Heather O’Neill: Lullabies for Little Criminals An allegory of ‘otherness’ and abuse of power, written in an accessible, exciting style which is sure to appeal to boys aged 11-14. I believe it is in the Hunger Games mould, featuring children struggling to survive in a ruthless post-apocalyptic society headed by a dictator and inciting them to fight against the ‘monstrous outsiders’. I enjoyed the storytelling ability of the author, and it ends on a cliff-hanger, being the first in a trilogy. Since this is not my usual reading material, I lack the context and the comparisons to be able to say: this is good or this could have been better.

Jeremie Guez: Eyes Full of Empty (to be reviewed on CFL, together with an interview with the author)Īlan Bradley: As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (to be reviewed on CFL) Gunnar Staalesen: We Shall Inherit the Wind Finally, my trip to Canada did bear fruit, as I read two Canadian writers this month. 3 of the books were translations or in another language. I even managed to reread one book, an old favourite of mine, Jean Rhys. 5 crime novels (arguably, Richard Beard’s biblical thriller could have fit into this category as well), plus one very unusual read out of my comfort zone – namely, a YA dystopian fantasy novel. 9 books, of which 7 by men (to counterbalance the feminine July and August). As for the writing – forget it, I don’t think I’ve written anything new since the 10th of August.īack to reading, however. But this time I read rather less than in previous months. Strange month of business trips, sleepless nights, work deadlines – all of which tend to spur me on to greater reading heights (anything to avoid having to deal with work). So they form a togetherness, a ripple army Their flesh, their purpose, their youth… and cry foul. Savour their multiple vowels, feel the firmness of foreign consonants, You let their names perform saltos on your tongue, Or dig at the wound oozing with rank pus. You don’t know why you need to stick the thorn in deeper One splendour in tattoos and bikini against an anonymous beach background… Sunglass posers posting nothing but world travels and blissĪnd Facebook status confirms indeed their elevation, You stumble on pictures of doting mammas enclutched by wild-eyed bambini, Knowing only her profession and nationality Search the directory for images of the rival It’s Open Link Night, which means any kind of poetry form or topic goes! I’m linking this poem to the wonderful dVerse Poets Pub community.

Daimones by Massimo Marino