Title: The Bone Clocks

Author: David Mitchell

From the back: Run away, one drowsy summer’s afternoon, with Holly Sykes: wayward teenager, broken-hearted rebel and unwitting pawn in a titanic, hidden conflict.

Over six decades, the consequences of a moment’s impulse unfold, drawing an ordinary woman into a world far beyond her imagining. And as life in the near future turns perilous, the pledge she made to a stranger may become the key to her family’s survival . . .

The gist: I loved Slade House (as you can read about here), and Mitchell didn’t disappoint with The Bone Clocks. It’s a similar setup in some ways, spread over lifetimes, telling different characters’ stories, ultimately coming together in a fantastical conclusion. And it was the characters that made the book for me – Mitchell’s dialogue reads so well it makes you think you’re there in the room meeting all these sometimes strange, sometimes devious, always interesting people.

It’s the strength of the book, and made the first half particularly strong for me. The second half, which seemed to focus more on the fantastical story elements, was fun but for me not quite as engaging. Which is only really saying that I could read Mitchell’s characters talking in bars for years, so when they stop it makes me a little bit sad, like losing touch with an old friend.

And what is a good book if it’s not something where you feel like you’re meeting new people and discovering new worlds?

Favourite line: Arkady is stroking his zits, content to let me talk

Read if: You fancy hanging out with a whole host of strange and wonderful characters.

Read with: An armchair and plenty of time to meet new people.

Get it: The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell