Review

Your Life Without Me by James Meek review: a deeply original novel 
Books

Your Life Without Me by James Meek review: a deeply original novel 

Meek gets his finger on the pulse of our contemporary experience with panache and originality

Palaver by Bryan Washington review: a subtle and deft look at family relationships
Review

Palaver by Bryan Washington review: a subtle and deft look at family relationships

Washington’s typically understated prose style works like a magic trick – much of what matters most in Palaver happens between the lines

The Cut Up by Louise Welsh review: slippery and morally dubious adventures
Fiction

The Cut Up by Louise Welsh review: slippery and morally dubious adventures

The third novel in Welsh’s hit series features a vibrant cast of deadbeat and lowlife characters

Discipline by Larissa Pham review: the past sure is tense
Review

Discipline by Larissa Pham review: the past sure is tense

The Age of Calamities by Senaa Ahmad review: gorgeously bizarre, time-warping tales
Review

The Age of Calamities by Senaa Ahmad review: gorgeously bizarre, time-warping tales

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The President’s Cake review: a surprisingly sweet depiction of life under an uncaring regime
Film

The President’s Cake review: a surprisingly sweet depiction of life under an uncaring regime

John Candy: A Life in Comedy by Paul Myers review: a workmanlike yet touchingly sincere biography
Review

John Candy: A Life in Comedy by Paul Myers review: a workmanlike yet touchingly sincere biography

Waiting for the Out review – discussing Odysseus with Trevor from EastEnders was not on my bingo card
Lucy Sweet

Waiting for the Out review – discussing Odysseus with Trevor from EastEnders was not on my bingo card

Departure(s) by Julian Barnes review – a swan song of wit and grace
Books

Departure(s) by Julian Barnes review – a swan song of wit and grace

Nouvelle Vague review – Richard Linklater’s witty, whimsical love letter to Jean-Luc Godard
Film

Nouvelle Vague review – Richard Linklater’s witty, whimsical love letter to Jean-Luc Godard

Drifting North by Dominic Hinde review – intimately moving and expansive
Books

Drifting North by Dominic Hinde review – intimately moving and expansive

Looking Down at the Stars by Christina Riley review – sumptuous and beautiful nature writing
Books

Looking Down at the Stars by Christina Riley review – sumptuous and beautiful nature writing

Waiting for the Out writer Dennis Kelly: ‘In prison, all you can hear is chaos’
TV

Waiting for the Out writer Dennis Kelly: ‘In prison, all you can hear is chaos’

A Mind of My Own by Kathy Burke review – frank, funny and wise
Books

A Mind of My Own by Kathy Burke review – frank, funny and wise

Borderline Fiction by Derek Owusu review – the wintering of a soul
Books

Borderline Fiction by Derek Owusu review – the wintering of a soul

Bad Bad Girl by Gish Jen review – a redemptive portrait of motherhood
Books

Bad Bad Girl by Gish Jen review – a redemptive portrait of motherhood

The ultimate guide to the best books of 2025 – as chosen by Big Issue critics
Books

The ultimate guide to the best books of 2025 – as chosen by Big Issue critics

Dead Man Walking review – superbly dark opera, but light is around the corner
Opera

Dead Man Walking review – superbly dark opera, but light is around the corner

The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a portrait of women on the outskirts
Books

The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a portrait of women on the outskirts

Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre
Books

Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre

David Copperfield review – an intimate and utterly joyful take on Charles Dickens’ epic novel
Theatre

David Copperfield review – an intimate and utterly joyful take on Charles Dickens’ epic novel

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Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories by Ghassan Kanafani review – diaspora, flight and exile
Books

Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories by Ghassan Kanafani review – diaspora, flight and exile

The Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi review – a strange, engrossing literary hall of mirrors
Books

The Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi review – a strange, engrossing literary hall of mirrors

The Thing with Feathers review – a bruising but rewarding watch
Film

The Thing with Feathers review – a bruising but rewarding watch

A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction
Books

A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction