Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Review by Arabella Petts
Since reading and falling in love with his 2021 debut novel Open Water, I have been eagerly awaiting Nelson’s second novel and was thrilled to have had the chance to finally read it recently.
Similarly to his first book, Small Worlds is set in London, Peckham to be exact, but the story focuses on Stephen, a teenage second-generation migrant of Ghanaian parents. We follow Stephen through three summers: starting as he is about to get his A-Level results, working at his Auntie’s shop and in love with his fellow musician friend.
There are several distinct aspects to this novel, with each developing as we move through the summers. Towards the end of the novel, we get a glimpse into Stephen’s father’s life –how he met his wife, his passion for music, his move to England and his struggle to settle there, which gave a new meaning to what we had already learned about his relationship with his son, and I loved seeing how their relationship changed throughout the book.
The lyrical undertone to his writing is something I adore about Nelson's books; the poetic prose makes it stand out in the world of literature. I also enjoyed seeing the autobiographical side of this story; the author and main character both being British-Ghanaian and living in London, and this personal connection to the story made the prose even more hypnotic.
Small Worlds is definitely more approachable than his first book, having a more conventional narrative style, but still exploring important topics and presenting an authentic London, if the narrative of his first book threw you off, I would give Small Worlds a try. I do hope Nelson continues to write for years to come; he has quickly become my favourite author and I look forward to reading what he writes in the future.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Reviewed by Kelly Rosalyn Moore
“You’re not asking too much,” he said. “You were just asking the wrong person.
Ask me instead.”
With an impressive 4.42 average on Goodreads, Jimenez's Just for the Summer welcomes readers into the colourful world of Emma and Justin. In an online meet-cute, insta-love dual narrative, Jimenez transports us to cosy Minnesota in a series of (mostly) fortunate events.
The novel begins with the all-too-familiar Reddit thread prompt: “Am I The Asshole?” The post is written by Justin, a 29-year-old software engineer eager to gain perspective on a unique predicament: every woman that he dates breaks up with him and then finds their soulmate. They even invite Justin to their weddings and thank him for being a “good luck charm.”
Emma, a witty 28-year-old travelling nurse, stumbles across the post on her lunch break at the hospital. Her foster-sister-turned-best-friend, Maddy, encourages her to message Justin, as Emma coincidentally has the same unfortunate ability. After wholesome conversations over text and phone calls, a compelling offer arises: if they date each other and break up, in theory, they will both find their soulmates. The flexibility of Emma’s travelling job allows her to begin her paradoxical romance with Justin in hopes of breaking their shared curse. It’s a get-love-quick scheme and just for the summer.
Emma and Maddy venture to a remote island on Lake Minnetonka to fulfill their temporary contracted work. With an instant connection narrated through both love interests, readers witness the unpredictability of romance enveloped by unconventional families. Playing with tropes like found family, Jimenez depicts the struggles of dating with a complicated history. Emma’s childhood neglect fosters her hyper-independency and her inability to call a singular place home. Justin’s newfound custody of his siblings introduces a heartfelt commentary on the retrospective definitions of family.
Although this novel is the third instalment in the Part of Your World series, it can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone book. The characters are three-dimensional with their life challenges, but their struggles don’t define them. Justin is the perfect bookish boyfriend who brings homemade sandwiches to your workplace; Emma is fiercely loyal and kind-hearted. There are ugly-cry-worthy episodes throughout the narrative as well as moments to laugh aloud.
Overall, this is the perfect layered rom com to read this summer, but it is also more than that. This novel is a love letter to the people we allow to take space in the fragile yet resilient vessel that is the human heart.
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
Reviewed by Jenna Tomlinson
Imagine coming home one night to find a strange man there, completely comfortable in his surroundings and claiming to be your husband. Everything in your life suggests that he's telling the truth. And in a further twist, if you're not happy with him you could just send him into the attic, which will conveniently generate a new husband.
That's exactly what happens to Lauren in Gramazio's debut, The Husbands. Returning home from a friend's hen do, she meets her husband Michael in her hallway. Lauren must now learn to adjust to a life she not only didn’t know about but also wasn't sure she necessarily wanted. But before she can fully adjust, Michael goes into the attic and is replaced by an entirely different man.
Lauren quickly realises that each time a husband goes into the attic, he is swapped for another and with each new husband comes a new lifestyle, which are not always to Lauren’s taste. One husband means the disappearance of her sister-in-law and niece and nephew from Lauren's life; another brings a polyamorous relationship with Lauren's downstairs neighbour: another asserts a life of riches and luxury but ultimately loneliness with and unsavoury business dealings.
Gramazio’s book is an amusing magical realism romp, almost providing an allegory to today's apps and swiping-based dating. It asks the reader: if you had access to an endless stream of immediate romantic partners, how would you choose who is right for you?
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