THE FISH, by Lloyd Jones (Penguin, $36)
Do many readers notice a novel’s epigraph? Other writers and reviewers tend to check it out – it’s pithy and usually intellectual, handy for the “famous quotes” folder. It also offers a glimpse of how the author would like us to think about their work, a signpost guiding us on to a path through a dense forest of story, should we need it.
Acclaimed New Zealand writer Lloyd Jones has chosen a quote by PolishAmerican poet CzesÅ‚aw MiÅ‚osz to open his latest novel, The Fish. “When a writer is born into a family, the family is finished.” I found myself leaning heavily into it while reading The Fish. By the end, I’d enjoyed the journey very much, but also found myself curious about what was off the beaten track.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
