BOOK OF THE WEEK
Five Go Parenting (Enid Blyton for Grown Ups) by Bruno Vincent, published in hardback by Quercus
SO WE'VE had numerous Ladybirds for Grown-ups, Haynes Explains Mini Manuals on subjects such as Marriage and Pensioners, and now the Enid Blyton estate has given its blessing for a series of parodies of the author's best-loved children's books: The Famous Five. Including Five On Brexit Island, Five Go On A Strategy Away Day and Five Go Gluten Free.
The books have all been lovingly penned by Bruno Vincent, with tongue very firmly in cheek. My favourite is Five Go Parenting, in which Julian, George, Dick and Anne foil their dastardly cousin Rupert's dodgy dealings, only to discover he and his 'Eastern-European' wife have a baby, Lily, for who they're now unexpectedly responsible.
And so ensues one of their oddest adventures yet, as they learn how to look after her. This includes adopting a "hodgepodge" of parenting styles "that would have disappointed or horrified the advocates of either".
Dick shows early promise, finding he can multitask while she's strapped to his chest, while Anne is blanked by both the posh mums and the down-to-earth ones at a swimming lesson. From panicking over Dr Google diagnoses, to choosing buggies, it's brilliantly observed and, along with the rest of the series, will make an excellent Christmas present for Blyton's now grown-up fans.
Kate Whiting
The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer, published in hardback by Sphere
AS THE author behind the bestselling Twilight vampire romance series which became essential reading for millions of tweens and teenagers and sparked box office gold dust, Stephenie Meyer needs no introduction. But for anyone wondering whether that alchemy would translate into a mainstream thriller for adults, her novel The Chemist comfortably passes the litmus test.
The central female character is a fiercely independent and highly intelligent medic who worked for a clandestine US government agency using her molecular chemical know-how to interrogate enemies of the state. Now on the run from those same authorities, her survival depends on never trusting anyone. Sparks fly when circumstances force her to team up with a gentle school teacher and CIA spy to tackle one last job.
Gutsy and full-on from page one, this is a rip-roaring thriller in the best tradition, but its real charm lies in Meyer's engaging key characters. Let's hope we see more of them.
Gill Oliver
Under A Pole Star by Stef Penney, published in hardback by Quercus
FLORA Mackie is drawn to the frozen wastes of the Arctic Circle like a moth to a flame. Having visited the perilous lands at the age of 12, the daughter of a Dundee whaling ship captain feels her very being is inexorably linked with the land of the Eskimo and freezing temperatures.
Stef Penney, who delighted audiences with the award-winning The Tenderness Of Wolves, has returned with another epic tale of heroic deeds. Mackie returns to embrace the dangers of her second home as leader of a British expedition, faced with competition from a group of Americans hell bent on defying the dangers to explore uncharted land.
With the aim of discovering new territory and naming it for their wealthy backers, both groups take on the outlook of the native people whose view of life is coloured by the closeness of death. Mackie also gets the chance to return many years later, but only she knows what secrets she will reveal in this gripping story of mankind's folly.
Roddy Brooks
NON-FICTION
Frida Kahlo At Home by Suzanne Barbezat, published in hardback by Frances Lincoln
PART biography, part reflection of Frida Kahlo's work, this book examines the painter's life through the prisms of her domestic life. Two accidents altered the course of her life – one at 18 when a trolley car crashed into a bus she was travelling on. She was impaled on a metal pole and had multiple fractures including her spine and her pelvis. The other was meeting the muralist and womaniser Diego Rivera – she married him twice despite his affairs including one with her sister.
Kahlo also had affairs with both men and women. She created art unlike anything that anyone else was making. She wanted to leave her mark on the world and this is reflected in her numerous self-portraits.
exico was home to Frida and it ran through her, in how she dressed, how she decorated her home, which landscapes appealed to her and the art she collected. Barbezat illustrates this through the many paintings and photographs in the book, which gives insights into the woman as well as the artist.
Bridie Pritchard
