With January only a third of the way through (how!?) and the dark nights still creeping in by 5pm, what better than a good book to snuggle under a blanket with? Look no further, we’ve got a selection of literary pick-me-ups which are sure to help you while away those winter nights.
Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2007
The heart-warming tale of a young Chinese woman, newly moved to London to live with her English boyfriend is full of hilarious unintentional one-liners from our Chinese narrator Z. Xiaolu brilliantly charts the difficulties of migrant life; whilst also painting an extremely realistic, and often sad, love story.
Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2014
This vibrant, lively story of the migrant experience is sure to make you challenge your preconceptions. Chimamanda employs her characteristic wit and erudite eye to tell the story of Nigerian lovers Ifemelu and Obinze and the different paths they take in the West.
Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2012
This mesmerising, high-wheeling love story is sure to hold you fast in its grip and not let go. Full of beautiful, ethereal imagery and a cornucopia of rich and vivid characters – The Night Circus is a feast for the senses, and a magical tale you won’t forget in a hurry.
Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2010
This wonderful story will almost certainly make you cry, but it will also make you smile. Kathryn Stockett conjures three extraordinary women, all very different, but united in their determination to change their small town for the better through respect, kindness and equality.
Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2006
The story of Lee, a suburban scholarship teen at a posh American boarding school, will speak to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. Sittenfield’s pitch-perfect observations about growing up will make you laugh out loud and cringe with recognition.
Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2006
The Smart family hosts an unexpected guest in their Norfolk holiday home who tips their lives upside down and forces them to rethink everything. In her experimental, quirky style, Ali Smith weaves an almost dreamlike series of events you can’t help but get lost in.
