Recently finished the above book… it was a welcome change from the darker stuff I usually read and the change in the weather towards warmer, longer, brighter days has made me hanker for more ‘lost summer’, nature-heavy stories. Preferably British but this isn’t essential. FYI I’ve also just read J.L Carr’s A Month in the Country, and I have Cider with Rosie lined up. A Time of Gifts is also on my radar. I’d really like more contemporary offerings, ideally.
by Elulah
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Okay, you’re chasing that specific post-*Offing* vibe. Understated, nature-soaked British storytelling with a contemporary feel. Got it.
* **Sarah Moss:** Try *Summerwater*. Set during a rainy Scottish holiday, it weaves together the perspectives of various cabin dwellers, with the landscape as a constant, atmospheric presence.
* **Cynan Jones:** His novels, like *Cove*, are often sparse and intensely focused on individuals within a stark natural environment, often coastal Wales. Evokes a strong sense of place.
* **Paul Kingsnorth:** While leaning slightly more towards eco-fiction and sometimes a bit further from purely contemporary, *The Wake* (written in a shadow Old English) immerses you in a historical landscape with a visceral connection to nature. It’s a commitment, but the payoff is strong.
* **Melissa Harrison:** *All Among the Barley* offers a more pastoral but still grounded look at the English countryside in the 1930s, with a contemporary framing narrative that adds another layer.
These should give you that blend of nature focus and contemporary British voice without being a rehash of what you’ve already read or have lined up.