Booklist #7: Palomino

By Elizabeth Jolley. Had no idea what this was about before reading it. It's very literary (hence the lecture theatre named after Jolley at my university), very lyrical writing. Nothing like what I expected. I am fascinated to find out what era the story is written in, as I couldn't easily pick it from the story - the themes are quite modern (it was published in 1980), but it feels like it was set in the 50s or 60s. 

2016 Booklist #6: The Case of the Lucky Loser

By Erle Stanley Gardner. I had never read nor watched any Perry Mason before this. Now I have. I am unlikely to read any more.

2016 Booklist #5: Cat's Eye

By Margaret Atwood. I loved reading this book. Beautifully written, gripping story - particularly Elaine's earlier years (to be fair everything was a bit anticlimactic after that). The setting (post-War Canada) felt novel to me too. 

2016 Book #4: The Martian

By Andy Weir. Hugely entertaining and lots of suspense and science. I look forward to seeing the movie. 

2016 Book #3: The Island at the Centre of the World

By Russel Shorto.  Very easy read and very interesting look at the Dutch colony that founded Manhattan. My favorite bits were learning how certain parts of America and Manhattan came to be named (eg Wall Street, Brooklyn, Harlem), and also the influence of the Dutch language on America vocabulary.

2016 Book #2: The Lost Dog

The Lost Dog by Michelle de Kretser. Reviewed by both Ursula Le Guin and A S Byatt!  Took a while to get into, partly due to the detached story telling style, but I enjoyed the eventual unfolding of the mystery and time shifted narrative.

2016 Book 1: The Pilo Family Circus

Good to have it off my to be read pile. Otherwise, not too fussed about it. The writing very much felt like that of a newer author - which I think Will Elliott was at the time. However, I expected it to be better given all the awards it won.