2024 – A Year in Novels

Here is my review of books from 2024. Full list below. About one a week, some amazing, some a bit painful, most chosen at random in bookshops worldwide (particular shoutout to a world-class op shop in Melbourne that has a classics section!) or on Kindle (occasionally) or borrowed from others’ bookshelves. I make a point of trying to buy a book from every bookshop I visit, with the exception of airport bookshops.

Book of the Year 1
Willy Vlautin – The Horse

The BEST novelist in the world. Shocked and dismayed each time I don’t see his novels in bookshops. Simple language, extreme sadness, and amazing, tragic characters. He makes other writers look bad. As always, I tried to ration his new book and finished it ‘slowly’ in two days. This one was his best, which is pretty impressive at this stage of his career. Another amazing main character and full of stories of being a failed touring musician in downtrodden USA. Something a bit sadistic about a writer always writing such sad characters and stories. Not sure what it says about us devoted readers.

Book of the Year 2

Paul Lynch – Red Sky in Morning

Definitely not for everyone, but once I got the hang of the style, it was amazing. Sad and tense and probably NOT heading to a happy ending, but great nonetheless. Lots of Irish books this year, all great.

Book of the Year 3

Andrew O’Hagan – Caledonian Road 

Very ambitious to have a two-page character list at the beginning of a book. Very rewarding, cynical and hilarious at times.

Best Bio

Mark Occhilupo and Tim Baker – Occy. The rise and fall and rise of Mark Occhilupo

Full of ripping yarns about an Aussie legend. Classic redemption story about one of those famous people who constantly found himself in crazy situations and always survived and stayed popular. Page-turner.

Best Short Book

Claire Keegan – Small things like these

If you’re good, 100 pages is all you need. This one does more than most full-length novels.

Best airplane book

Robert Harris – Precipice 

Master of historical fiction. Riveting and perfect for a long plane trip.

Best Aussie thriller with a twist.

Christian White – the wife and the widow 

Perfect for a summer holiday. Read quickly.

Best Non-fiction

Trevor Watson and Melissa Roberts – Beijing Bureau 

For those who lived there back in the day.

Master Author going through the motions.

Don Winslow – City in Ruins

Does Don Winslow have another epic trilogy left in him? That is the question. The third part of this crime series was ok, but it just makes me want to go back and read The Power of the Dog trilogy when he was at his peak. Hope he can do something as good one day soon.

Credit for finishing a pretty average book 1

William Boyd – Gabriel’s moon. 

Great writer, poor book. I wonder if the writer knew it wasn’t great halfway and still finished it.

Credit for finishing a pretty average book 2

Ian McEwan – Lessons

Great writer, poor book. See above.

Full List

Books 2024

1. Malcolm Lowry – Under the volcano 
2. William Boyd – Love is Blind
3. Barbara Kingsolver – Demon Copperhead 
4. Herman Hesse – The Prodigy 
5. Ian McEwan – The Cement Garden 
6. Ian McEwan – The Child in Time 
7. William Boyd – Sweet Caress
8. Trevor Watson and Melissa Roberts – Beijing Bureau 
9. Don Winslow – City in Ruins
10. William Boyd – Armadillo 
11. Christopher Koch – Lost voices 
12. Mark Occhilupo and Tim Baker – Occy. The rise and fall and rise of Mark Occhilupo
13. Bonnie Hancock – The Girl who touched the stars
14. Harold R Larson – Fire in the Eucalypts 
15. Andrew O’Hagan – Mayflies
16. Andrew O’Hagan – Caledonian road 
17. David Lodge – Nice Work 
18. Ian McEwan – The Comfort of Strangers 
19. Jessica Au – Cold enough for snow 
20. Murray Middleton – No Church in the Wild 
21. John Boyne – Earth 
22. Claire Keegan – Small things like these
23. Ian McEwan – Lessons
24. Christian White – The Wife and the Widow 
25. William Boyd – Ordinary Thunderstorms
26. Hanif Kureishi – The Black Album 
27. Michel Houllebecq – Submission
28. Paul Lynch – Prophet Song 
29. Christian White – The Nowhere Child 
30. Miguel Sáez Carral – Ni una más (español)
31. Karel Capek – War with the Newts
32. Benjamin Myers – Rare Singles
33. John Le Carré – Silverview 
34. Aldous Huxley – Brave New World 
35. Adam Williams – The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure 
36. Willy Vlautin – The Horse 
37. William Boyd – Gabriel’s moon. 
38. Paul Lynch – Red Sky in Morning 
39. Robert Harris – Precipice 
40. John Williams – Stoner
41. Colm Tóibín – Long Island
42. Jordan Harper – Everybody knows 
43. Norman Lewis – Naples ‘44
44. Abraham Verghese – The Tennis Partner. 
45. Tana French – The Searcher 
46. Sylvia Plath – The Bell Jar
47. Pat Cummins – Tested
48. Rosalie Ham – The Dressmaker 
49. Craig Silvey – Jasper Jones
50. Haruki Murakami – Sputnik sweetheart 
51. Rachel Cusk – Parade
52. Benjamin Myers – The Gallows Pole
53. John Steinbeck – To a God Unknown