The Delusions by Jenni Fagan review – an afterlife of queues and bureaucracy
A witty metaphysical satire about what happens when the processes that help souls pass on begin to fail
Howl by Howard Jacobson review – a tragicomic portrait of a Jewish man’s despair
A suburban headteacher navigates antisemitism in Gaza-outraged London in Jacobson’s latest novel
The Infinity Machine by Sebastian Mallaby review – the story of the man who changed the world
A journalist charts the progress of AI pioneer Demis Hassabis from child chess prodigy to Nobel prize winner
Gatz review – the Great Gatsby performed in eight and a half hours of attentive, immersive joy
F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel – read aloud in full, on a stage set as a drab office – finds new life in this utterly transfixing show
The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror – review roundup
The Library of Traumatic Memory by Neil Jordan; The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan; Travel Light by Naomi Mitchison; Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman; Spoiled Milk by Avery Curran
Light and Thread by Han Kang review – a tantalising book of reflections
These essays from the Nobel literature winner open up her novels and offer beautiful imagery
Hooked by Asako Yuzuki review – follow-up to global hit Butter
A Tokyo high-flyer tries to befriend her favourite blogger in a novel that wears its aura of black comedy lightly, and its political statements more heavily
Strange Beach by Oluwaseun Olayiwola audiobook review – a debut that dances with passion
The dancer and author gives this collection clarity and warmth as he narrates poems about family, queer identity, hedonism and race
In Bloom by Liz Allan review – an electric debut of grunge and teen spirit
Four fatherless girls in a band set out to escape their deprived Australian coastal town, in a dark, raw tale of friendship and abuse
Why Populists Are Winning and How to Beat Them by Liam Byrne review – a surprisingly original prescription
A former New Labour minister tackles the question of our times with rigour and verve – but blindspots remain
Do Not Go Gentle by Kathleen Stock review – the case against euthanasia
The philosopher offers a measured and reasonable argument against assisted dying
A Pale View of Hills review – two-stranded adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro novel in the shadow of the A-bomb
Kei Ishikawa’s take on Ishiguro’s first published work is frustrating and bland, undermining its fascinating characters’ emotional truths
Project Hail Mary review – Ryan Gosling’s charm carries unserious last-ditch space mission
Tale of a brilliant molecular biologist cast into outer space with only a helpful alien for company is a bit silly, but Gosling’s charisma keeps it watchable
Big Nobody by Alex Kadis review – groovy and Greek in 70s London
A teenage girl dreams of escaping her controlling father, in this sparkling coming-of-age romp haunted by trauma
Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! by Liza Minnelli review – a heady brew of gossip, glamour and defiance
Lady Gaga and David Gest are among those who get ferocious dressings-down in this brutally candid memoir