Books
The ultimate guide to the best books of 2025 – as chosen by Big Issue critics
The ultimate guide to the best books of 2025 – as chosen by Big Issue critics
Big Issue literary critics' books of the year
The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a portrait of women on the outskirts
The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a portrait of women on the outskirts
Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre
Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre
Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories by Ghassan Kanafani review – diaspora, flight and exile
Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories by Ghassan Kanafani review – diaspora, flight and exile
The Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi review – a strange, engrossing literary hall of mirrors
The Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi review – a strange, engrossing literary hall of mirrors
A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction
A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction
The Expansion Project by Ben Pester review – a surreal dismantling of corporate culture
The Expansion Project by Ben Pester review – a surreal dismantling of corporate culture
Blood Book by Kim de l’Horizon review – extended meditations on non-binary identity
Blood Book by Kim de l’Horizon review – extended meditations on non-binary identity
A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap review – give them some money
A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap review – give them some money
Relearning to Read by Ann Morgan review – eye-opening and revelatory
Relearning to Read by Ann Morgan review – eye-opening and revelatory
100,000 Birthdays by Cynthia Rogerson review – as fun as it is profound
100,000 Birthdays by Cynthia Rogerson review – as fun as it is profound
Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood review – evoking our collective Covid brain fog
Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood review – evoking our collective Covid brain fog
The Other Girl by Annie Ernaux review – grief's rippling effects
The Other Girl by Annie Ernaux review – grief's rippling effects
Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon review – conjuring an unhinged and vaudevillian world
Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon review – conjuring an unhinged and vaudevillian world
Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy review – words of wisdom
Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy review – words of wisdom
House of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk review – mushrooming magic
House of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk review – mushrooming magic
Hum by Helen Phillips review – a dystopian drama with emotional impact
Hum by Helen Phillips review – a dystopian drama with emotional impact
Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite review – an understated family saga
Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite review – an understated family saga
Ruth by Kate Riley review – a refreshing new author to watch
Ruth by Kate Riley review – a refreshing new author to watch
The Course of the Heart by M John Harrison review – imbued with mystery and the occult
The Course of the Heart by M John Harrison review – imbued with mystery and the occult
Bless Me Father by Kevin Rowland review – Dexys lynchpin bares his sensitive soul
Bless Me Father by Kevin Rowland review – Dexys lynchpin bares his sensitive soul
Necessary Fiction by Eloghosa Osunde review – a radical, gorgeous queer novel
Necessary Fiction by Eloghosa Osunde review – a radical, gorgeous queer novel
Saraswati by Gurnaik Johal review – connections across the Indian diaspora
Saraswati by Gurnaik Johal review – connections across the Indian diaspora
Where the Axe is Buried by Ray Nayler review – speculative fiction with an emotional core
Where the Axe is Buried by Ray Nayler review – speculative fiction with an emotional core
The Man on the Endless Stair by Chris Barkley review – mind-bending revelations
