanese novels adorning bookshop shelves. The rights to Kamogawa’s translation, and the subsequent second novel, were acquired by Mantle back in May 2023, and as its spokesperson said during the announcement, this book and publication of Kashiwai’s work spoke to the “growing appetite for fiction in translation from Japan.”
Autumn can be a wonderful time for reflection, the changing colours reminding us of the passage of time and how our lives are constantly evolving. Ali Smith is the perfect author to read in a pensive autumn mood, and what better place to start than with her novel Autumn? The first novel in Smith’s seasonal quartet, Autumn is a heart-warming and thought-provoking novel centring around the intergenerational friendship between Elizabeth and her older neighbour Daniel, bonding over their love of art. The series reflects not only on how the seasons change, but how our lives change throughout the years, and the importance of art and human connection. While it’s not essential to read the books in order, doing so and following along with each book in its respective season heightens the effect and allows each novel to build on the last. So if you’re ever been interested in reading Ali Smith, picking up Autumn in Autumn is an ideal introduction.
Romantasy fans, we haven’t forgotten about you! Sabaa Tahir’s new release Heir will be released in October of this year in the UK. With Halloween fast approaching as well, the novel is a perfect way to read about the unknown and mystical. Heir follows three distinct characters, all of which struggle with the burdens of power, dangers of love and abundance of greed. Tahir intelligently weaves the lives of these three young individuals in a novel that will keep you guessing! Set in the same world as An Ember in the Ashes, Tahir brings the characters alive with not only their fantastical elements, but the continuous references to South Asian culture as well as some references to Islam. The novel follows the characters of the children from the Embers series, so it’s usually suggested to read this series first. For any returning or new Sabaa Tahir fans, this one cannot go amiss!
Another one for contemporary fiction fans: Sally Rooney’s latest novel, Intermezzo, published on September 24 by Faber. Intermezzo tells the story of two brothers, Peter and Ivan, who are mourning the death of their father. Peter and Ivan could not be more different, but their shared grief finds them both struggling in this uncharted territory. Intermezzo dives into the realities of starting and managing romantic relationships whilst grieving, the dynamics between two completely different siblings, and the complexities of grief. With the amazing commercial success that Normal People, Conversations with Friends, and Beautiful World, Where Are You, have all achieved, it’s safe to say that we are incredibly excited for Intermezzo.
In the historical fiction sphere, Elle Machray’s Remember, Remember takes on the subject of the transatlantic slave trade in the British Empire. Set in 1770, Machray’s debut novel tells the story of Delphine, a Black woman living in a world of smugglers and rebellion in London. After having escaped enslavement, Delphine is determined to do the same for her brother Vincent, and finds herself in the middle of an explosive plot. In an alternative history of London, Remember, Remember highlights conspiracy, queer identity and a side of British history that is not often discussed. The novel will be published by HarperCollins on 26 September 2024.
So, next time the weather is cold and miserable, grab yourself a hot chocolate and cosy up to discover a new favourite autumn read!
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