Freshers

by Joanna Davies

This is by no means a literary classic, being translated into English for welsh with sizeable additions. But as stories go I found it brilliant! The use of three independent time lines of three friends at university but which inevitably entangle with themes many good stories have of love, sex, betrayal, loyally and death. I fear however you might have needed to have went to university to fully get this book, but none the less is a tale of three students trying to make sense of their new world with varying degrees of success. As a story you will find it hard to do better! 5/5.



Submarine by Joe Dunthorne

The 2nd novel I read back to back which is based in south wales, although this is by no means, totally Welsh. Submarine is a guide through the young mind of a mild sociopath, better known as a teenage boy. Parents to school, being a bully to losing your virginity, oh and breaking into the house of the man whom your mum gave a 'hand job' too in a tent, this book has, as they say, 'it all' within the context of a teenage boys musings. All set out in a way that screams troubled intelligence with vivid descriptions of scenes of often quite explicit nature but in a way that is not smut or arousing and along with the scenes of social awkwardness reflects the thinking of a truly unique character in modern culture. An epically entertaining read it is for sure! 4/5.

You can find all my original reviews on my Goodreads page.