Reading is medicinal for me. It’s the closest I get to meditation as it focuses my mind in a way nothing else can. I go through phases of devouring book after book then a drought for a few weeks until the cycle begins again. Books are the antidote to my scrolling, anxiety and noise, and I’m always happier when I have one on the go.

According to my selection this year I favour the big meaty novel which surprises me as the short punchy ones align much more with my own writing style, but that’s books! They’re always teaching you something about yourself.

So my top 3 of 2023…

#3

It tells the story of multiple characters living in an iconic building in Manhattan's East Village, the Christodora. It time travels the generations affected by AIDS and puts the destructive power of hard drugs under the spotlight. I hadn't read much about AIDS, so everyday was a school day here, and a horrific one at that. But there’s so much love in the novel to counteract, I suppose until the cure, it was the only thing that could.

I look forward to watching the film that’s been optioned.

#2

This sci-fi-ish novel was as stunning as it was strange. It tells the story of Leigh, a young girl who grows up in the Netherlands amid the drama of climate change and eventually becomes a marine scientist exploring ocean trenches and investigating an anomaly at the edge of the solar system.

It feels slow, but somehow then you’re halfway through and hoping it never ends! The hype is real, I’ll be gifting this novel many times over.

#1

After the domestic bombshell of the birth of my 1st child had settled, I spent many fine hours reading this novel and I’m so glad I did.

Set in "an unidentified city" in India, in 1975 and later 1984, during the turmoil of The Emergency, it focuses on 4 characters from varied backgrounds – Dina Dalal, Ishvar Darji, his nephew Omprakash Darji, and Maneck Kohlah – who come together and develop a bond.

I knew nothing about The Emergency or Caste system, so this cultural deep dive was so rich and fulfilling for me. I’m astounded at the author’s emotional scope and imagination. There was so much ugliness in it, so much to cringe at, but equally so many breathtakingly tender scenes.

I’ve read there’s a series is in development and will be watching, but for me this novel stands alone in it’s triumph and is one of the most magnificent books I’ve ever read.

Best Books 23

#3

#2

#1