Tag Archives: Orange Prize 2011

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin

Posted on September 22, 2011 by

Baba Segi is a Nigerian businessman with four wives: Iya Segi, Iya Tope, Iya Femi and Bolanle (each named after their first born child, apart from Bolanle who has not had children). Bolanle is Baba Segi’s newest wife and the … Continue reading →

Posted in General Fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

The Birth of Love by Joanna Kavenna

Posted on September 21, 2011 by

The Birth of Love is a book about childbirth and motherhood. Before I go any further I should point out that I am not a mother myself and was uncertain as to whether or not I should read this book. … Continue reading →

Posted in General Fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

The Swimmer by Roma Tearne

Posted on September 15, 2011 by

The Swimmer is a beautifully written novel by Roma Tearne set in the small English town of Orford in Suffolk. It’s the story of Ria, a forty-three-year-old poet, and Ben, a young refugee from Sri Lanka. Ria is a single … Continue reading →

Posted in General Fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer

Posted on August 1, 2011 by

The Invisible Bridge begins in 1937 and follows the fortunes of three Hungarian Jewish brothers – Andras, Tibor and Matyas Levi – as they try to survive in a Europe torn apart by World War II. At the beginning of … Continue reading →

Posted in Highly Recommended, Historical Fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

The Road to Wanting by Wendy Law-Yone

Posted on July 25, 2011 by

In a hotel room in Wanting, a town on the borders of China and Burma, Na Ga is about to commit suicide. But when she’s interrupted by the hotel receptionist who tells her that her companion, Mr Jiang, has killed … Continue reading →

Posted in General Fiction, Recommended, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Grace Williams Says It Loud by Emma Henderson

Posted on July 20, 2011 by

This moving and thought-provoking novel by Emma Henderson introduces us to a girl called Grace Williams. Grace was born with severe disabilities and a childhood case of polio only makes things worse. When she is eleven years old, her parents … Continue reading →

Posted in General Fiction, Reviews | Tagged , | 8 Comments

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

Posted on July 13, 2011 by

I’m not sure how to begin describing Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad to you, but I’ll do my best! I’ll start by saying that it’s an original and imaginative novel which revolves around a large number of … Continue reading →

Posted in General Fiction, Reviews | Tagged , | 2 Comments