The Best Fiction I Read in 2020 (Part Two)
Part Two of my favourite books I read in 2020 features a virgin birth, two Booker winners and two books about cannibalism. Enjoy!
Tender is the Flesh - Agustina Bazterrica, translated by Sarah Moses
If I had to pick my favourite read of 2020 it would probably be this. Tender is the Flesh is incredible and like nothing I’ve ever read before. The novel imagines a world in which animals have been infected and their meat is no longer fit for consumption. So instead, the government introduces ‘special meat’ – that’s human flesh to you and me. Humans are reared especially for their meat and we follow Marcos as he works in the slaughterhouse. Unsurprisingly this is a stomach-churning read, but one so brilliantly, vividly written it’s completely believable. In a word: unforgettable.
Swimming in the Dark – Tomasz Jedrowski
A gorgeous, lyrical novel about two young students, Ludwik and Janusz, falling in love in communist Poland in the 1980s. I know very little about Poland’s history, so the political backdrop to their forbidden love story had me engrossed. Their own differing politics as Janusz gets involved in the party adds to their conflict, as Ludwik becomes more suffocated by the regime restricting his life. Both the tragedy and longing of their love story really worked for me.
Small Pleasures – Clare Chambers
Small Pleasures centres on a journalist’s quest to uncover the truth behind a woman’s claim that her daughter was the result of a virgin birth. This strange mystery at the heart of the novel is actually based on a true story, a discussion of which Clare Chambers heard on the radio and was inspired. The central story had me gripped and Clare Chambers captures the late 1950s with such precise detail that it’s very evocative of time and place. The main character Jean is incredibly empathetic and the book’s ending comes with an emotional gut-punch. Well worth a read.
The moment I finished The Bass Rock, I wanted to read it all over again. The novel takes three women living in Scotland, Sarah from the 1700s accused of being a witch, Ruth in a struggling marriage in post-war Britain; and in the present day Viviane, clearing out her grandmother Ruth’s house. All of them are watched over by the Bass Rock, their lives thematically linked. Interspersed with these three strands are snapshots of anonymous women all experiencing abuse from men. The novel has a gothic, haunting feel to it but for me, the book’s biggest success is its stunning characterisation, especially the character of Ruth.
Months on from reading Shuggie Bain, I’m still head over heels in love with this book. I was overjoyed when Douglas Stuart won the Booker and it’s one winner that I think will stand the test of time. Shuggie is a young boy growing up in 1980s Glasgow alongside his older siblings and his alcoholic mother Agnes. When the family move to an abandoned mining estate, Shuggie’s father leaves them, sending Agnes to a dark place. It’s a tragic but beautifully written novel about a mother and son through the hardest of times, but it’s a story that will stay with me for a long time.
I’ve never seen the film adaption of Under the Skin, but I did come to the novel knowing the premise so there was no element of surprise or twist for me, but that didn’t hamper my enjoyment. For those who haven’t read it or seen the film, Under the Skin is about Isserley, a woman who picks up hitchhikers and makes sure they are men who won’t be missed. I won’t spoil anything more except to say Isserley is not what she seems. Despite being written in 2000, the novel still feels fresh and original. It was strange and dark and completely unnerving (I had some weird nightmares when I was reading this). I loved it.
Love After Love – Ingrid Persuad
This novel was a real treat. Set in Trinidad, Love After Love follows Betty, her son Solo and their lodger Mr Chetan all muddling along in their unconventional set up. While Mr Chetan looks for love (which, as a gay man, proves dangerous), Betty struggles with a secret from her past concerning her abusive ex-husband, and teenage Solo strives for success. The characters in this are so vibrantly drawn that they live in your head, with the sights, sounds and flavours of Trinidad bringing the setting to life.
Honourable Mentions:
Blue Ticket - Sophie Mackintosh
I would read anything Sophie Mackintosh writes. Gorgeous prose and a brilliant premise. Even better than beautiful The Water Cure.
The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett
Too good to put down. I read it in a day. Perfect characterisation and the kind of novel when you can’t wait for the characters’ lives to collide.
Girl Woman Other - Bernadine Evaristo
What can be said about this book that has been said? So many unique, well drawn characters, tied together in a highly rewarding way. Read it.
Gut-wrenching story, beautiful prose. A smart family portrait of a family’s tragedy. The way Maggie O’Farrell wrote about a world-famous man without even mentioning his name was skilfully done.