Stunning, beautiful, superbly crafted piece of writing. The theme is human predation, and each chapter is devoured by the one after it, big-fish-little-fish style. Utter genius.

Her writing's improved since, but I don't think she's ever bettered the energy, humour and brilliance of this debut novel

His last great novel (in my opinion). Never written anything worth reading since, but don't miss out on this. Modern fantasy, how it should be written.

Buy 'em, devour 'em, cherish 'em. Hilarious, beautiful, horrific, educational novels about a fictional republic in South America. Have read them again and again.

Slightly airport, kitsch, and from another, less politically correct era, but fantastic storytelling. Pick this up, lose a week, and then read everything else in the correct order

More Mr Mitchell. Usual genius. Read it, or lose out.

An unusually beautiful and lyrical historical novel about the Castrati in 18th Century Italy from the more often than not unreadable Ms Rice. Ditch the vampire nonsense, more of this please!