Books
The Skinny book guide – bringing you book reviews, features, events, reviews and author interviews. Find previews and on the ground reporting from festivals of literature and poetry in Scotland and beyond.
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Book ReviewsKink: Stories by R.O. Kwon & Garth Greenwell
Erotica can get a bad, 'Fifty Shades of Grey' rep, but Kink showcases the beauty of libidinous words in a brilliant anthology of short fiction Read more »| 09 Feb 2021 -
Book ReviewsDuck Feet by Ely Percy
Ely Percy's Duck Feet is a warm, witty celebration of working class life and culture in the West of Scotland Read more »| 01 Feb 2021 -
Book ReviewsBolt from the Blue by Jeremy Cooper
Jeremy Cooper's novel, charting the correspondence between a mother and daughter in 1980s Britain, feels eerily prescient Read more »| 28 Jan 2021 -
FeaturesSalena Godden introduces Mrs Death Misses Death
In a world where mortality is at the forefront of many people's minds, Salena Godden introduces her debut novel: the collected memoir of Mrs Death herself, collated by a troubled young poet Read more »| 28 Jan 2021 -
Book ReviewsIslands of Abandonment by Cal Flyn
Cal Flyn weaves social history and ecological analysis into a lyrical journey through a series of spectacular uninhabited locations Read more »| 20 Jan 2021 -
Book ReviewsLuster by Raven Leilani
Raven Leilani's incisive new novel Luster takes a classic tale of suburban melodrama and renders it fierce and daring Read more »| 18 Jan 2021
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Book ReviewsLuckenbooth by Jenni Fagan
Jenni Fagan's new novel takes us inside the walls of an Edinburgh tenement, and brings a huge array of characters to life Read more »| 05 Jan 2021 -
Book ReviewsThe Prophets by Robert Jones Jr.
Robert Jones Jr.'s debut novel, chronicling the lives of two enslaved gay men in antebellum Mississippi, is historical fiction that feels essential Read more »| 05 Jan 2021 -
Book ReviewsThe Push by Ashley Audrain
The Push is an unsettling exploration of sanity and motherhood, and of expectations both personal and societal Read more »| 05 Jan 2021 -
FeaturesBryan Washington on memorials for our communities
Bryan Washington discusses his debut novel Memorial, a deep and multi-layered look at the lives and relationships of two queer men of colour in the USA Read more »| 05 Jan 2021 -
FeaturesThe Skinny's Books of 2020
If you're looking to squeeze a few more great books into 2020, here are The Skinny team's favourite reads from across the year Read more »| 09 Dec 2020 -
Book ReviewsYou Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
Zaina Arafat's You Exist Too Much is a fresh, witty novel which packs a heavy punch Read more »| 30 Nov 2020 -
FeaturesCategory Is, Lighthouse and Book Nook on supporting indie bookshops
"Shop indie" is a common slogan, and in a year where Amazon's profits have soared while the majority struggle, Anahit Behrooz explores exactly why independent bookshops are important, and why your support matters more than ever Read more »| 30 Nov 2020 -
Book ReviewsI Want to Be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom
This collection of personal essays from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend's Rachel Bloom is blisteringly funny with some insightful gut punches on the way Read more »| 30 Nov 2020 -
Book ReviewsStrange Beasts of China by Yan Ge
Yan Ge's postmodern tales of strange and unusual beasts offer ecological parables and evocative thoughts on the way we interact with the world Read more »| 27 Nov 2020