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, England and beyond.
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Book ReviewsMonument Maker by David Keenan
David Keenan is pushing boundaries, and pushing readers, in his towering new novel Monument Maker Read more »| 04 Aug 2021 -
Book ReviewsThe Turnout by Megan Abbott
The Turnout is a dance that begins slowly and lures the reader in, with Megan Abbott offering a precise dissection of complex relationships Read more »| 03 Aug 2021 -
Book ReviewsThe Roles We Play by Sabba Khan
Sabba Khan's tenderly sketched graphic memoir is an unequivocal labour of love that hones in on the Kashmiri immigrant experience Read more »| 27 Jul 2021 -
Book ReviewsWe Need To Talk About Money by Otegha Uwagba
Otegha Uwagba's new book is a relatable, recognisable and brave step towards dismantling the barriers surrounding money Read more »| 07 Jul 2021 -
FestivalsEdinburgh Book Festival reveals 2021 programme
Edinburgh Book Festival returns this August with a hybrid online-offline programme of 250 events featuring authors from around the world Read more »| 06 Jul 2021 -
Book ReviewsEveryone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin
Funny, dark and harrowing – Emily Austin's debut novel is a profoundly honest portrayal of mental health in a chaotic modern world Read more »| 05 Jul 2021
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Book ReviewsThe Giant Dark by Sarvat Hasin
Sarvat Hasin's new book, a loose retelling of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, is heavy with the bloodied consequences of romantic collapse Read more »| 05 Jul 2021 -
Book ReviewsThe First Collection... by Jessica Hopper
This expanded edition of Jessica Hopper's collection of music journalism remains an essential read Read more »| 01 Jul 2021 -
Book ReviewsSmithers & Wing by Heather Palmer, Kirsty Hunter
Heather Palmer and Kirsty Hunter blend exquisite artwork with action-packed writing in their first Smithers and Wing graphic novel Read more »| 28 Jun 2021 -
FeaturesSara Jafari on The Mismatch
We meet Sara Jafari to discuss The Mismatch, her new novel exploring second-generation Iranian identity and its relationship to romantic and sexual desire Read more »| 24 Jun 2021 -
Book ReviewsHeaven by Mieko Kawakami
The new novel from Breasts and Eggs author Mieko Kawakami is relentless in reminding us of the claustrophobia of adolescence Read more »| 10 Jun 2021 -
FeaturesThe New Normal of Scottish Spoken Word
As we venture ever more carefully out into the world with the easing of restrictions, it feels the perfect time to check in with Scotland's spoken word scene: what has changed, how do we return to normal – and should we? Read more »| 07 Jun 2021 -
Book ReviewsAbsorbed by Kylie Whitehead
Through its eerie, genre-bending premise, Kylie Whitehead's visceral new novel touches on female insecurity and modern relationship issues Read more »| 31 May 2021 -
Book ReviewsInsignificance by James Clammer
James Clammer's novel is a careful exploration of how seismic personal events interact with the minutiae of everyday life Read more »| 28 May 2021 -
Book ReviewsResistance by Val McDermid and Kathryn Briggs
Val McDermid and Kathryn Briggs' new graphic novel is a realistic and unsettling look at a fast-spreading pandemic Read more »| 28 May 2021