Milkman

by Anna Burns
Another surprise from this year's Booker longlist.
It is a book set in 1970's Belfast although the book never mentions the city, or the country or the conflict by name. It also never mentions the characters names other than by relationship to the nameless narrator.
All of this made me reluctant to pick this book up but I ended up listening to an audiobook and this was definitely the right choice. The narration of Brid Brennan is fantastic, catching the language of the book in a compelling and gripping way. This is important because the central character is forever going down side roads as she tells the story of how Milkman came into her life and how he was shot.
Along the way it is very funny in places, very sad in others and, for those who remember those years, a reminder of how unusual and scary a time it was. 7/10

The Long Take

by Robert Robinson
I did not expect to like this novel. A novel written largely in verse about a Canadian soldier returning to America after the second world war.
He travels from New York to California and the book gives us impressions of his experience and flashbacks to France. I found it mesmerizing and much better than I expected it to be. The experiences, past and present, are presented raw and without comment - a good read 8/10

Normal People

by Sally Rooney
The writing here is compelling and it drew me in against my will. The subject matter are two young people from Ireland, both intelligent but both flawed in some way. They have a peculiar relationship that lasts through various angst that did wear me down a bit. I can see why people rave about Rooney's writing talent but I fear I am a little too old for the subject matter to resonate with me. I have still not made up my mind about this book. 7/10

The Mars Room

by Rachel Kushner
This is a story about life in a Californian prison and the lives of those incarcerated there. It is a depressing and tedious life that is reflected perfectly n this book. I did not enjoy it. 4/10

Warlight

by Michael Ondaatje
This was a fascinating book. It did however fall into two parts. Part one set just after the second world war is full of Dickensian characters and Wilkie Collins mystery as Nathaniel and his sister are seemingly abandoned by their parents and looked after by various seedy characters.
The second part moves on to 1959 and Nathaniel is working for the government trawling through files to see what still needs to be destroyed to protect the history being written about the still recent war. It is also where he slowly unpeels what happened with his parents-or his mother at least. I found this second part of the book less convincing. Too many unresolved questions. Characters who are painted so vividly in part one fade away leaving you wanting more. What did happen to his father? The writing, as you would expect, is beautiful 8.5/10