Nine To Noon Book review: Three of the best from 2025
Feb 3, 2026
Ralph McAllister, an experienced book reviewer, highlights three standout 2025 titles. He discusses John Boyne's quartet and its quiet father-son reconciliation. He explores David Szalay's Booker-winning Flesh and its stark, episodic storytelling. He also reviews Anthony Hopkins's memoir, tracing struggle, recovery and theatrical turning points.
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Read Boyne's Quartet In Order
- Read John Boyne's quartet in sequence: Water, Earth, Fire, then Air for full effect.
- Start with Water to appreciate character arcs and the novella format's accessibility.
Understated Quartet Reveals Deep Relationships
- John Boyne's Elements Quartet (Water, Earth, Fire, Air) explores human relationships with elegant understatement.
- Ralph McAllister recommends reading them in order to appreciate the tied-up loose ends and character development.
Sparse Storytelling Demands Reader Participation
- David Szalay's Flesh uses sparse, episodic storytelling that asks readers to fill narrative gaps.
- McAllister compares its understatement to Pinter and Beckett and calls it one of the best books of the year.
