Carpentaria
By Alexis Wright
Constable & Robinson £16.99, 520 pages
Part mythological tale of origins, part account of the modern travails of Australia’s original inhabitants, Wright’s richly textured novel is one of the most enchanting books of the year.

The Rowing Lesson
By Anne Landsman
Granta £12, 282 pages
As an ageing doctor lies dying in a South African hospital, his pregnant daughter takes him on a valedictory tour of his infancy, youth and adulthood. An exquisitely crafted masterclass in the close examination of memory.