"In condensed, arresting fragments, the author bridges time and place, finding fragile refuge from isolation in the timeless enterprise of poetry and the abiding power of the sea."

"Magical realism spirals into political resistance in Seasons in Hippoland, a clever and charming novel from Kenyan author Wanjiku Wa Ngugi."

"While the narrative tension of this absorbing story is generated by the pitfalls and dangers of making a film in Afghanistan… it is the children, with their tragic stories, irrepressible energy and dignity who win our hearts."

"Jelinek’s work is brave, adventurous, witty, antagonistic and devastatingly right about the sorriness of human existence, and her contempt is expressed with surprising chirpiness: it’s a wild ride."

"Iyer has an incredible knack for locating and revealing fractures, faultlines and tensions – cultural, familial and historical – in any given moment."

"The book is a gem."

"Above all though, it’s the writing, which is unsurpassed. [Katia Ariel's] use of imagery is wonderfully original."