CULTURE EDITION
Reading this brief novel is a startlingly visceral, yet totally unforgettable experience. It follows erotic fiction writer Shaka, who is profoundly disabled. She is living in a care home full-time and is completely dependent on an electric wheelchair and ventilator. It has now been almost 30 years since she last walked outside. Her parents’ early deaths have left her wealthy beyond her needs, although she continues to earn by writing SEO-friendly articles for websites, as well as extremely popular explicit stories, donating the additional income to food banks or other female-focused charities. She launches her darkest wishes into cyberspace via an anonymous Twitter account, confident that no one will ever read them – yet it’s impossible to be entirely invisible on the internet. It turns out that a male carer has been following her online utterances and has an indecent proposal for her – but is she really ready to make these most disturbing of dreams a reality? Among the most startling features of this short narrative are its matter-of-fact physicality, the meticulous planning and relentless compromises that ensure Shaka’s continued existence. When she does manage to walk, the sway of her body means that she often bangs her head, while when she reads, the weight of the tomes crush her lungs and bend her already-curved spine. Provocative, political and deeply physical, this wildly arresting novel hugely deserves its many accolades – as well as pride of place atop your pile of stunning titles to read for the summer. Hunchback SAOU ICHIKAWA, TRANSLATED BY POLLY BARTON
Canine companions in fiction Four-legged friends steal the show in these compelling stories that run the gamut of genres
Heroic Measures JILL CIMENT
Six-Thirty is an abandoned explosives-detection dog adopted by the hero of this fiercely feminist historical comedy, Elizabeth Zott, as she wrestles the patriarchy pinning her in place. (The book version of this dog is better than the TV show’s!) Lessons in Chemistry BONNIE GARMUS
Nettle & Bone T KINGFISHER
Twelve-year-old sausage dog Dorothy is ill, and her elderly owners must get her to the vet. But they are also showing their beloved NYC apartment to prospective buyers – and navigating a possible terrorist threat that has brought the city to a standstill.
Marra needs to protect her beloved sister from an evil prince, and a grave witch offers her help – provided she completes three ‘impossible’ tasks, one of which is creating a ‘dog of bones’. A brilliant, Pratchett-esque, feel-good fairytale for grown-ups.
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK MAY 2025 27
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