The End of the Day
by Claire North (Orbit, 2017)
A poignant dip into humanity’s ills and ailments (beautifully written though spoiled somewhat by all the interspersed conversational snippets). North does ultimately answer the question ‘What is Death?’ but the journey is gruelling and the protagonist has less personality than a window.
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
by Claire North (Orbit, 2014); audiobook read by Peter Kenny (Hachette Audio, 2014)
A refreshingly original take on time travel. Born over and over again in 1919 and remembering each of his lives, Harry August narrates in a style faintly reminiscent of H. G. Wells. The scenario’s intrigue gives rise eventually to a high-stakes page-turner.