Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme that was started by @Lauren’s Page Turners. This meme is quite easy to follow – just randomly pick a book from your to-be-read list and give the reasons why you want to read it. It is that simple.

This week’s book:

The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed

Blurb from Goodreads

The story of a murder, a miscarriage of justice, and a man too innocent for his times . . .

Mahmood Mattan is a fixture in Cardiff’s Tiger Bay, 1952, which bustles with Somali and West Indian sailors, Maltese businessmen and Jewish families. He is a father, chancer, petty criminal. He is a smooth-talker with rakish charm and an eye for a good game. He is many things, but he is not a murderer.

So when a shopkeeper is brutally killed and all eyes fall on him, Mahmood isn’t too worried. Since his Welsh wife Laura kicked him out for racking up debts he has wandered the streets more often, and there are witnesses who allegedly saw him enter the shop that night. But Mahmood has escaped worse scrapes, and he is innocent in this country where justice is served. Love lends him immunity too: the fierce love of Laura, who forgives his gambling in a heartbeat, and his children. It is only in the run-up to the trial, as the prospect of returning home dwindles, that it will dawn on Mahmood that he is in a fight for his life – against conspiracy, prejudice and cruelty – and that the truth may not be enough to save him.

Why I Want To Read It

It is Monday again everyone! It has been a tedious start to the week but I still remain hopeful that the week would not be as challenging as I thought it would be. Or maybe because I am still feeling a little sluggish after the weekends. Whilst Monday is one of our least favorite of the days, I am still hoping that you are all doing great, in mind, body and spirit. I hope you will all have (or had) a great day and an even greater start to the week despite the uncertain and challenging times. I am still praying that things will look up soon.

To commence another blogging week, I am posting a new Goodreads Monday update. I am currently in the midst of a “new” books reading journey. As I have mentioned several times previously, I am more of a backlist type of reader but I have been exerting more effort into reading more “new” books these past few years. For this year, I have already surpassed my average but I am still looking forward to reading more new books. For this Goodreads Monday update, I am featuring Nadifa Mohamed’s The Fortune Men.

Prior to this year, I have not heard of Nadifa Mohamed nor have I encountered any of her works. It was through the announcement of the longlist for the 2021 Booker Prize for Fiction that I finally came across them. Mohamed, I have learned is of Somali heritage and already has a established literary career. Before 2021, she has already published two books and has received several accolades. She comes in with a loaded resume. This only furthers my interest in her book. Just like Spufford’s Light Perpetual, The Fortune Men is right off my alley, a work of historical fiction. It does feel like the historical fiction dominated the longlist for this year’s Booker Prize just like debut novels were prevalent in the 2020 Booker Prize longlist.

However, it has been a challenge purchasing copies of newly published books because of several lockdown restrictions. Nevertheless, I am still hopeful that I will get to read it before the year ends. Fingers crossed. How about you fellow reader? What recent novel have you added to your reading list? What made you add it to your list? I hope you could share your answers in the comment box. For now, have a happy Monday!