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July 2020 | REDONLINE.CO.UKPARIS, FRANCE
The Dud Avocado
by Elaine Dundy
Deemed by our literary editor
Sarra Manning ‘the best Paris novel
ever,’ this timeless story sees American
Sally Jay move to the French capital
in the 1950s determined to live life
to the full – cocktails, parties, romance
and all. A witty whirlwind.HYDRA, GREECE
A Theatre For Dreamers
by Polly Samson
This nostalgic new novel reimagines
the beginnings of Leonard Cohen’s
love affair with Marianne Ihlen
on the gorgeous Greek island
of Hydra. The pages gleam with
sun, sex and the 1960s.HONG KONG
Exciting Times
by Naoise Dolan
Brimming with wry humour, this hotly
tipped debut follows 22-year-old
Dubliner Ava and her new life as an
English teacher in Hong Kong. Thestory is about relationships and power
dynamics, but Hong Kong itself and
the international circles within it make
this a great evocative read.FLORENCE, ITALY
A Room With A View
by E.M. Forster
A classic with good reason. This
atmospheric, emotionally wrought
novel explores forbidden love and
self-discovery in the most gorgeous of
settings: Florence. Lucy Honeychurch
has a fiancé and neatly ordered life at
home, but it’s in the Tuscan capital
that she learns to follow her heart.NEW YORK,
USA
Red At The Bone
by Jacqueline Woodson
Aside from the compelling story of an
unexpected teenage pregnancy, this
is a dazzling portrait of Brooklyn.
Woodson told Red that while writing
this novel, she spent a lot of time
exploring the area, listening to early
jazz and hip-hop – and you can tell.O
ur trips might be
cancelled this year, and
this summer is definitely
going to look different
to what we’re used to. The thing
about books, though, is that they’re
beautifully evocative. When we
read, we might physically be in
one place, but emotionally we can
be worlds away, lost in a story set
in places we’ve never been or
times we’ve never seen.
Whether you’re curled up on
the sofa or lounging in your garden,
you can visit the most vibrant cities
and glorious landscapes around the
world through the portal created
by a writer’s imagination. Here,
you’ll find stories that will take you
everywhere from Jamaica to Paris,
Greece to Thailand – without the
hassle of jet lag or packing.
Because while you might not be
able to go away, these novels will
transport you to a different place.
And we’re confident about one
thing – whatever happens, there
will always be books.
With novels providing the escapism in place of holidays,
Anna Bonet rounds up the best set in our favourite destinations