Three new literary fiction titles offer distinct narratives and stylistic approaches. Niamh Campbell's 'Make Strange' delves into relationship drama with an expansive scope, while Graeme Armstrong's 'Raveheart' presents a dystopian vision of post-industrial Scotland. Andrew Sean Greer's 'Villa Coco' aims for levity with a whimsical tale set in an Italian villa.
'Make Strange' follows Lena, a former folk singer who, after being ejected from her band, finds herself in Dublin raising a child with seemingly past-life memories. The novel begins as an intimate parenting psychodrama but expands to explore the layered histories of two families, offering an intergenerational anatomy of Ireland. The work is described as quietly brilliant, wise, and masterfully crafted.
Graeme Armstrong's 'Raveheart,' his follow-up to 'The Young Team,' is a state-of-the-nation dystopia set in post-industrial Scotland. The novel centers on Turbo, a small-time DJ who becomes involved in an insurrection against a far-Right Member of Parliament. Armstrong, drawing on his past experiences and love for electronic dance music, uses a fragmentary vernacular narrative to explore themes of political urgency and cultural rebellion.
Andrew Sean Greer, known for his comedic novel 'Less,' offers 'Villa Coco' as a whimsical summertime caper. The story features an American who becomes a factotum for a nonagenarian noble hosting eccentric guests at her Tuscan villa. The novel is intended as a lighthearted escape from current events, though its comedic approach and focus on wealth have been critiqued as basic and pandering.
