Satantango, by Laszlo Krasznahorkai, trans George Szirtes 8/10
A complex, difficult, gripping, Hungarian Western. Best May read.
Look Who's Back, by Timor Vermes, trans Jamie Bulloch 6/10
Hitler wakes up... in modern Germany. Brave effort, nice one-liners, but the conceit hasn't the legs to compete against the monster.
I scrutinised once more my modest, nay pathetic writing desk and the cheap, whitish wall behind it. It would not look any better no matter what one hung up there, even a bronze imperial eagle.
And I never denied that, when it is cold, the Teuton does nothing. Apart from light a fire, perhaps. Just look at the Norwegian or the Swede. It came as no surprise to learn of the success the Swede has recently enjoyed with his furniture. In that rotten state of his the Swede is permanently on the lookout for firewood, so it is no wonder that from time to time this might result in the odd table or chair. Or a so-called social system, which delivers heat free of charge into the apartment blocks of millions of parasites. This can only lead to spinelessness and greater sloth
Maigret in Holland, by Georges Simenon, trans Geoffrey Sainsbury 6/10 Reread.
Out Of It, by Selma Dabbagh 8/10
Shocking, but inspiring account of life in Gaza. Hard to understand the Israeli position... Up to you, David Grossman.
They had driven down a backstreet into a complex, functional part of town strung with wires and pipes; it was like finding oneself behind the back of an extremely large computer screen.
Agatha Raisin and the Dembley Walkers, by MC Beaton 5/10 (PR in Fiction)
Agatha signed the credit card slip. ‘You’ll get the tape when I read it,’ she said. She got to her feet. ‘Goodnight, Mr Andrews.’ Ross Andrews swore under his breath. Public relations! He hoped never to meet anyone like Agatha Raisin again. He felt quite tearful. Oh, for the days when women were women!
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