Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister by Jung Chang review – at the heart of 20th-century China
A remarkable story of war, communism and espionage related with nuanced sympathy, but lacking reflection
Akin by Emma Donoghue review – the ties that bind
A boy is thrown together with his great-uncle in this examination of freedom and family by the author of Room
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi review – a brilliantly simple argument
We are either racist or antiracist, there is nothing in between, argues this powerful memoir and political guide
Excellent Essex by Gillian Darley – a long-overdue celebration
Beyond white vans and stilettos ... an original and beautifully written celebration of a much-maligned county
The King review – Shakespeare reboot is Game-of-Thrones lite with touch of Python
Much of the poetry and emotion has gone from this decaff version of the Henry plays, letting down Timothée Chalamet’s decent lead performance
Rusty Brown by Chris Ware review – a treasure trove of invention
With its awe-inspiring exploration of regret and ageing, anxiety and ennui, Ware’s latest graphic novel poses essential questions about the formation of character
The Brothers York by Thomas Penn review – a thrilling history that resonates today
England desperately divided, the continent viewed with distrust: a pacy 15th-century tale of betrayal, backstabbing and paranoia
We Are Made of Earth by Panos Karnezis review – a spellbinding refugee’s tale
Exploring sin, guilt and atonement, this dazzling study of displaced lives has the moral complexity of the greatest novellas
The River Capture by Mary Costello review – audacious literary ventriloquism
This beautifully modulated novel about a Joyce obsessive whose life has stalled bends Ulysses to its own ends
A Day Like Today by John Humphrys review – ‘I like arguing’
The combative broadcaster’s memoir mixes engaging snapshots of his early career with some score-settling and a robust defence of his interviewing style
Who Am I Again? by Lenny Henry review – a raw, touching memoir
The comic reflects on prejudice, being a ‘political football’ and his suspicion he’s neither black enough nor manly enough
Deep River by Karl Marlantes review – an epic tale of migrant struggle
This massive saga about Finnish immigrants in early 20th-century America combines fascinating detail with overlong narration
Margaret Thatcher: Herself Alone, Vol Three by Charles Moore – review
The final volume of this monumental biography is gripping and revealing but fails to grapple with Thatcher’s uneasy legacy
The best recent thrillers roundup – review
A workplace affair that ends in murder, neighbourly obsessions, the horrors of life on the street. Plus a new case for Jack Reacher
Equal: A Story of Women, Men and Money by Carrie Gracie – review
The BBC journalist’s important account of her struggle to win equal pay is full of sound advice for women