Without question my favourite book of recent years. Part Great American Novel, part Greek tragedy, Middlesex depicts the coming of age of the hermaphroditic protagonist Calliope. Stretching from a small village in Asia Minor, to America and Berlin, this is a rich family epic which cleverly intertwines real places and events (autobiographical and historical) and is a beautiful telling of the Greek immigrant story in America.

The physical, emotional and social evolution of a striking young girl into an androgynous male is skillfully written, and challenged my own preconceptions of gender identity. With so many facinating themes, I regularly found myself staring into the distance in a Middlesex induced bout of self-reflection. Through Cal’s story, Eugenides shows us that every person is a rich tapestry of family, history, environment and genetics. 

Not only is Middlesex a sophisticated commentary on social, cultural and gender identity, but it is a beautiful, tragic, funny and marvelous read. Highly recommended.

-Cam

Despite depicting some very despicable thoughts and actions which hang over the reader like the oppressive humid heat of swampy Florida, where it is set, I could not stop reading, this is seriously great literature.

Brandon's skilful writing, and careful holding back of moral judgement, evoked in me a compassion towards all his characters, which was both unsettling and beautiful.

Depicts the heartache of growing up, of accepting the often gaping chasm between expectation and reality, and of the paradoxes inherent in both love and life

- Cam

Set in the unforgiving swamps of the Florida Everglades, Swamplandia! is a family run alligator-wrestling island theme park. Having just lost their mother and star wrestler to cancer, and with patrons dwindling, 13-year old Ava Bigtree and her family break apart, each in an effort to save their family, and escape their own grief.
A heartbreaking and beautifully told story of sibling love, family grief and the surprises of growing up. Russell evokes a nostalgia for place and a warmth towards her courageous characters that I have rarely experienced in a novel.
I picked this novel up for the beautiful cover art, and was sad to finish it. Incredibly rich and rewarding story telling for a first novel.

- Cam

Charles Yu is a time machine repairman, in a somewhat faulty 'science fictional' universe. With his imaginary dog Ed, and his TM-31 time machine's lovely Operating System "Tammy", for 10 years he's been helping clients who have become stranded while futilely trying to change their own past. He's stuck in a rut, and it only gets worse when he shoots his future self in the stomach, and gets thrown into a time loop.
It's wildly geeky premise makes this book absolutely charming. A must read for those who suspect they're caught in a time-loop. 

The eagerly anticipated conclusion to the series which depicts a post-war future where a tyrannical regime cleverly plays its people against each other with an annual Hunger Games spectacular, where sacrificial youths fight to the death in booby trapped arenas whilst broadcast to the nation. Tough and savvy teen Katniss Everdeen is the central character, who continually outwits the 'Capitol' and wins the hearts and allegiance of a nation. Combining reality TV, love, and terrifying dictatorships into thrilling and moving reading, I recommend this to anyone who loves books with a little action and a lot of heart.

Aside from highly staged displays of military and nuclear strength, little is known about life in North Korea, the last bastion of soviet style socialism. Through the stories of six defectors, Barbara Demick gives us an uncompromising and stark look at the lives of ordinary North Koreans, a people that revere their leaders as omnipotent, but are repaid with poverty, persecution and starvation. Full of fascinating insights into state propaganda, and absolute censorship. Academically intriguing whilst emotionally heartbreaking, this is a must read for news and political junkies.