It was interesting going through my reviews of 2020 as the best reads turned out to be almost equally divided between reviews for Shiny New Books and reviews on this blog. But the character of what I read for each of them shows up clearly here.
Of the eight best of Shiny, six are new publications, one came out a couple of years ago, and one was a new reprint. Also, six were fiction, and the two non-fictions were both literary criticism.
Of the nine best on the blog, only one was a 2020 publication, and that was also the only non-fiction. The other eight were reprints.
What all this tells me - as if I didn't know it - is that I not only have a definite preference for fiction, but also that I'm inexorably drawn to reprints, mainly of the 20th-century, and mostly by women writers. But this is why Shiny is such a boon - because our policy on there is to review books within three months of publication, I read a lot more new books than I used to. In fairness, I would probably have read Hamnet and Jack anyway, because I love Maggie O'Farrell and Marilynne Robinson. But I almost certainly wouldn't have stumbled on two delightful reads by authors I'd never heard of, The Mystery of Henri Pick and Laura Laura. And I was so happy to get review copies of two excellent critical books, Jane Austen: Writing, Society, Politics, and the stunning Artful Dickens.
What doesn't show up on this list, though, is the fact that I read a LOT of crime fiction, both recent and classic. I've read a lot of enjoyable books in this category, but only review them if they are outstanding. So hardly any made the final cut - two, in fact, Henri Pick and Broken Harbour. Tana French has given me lots of pleasure all year, so Broken Harbour just represents the tip of the iceberg - I've also recently been enjoying Ann Cleeves but haven't posted any reviews of hers.
In other trivia:
My first and last reviews of 2020 were both of books I first read aged about eight or nine: An Old Fashioned Girl and Hardings Luck.
I read a science fiction novel for the first time since my 20s: The Naked Sun.
My Shiny List
The Mystery of Henri Pick by David Foenkinos
Excellent literary mystery set in the far west of Brittany - brilliant twist at the end.
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
Wonderfully convincing and immersive story of Shakespeare's wife.
Jane Austen: Women, Society, Politics by Tom Keymer
I'm a huge fan of Austen and thought there wasn't much I could learn about the novels. But this proved me wrong.
Laura Laura by Richard Francis
Funny, moving, absorbing, thought-provoking novel about marriage, lust, friendship, ageing, memory, philosophy, and quantum mechanics.
Jack by Marilynne Robinson
Eagerly awaited addition to the family story - beautiful, deeply moving.
Broken Harbour by Tana French
One of the Dublin Murder series -- all are great but I thought this the best.
The Artful Dickens by John Mullan
Wonderfully entertaining and informative study of what's great about Dickens.
Mr Fox by Barbara Comyns
A little known novel by the superb, inimitable Comyns: a vivid, quirky account of life in WW2.
Blog
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Magical novel which I read when it first came out 20 years ago.
Father by Elizabeth von Arnim
Comic and thought-provoking story of a woman in her thirties attempting to break away from her dominating father.
The Scapegoat by Daphne Du Maurier
Fascinating story of identity theft in 1930s France.
The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov
SF! Who'd have thought it? A book group choice, which I really enjoyed.
Mr Fortune's Maggot by Sylvia Townsend Warner
Warner never disappoints - here its with the story of a missionary's adventures on a remote Pacific island.
On Chapel Sands by Laura Cummins
Fascinating account of the author's mother slowly untangling the truth of her earliest years.
All Done by Kindness by Doris Langley Moore
I read several of DLM's novels this year, thanks to Dean Street Press. All different and all excellent but this was probably my favourite.
An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott
Re-read of a delightful book I'd enjoyed aged about 8 or 9.
Harding's Luck by E.Nesbit
And another childhood favourite - can't even remember how many times I've read it and I love it as much every time. Time travelling, history, social history, and much comedy.