Right, I said I'd come back and post my edited highlights... very pleased that my 'worst' list is shorter than I thought it might be at one point in the year. I've read a lot of books that were just OK, but thankfully very few that I thought were actually bad.
Worst:
Then We Came to The End - Joshua Ferris. Honestly, someone writes a novel in the first-person plural and everyone hails him as a genius. bleurgh.
Master Georgie - Beryl Bainbridge. Shortlisted for the Booker. WHY??
Arlington Park - Rachel Cusk. Grow up, woman. Motherhood is not life imprisonment and the suburbs are not actually hell. Also you are not James Joyce.
The Emperor's Children - Claire Messud. "Look at these people. Do we really want to be like this? All smarmy and self-congratulatory?" My thoughts exactly.
Best:
This Book Will Save Your Life - A.M. Homes. Really and truly life-affirming.
What Are You Like? - Anne Enright. Astonishing styling, audacious plot.
Paris to the Moon - Adam Gopnik. Perfectly observed, very witty.
The Landscape of Love - Sally Beauman. Got to love those unreliable narrators.
The Secret Scripture - Sebastian Barry. It's not really about a mad old woman, it's about the nature of truth and history. A pity about the ending, but I forgive him.
Falling Man - Don deLillo. Best 9/11 book I've read so far.
The Earth Hums in B Flat - Mari Strachan. So glad this got bought before the financial crisis hit. It deserves to do really well in 2009 (this was an ARC).
Incendiary - Chris Cleave. The film is meant to be rubbish. Never mind, the book was great. Very impressive female voice from male writer.
When Will There Be Good News? - Kate Atkinson. Most outlandish Brodie plot, most skilfully handled.
Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont - Elizabeth Taylor. Another lovely, lovely book. I want to read lots more Elizabeth Taylor.