‘Truly Brilliant Debuts’ in this month’s Book Review with Tom Ryan.

As always Tom’s reviews are a great read in themselves. A reminder that if you’re keen to turn the pages of one of Tom’s four recommended reads, pop into Bell Bookshop in Bell Street. If they don’t have it in stock they will source it for you. That’s proper independent bookshop service for you. Grab a deck chair and something cold to enjoy your reading this month.

By Tom Ryan

Releasing your first book into the world is a daunting enough prospect at the best of times; doing so during a global pandemic with bookshops closed for months at a time and many readers preoccupied by other concerns, even more so. Yet there have been some truly brilliant debuts over the last 18 months, just a handful of which I want to share here.

Publishing later this month as one of 2021’s most anticipated debut novels, The Mismatch by Sara Jafari is an extremely engaging story that seamlessly blends such seemingly disparate issues as being caught between cultures, dating, religion, comedy and addiction. In 2014 London young British-Iranian Soraya is trying to work out what comes after university; decades earlier her mother Neda is in Tehran trying to forge her future as revolution looms. An unexpected encounter at graduation sees Soraya embark on hitherto uncharted waters romantically, while Neda moves first to Liverpool and then Brighton as she starts a family. A wonderfully told tale with plenty of surprises.

Masterful storytelling of the non-fiction variety is abundant in Ariana Neumann’s family memoir When Time Stopped.  Growing up in 1970s Venezuela, Ariana knew her father as a much respected businessman; a figure of strength who would sometimes wake her screaming at night in a language she doesn’t recognise. The discovery of a wartime identity card with his picture and birth date but another name entirely further piques her interest but it is not until adulthood through her own research that the full incredible story comes to light: as a young Jewish man Hans escaped Nazi-occupied Prague and hid out in the unlikely setting of Berlin, spying for the allies. She discovers a risk-taking prankster quite different from the serious, Caracas society man she knew later and shares with us this inspiring and moving story of love and courage. 

The first novel by poet Dean Atta, The Black Flamingo is something special for older children and adults of all ages alike. Accompanied by beautiful illustrations from Anshika Khullar, it mixes poetry, prose, text messages and more to tell the story of Michael, born in London at the eve of the Millennium. We follow him through school and university as he works out who he is – from his Jamaican and Cypriot heritage and his relationships with friends and family to his sexuality. Full of mesmerising writing, concisely conveying so much (‘The black flamingo is on the news again. I pick the dining chair facing the TV. Grandad asks, ‘Why does it matter if he’s black?’ Adding, ‘The other flamingos don’t care.’ And I am certain what he’s saying is: ‘I love you.’)

Released in March, Domestic Bliss And Other Disasters by Jane Ions is a laugh-out-loud, brilliantly observed comic novel following Sally Forth, her politician husband, her children, her children’s friends and partners, her neighbours and her two closest friends, neither of whom she gets on with. Not only great line after great line (‘He was shocked, and said he couldn’t believe how materialistic and shallow I had become. Actually I’ve always been materialistic and shallow, but I sensed he wouldn’t be reassured to know there had been no recent deterioration.’) but terrific characters and a riveting series of events.  

If you are interested in reading any of these books, please do ask at a local bookshop if they stock it before purchasing online – Support Local

In between reading books and being an uncle to six, Tom Ryan works in events and communications with – amongst others – Henley Literary Festival, Jewish Book Week, Reading Fringe Festival and Henley Santa’s Grotto. He is on Instagram as @henleyonthomas and Twitter as @atomryan.