The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey review – this dystopia could have been extraordinary

Alternate political realities are compellingly explored in this sinister vision of a children’s home – but the echoes of Ishiguro are just too strongIn 2016 Catherine Chidgey published her fourth novel, The Wish Child, a child’s-eye view of Nazi Germany. Since then the much-garlanded New Zealander has contrived to be not only conspicuously prolific but also intriguingly unpredictable. Though she returned to wartime Germany in her Women’s prize-longlisted Holocaust novel, Remote Sympathy, her work has ranged from the coming-of-age psychological thriller Pet to The Beat of the Pendulum, a “found” novel that drew on everything from conversations and social media posts to news bulletins and even satnav instructions to create a picture of one woman’s life over a year. The Axeman’s Carnival, published in the UK last year, was partly narrated by a magpie. Like The Wish Child it won the Acorn prize for fiction, making Chidgey the only writer to win New Zealand’s most prestigious prize twice.The Book of Guilt appears to mark another departure. Chidgey describes her ninth novel as her “first foray into dystopian fiction” and, while the book purports to be set in England in 1979 with a female prime minister newly ensconced in Downing Street, it is not the country we know. In Chidgey’s alternate universe, the second world war ended not in 1945 with allied victory, but in 1943 when the assassination of Hitler by German conspirators led to a swiftly negotiated peace treaty. Subsequent collaboration across Europe has ensured that progress in biological and medical science, already significantly advanced, has accelerated, fuelled by shared research that includes the grotesque experiments carried out on prisoners in Nazi death camps. Continue reading...

Comments

Culture

Taraji P Henson says Hollywood ‘lied’ to her about Black movies and TV shows

Independent

Comments

Culture

Taraji P Henson says Hollywood ‘lied’ to her about Black movies and TV shows

Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star breaks down over ‘cruel’ game of pregnancy roulette

‘I’m still standing’: Kevin Spacey quotes ‘friend’ Elton John in passionate return speech at Cannes

Shucked at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre: 'laugh-out loud sunshine'

Peppa Pig’s parents reveal how she really feels about ‘miracle’ new baby

Chris Brown released on bail - but must pay &#163;5m security fee

Michael McStay death: Coronation Street and Doctor Who actor dies aged 92

Murderbot: Sci-fi fans praise ‘new kind’ of series with impressive Rotten Tomatoes score

Binge-worthy British show about a scam holiday romance enters Netflix Top 10 as fans ‘left guessing until the very end’

Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut premieres to mixed reviews at Cannes film festival

Are we facing the death of Glasgow's reputation for having the best crowds at gigs?

The best and worst Glastonbury moments ever

ITV ‘bloodbath’: Daytime TV staff in shock at major cuts as Lorraine and Loose Women’s schedule takes hit

TV show that ‘gave fans nightmares’ just got renewed for season 4

Russell T Davies addresses fans correctly guessing huge Doctor Who mystery

Carey Mulligan joins cast of Greta Gerwig’s Narnia adaptation

Eurovision controversy rumbles on as more countries demand voting audit over Israel

Jodie Foster says she doesn’t ‘understand’ young actors who want to star in ‘bad movies’

Watch the moment Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp wins Booker Prize

Lorraine Kelly shares upbeat post with fans amid ITV cuts to her show

Adam Ramey death: Dropout Kings singer dies aged 31

Netflix’s troubled Spice Girls TV show finally gets some good news

George Wendt died exactly 32 years after the Cheers finale as fans point out ‘emotional coincidence’

GB News viewers shocked as Eamonn Holmes falls off chair live on air

From Marvel to 'Sinners', should you stay for the post-credits scenes?

Pop culture has a "bean soup problem."

A View to a Kill doesn’t deserve its reputation as the worst ever Bond

Guy Ritchie’s decision to give up the geezer act might be a stroke of genius

Peppa Pig becomes a big sister to baby Evie as Mummy Pig gives birth

George Wendt: Ted Danson and Rhea Perlman lead tributes to late Cheers star

Holy smoke! Could Hamilton be doubling as Gotham City?

The Bear fans ‘hope they don’t fumble’ new season as trailer is released

Justin Bieber slammed for back-handed Instagram compliment over wife Hailey landing Vogue cover

Spike Lee says ‘people are hurting’ in jab at Trump’s foreign-made film tariffs

New ‘bracingly tense’ Netflix documentary lands perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes

Britain’s Got Talent star Susan Boyle celebrates major milestone following stroke recovery

Netflix fans are binge-watching ‘unbelievable’ thriller soaring up the chart

Neil Young latest rocker to speak up for Springsteen against Trump: ‘Think about cleaning up the mess you made’

International Booker Prize 2025: Banu Mushtaq wins for book ‘challenging Western stereotypes about Muslim life’

The Last of Us showrunner hints that a season 4 could be necessary to tell the entire story

Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch is a travesty

India's Banu Mushtaq scripts history with International Booker win

'Nice to be back,' Kevin Spacey says, accepting achievement award in Cannes

Review: How Music Came Down to Earth, in ‘Goddess’

John Oliver reveals which minor league baseball team he’s renaming

Chris Hughes has fans convinced he’s ‘hard launched’ relationship with JoJo Siwa

Dakota Johnson told Hollywood wants ‘more muscular’ TV shows: ‘What does that mean?’

George Wendt, who played Norm on 'Cheers,' has died

The Making of “Rust” Was a Tragedy. Its Final Form Is a Missed Opportunity

20 people, health care business and church charged in sober living scheme in Arizona

Biden's office says his 'last known' prostate cancer screening was in 2014

The Bear fans ‘hope they don’t fumble’ new season as trailer is released

Dilbert creator reveals he has same aggressive cancer as Biden and only has months to live

Oasis: The massive figure fans will be spending on reunion tour costs is revealed

ITV to finally air ‘ridiculous’ series that was pulled from screens 2 years ago

The Thick of It creator reveals scene which cabinet ministers say happened in real life

Cassie's mum describes Diddy's sex tape threats - as 'The Punisher' gives testimony

'Heart Lamp' wins International Booker, with stories of India's Muslim women and girls

George Wendt’s Norm Made Every ‘Cheers’ Entrance Feel Fresh

The Faking It reboot is still irresistible TV

Chris Brown released on bail - but must pay £5m security fee