Sarah Moss’s novels deliver immersive narratives that engage with themes from family dynamics to the complexities of post-Brexit Britain, offering readers a deep reflection on contemporary issues through succinct storytelling, reports BritPanorama.
Her works, such as Ghost Wall and Summerwater, are celebrated for their ability to distill profound insights into just a few hundred pages, often revealing disturbing aspects of human behaviour and societal undercurrents. This editorial reflects on Moss’s selection of favourite novels that embody a similar narrative economy, each under 200 pages.
Badenheim 1939 by Aharon Appelfeld
Appelfeld’s Holocaust allegory was first published in Hebrew in 1978 and made available in English in 1980. Set in an Austrian holiday resort in 1939, the story focuses on hotel residents who cannot or will not acknowledge the approaching threat as a mysterious ‘Sanitation Department’ orders the local Jewish population to register. The sharp and incisive narrative offers a commentary on human weakness in the face of systemic violence, implicitly prompting readers to reflect on their own avoidance of uncomfortable truths.
The Ice Palace by Tarjei Vesaas
This novel presents a poignant tale of friendship between two girls on the brink of adolescence in a northern Norwegian village. It explores themes of risk, maturation, and the balance of community versus individuality, rich with unspoken emotions that resonate throughout its succinct pages.
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
Jansson’s novel captures the essence of three generations spending a summer on a small island, delving into the distinctions between youth and age, and examining happiness amid sadness through the lens of fleeting joy and family dynamics during the Nordic summer.
Death in Spring by Mercè Rodoreda
This stunning Catalan novel provides a haunting portrayal of life in Catalonia during the early to mid-20th century. Set against the backdrop of an oppressive village, it vividly examines the pervasive cruelty and violence, while contemplating the political nuances that twist the very fabric of language and human instinct. It is described as demanding yet thought-provoking literature.
O Caledonia by Elspeth Barker
Barker’s novel, which made a lasting impression on Moss as a teenager, intricately combines Scottish Gothic elements with profound insights into girlhood. It begins with the tragic discovery of 16-year-old Janet’s body, reversing back to explore her imaginative life in a cold castle, offering a nuanced examination of adolescence amidst a rich literary backdrop.
‘Ripeness’ (Picador, £20) by Sarah Moss is longlisted for this year’s Wingate Prize
