20. The Other Hand - Chris Cleave
The editor of this book has opted to forgo a blurb so as not to spoil the story for any potential readers, so I shall do the same. What I will say, is that this is a book that will make you look at ice cubes, pound coins and this country in a different way. It entwines horror with hope, beauty with brutality, and is - terribly - realistic, without being pessimistic. It shocking and funny and heartbreaking all at once, and is a book to be savoured, not gobbled. I am amazed at the ability of this man to narrate from the perspectives of two very different women so convincingly; his writing is exquisite, and hugely intelligent. This is a very important book.
