Review
The Cut Up by Louise Welsh review: slippery and morally dubious adventures
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
Discipline by Larissa Pham review: the past sure is tense
Pham’s debut novel follows an artist who abandons painting after an experience with a manipulative professor
The Age of Calamities by Senaa Ahmad review: gorgeously bizarre, time-warping tales
The Age of Calamities by Senaa Ahmad review: gorgeously bizarre, time-warping tales
In these gorgeously bizarre tales, the past wriggles gleefully into the present
The President’s Cake review: a surprisingly sweet depiction of life under an uncaring regime
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
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
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
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
Nouvelle Vague review – Richard Linklater’s witty, whimsical love letter to Jean-Luc Godard
Drifting North by Dominic Hinde review – intimately moving and expansive
Drifting North by Dominic Hinde review – intimately moving and expansive
Looking Down at the Stars by Christina Riley review – sumptuous and beautiful nature writing
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’
Waiting for the Out writer Dennis Kelly: ‘In prison, all you can hear is chaos’
Rental Family review – satisfaction guaranteed with Brendan Fraser
Rental Family review – satisfaction guaranteed with Brendan Fraser
A Mind of My Own by Kathy Burke review – frank, funny and wise
A Mind of My Own by Kathy Burke review – frank, funny and wise
Bad Bad Girl by Gish Jen review – a redemptive portrait of motherhood
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
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
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
The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a portrait of women on the outskirts
Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre
Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre
David Copperfield review – an intimate and utterly joyful take on Charles Dickens’ epic novel
David Copperfield review – an intimate and utterly joyful take on Charles Dickens’ epic novel
Porn Play review – this isn’t just theatre, it’s a wake-up call
Porn Play review – this isn’t just theatre, it’s a wake-up call
Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories by Ghassan Kanafani review – diaspora, flight and exile
Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories by Ghassan Kanafani review – diaspora, flight and exile
The Thing with Feathers review – a bruising but rewarding watch
The Thing with Feathers review – a bruising but rewarding watch
A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction
A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction
The Expansion Project by Ben Pester review – a surreal dismantling of corporate culture
The Expansion Project by Ben Pester review – a surreal dismantling of corporate culture
Blood Book by Kim de l’Horizon review – extended meditations on non-binary identity
