2024 Advent Book 6 – “China Room” by Sunjeev Sahota

The sixth of my Advent books is a work of literary fiction. It’s called China Room by Sunjeev Sahota and was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2021. I haven’t heard of the author (who I note lives in the same city as me) or the book – I don’t really follow the big prizes. It seems to be a book that is told in two timeframes – 1929 when the story revolves around an arranged marriage and 1999 when a young man comes to India to try to uncover the history of his family, which I suspect is connected to the family in the earlier timeframe. I am not sure what china has to do with the story but suspect it is the porcelain rather than the country which is meant.

I like books about families and their relationships and I think that I might well enjoy this book. A lot will, obviously, depend on its themes and the way that it is written. It’s not particularly long so I will definitely pick it up and give it a go. The physical book is in excellent condition and looks like it has rarely, if ever, been read.

I am now a quarter of the way through my bookish Advent calendar (which was provided to me by the Tree House Bookshop in Kenilworth – see their website here). So far I have not received any books which I already own. I have not read any of those which I have opened and I am actively looking forward to reading a couple of them. None of the books is a disaster and they are all in good or very good condition. I shall enjoy seeing what else I have to open during the next eighteen days.