Consumed by Arifa Akbar review – a sister’s story
A vivid and insightful portrait of sisterhood, art and a troubled life cut short
Lisey’s Story review – a swollen snoozefest from Stephen King
Supernatural silliness, metaphorical monsters, and dread that doesn’t so much as build as never lets up ... not even Julianne Moore’s turn as a grieving wife can save this bloated bore
The best recent poetry – review roundup
The Resurrectionists by John Challis; Mother Muse by Lorna Goodison; Away from Me by Caleb Klaces; Rotten Days in Late Summer by Ralf Webb; and Poetry & Covid-19, edited by Anthony Caleshu and Rory Waterman
The Devil You Know by Dr Gwen Adshead and Eileen Horne review – hard to unsee
A forensic psychotherapist looks beyond the lurid headlines to give a clear-eyed and compassionate insight into patients’ stories
Tokyo Redux by David Peace review – an astonishing conclusion to the trilogy
The mysterious death of the Japanese National Railways’ first chief casts its shadow over this brilliantly polyphonic finale, which faithfully recreates real-life events in postwar Tokyo
Echolalia by Briohny Doyle – a dark, deft and gripping read about mania and motherhood
Set against the backdrop of a town in crisis, Doyle’s novel swirls in sinister imagery and anxiety before a horrendous act that blows a family apart
The Coming Bad Days by Sarah Bernstein review – a study in unknowability
A sense of doom hangs over this exploration of the distance that exists between people, revolving around unnamed characters in an unnamed town
Noise by Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony and Cass Sunstein review – the price of poor judgment
Whether in legal sentences or medical diagnoses, mistakes happen every day. Could the wisdom of crowds offer a solution to this ‘noise’?
Lupin III: The First review – spectacular return for the legendary gentleman thief
Takashi Yamazaki’s version of the classic tale is visually arresting and boasts a cheeky, charming hero in a family-friendly CG animation
On the Fringe by Michael D Gordin review – why pseudoscience is here to stay
A fascinating exploration of the line between science and pseudoscience takes in anti-vaxxers, ufology and spoon-bending physicists at the CIA
Panenka by Rónán Hession review – moments of grace
The follow-up to cult hit Leonard and Hungry Paul is the tale of a former footballer’s second chance
Intimacies by Lucy Caldwell review – too close for comfort
An outstanding collection of short stories about the vulnerability and enlightenment of motherhood
Fiction for older children – reviews
Supernatural forces that enchant a Nigerian village, a life-saving boy called Lonny and a self-help title from Marcus Rashford that hits the spot
Long Players, edited by Tom Gatti review – a new spin on an old favourite
Adapted from a New Statesman column, this collection of writers’ love letters to their most treasured albums soars when it ventures away from the canon
Brighton review – Steven Berkoff’s dated seaside satire is a washout
Two middle-aged couples take a profanity-laden daytrip to the city where they met – but who exactly is this film for?