‘These young writers are the future of literature. Watch. History will prove me right.’– Bill Buford, editor of Granta, 1979–1995

Granta magazine selects twenty British novelists under forty every decade since 1983, showcasing emerging literary talents and new perspectives on British culture. With this blog entry, I would like to introduce you to a selection of Granta novelists and their world which could be important or interesting for classroom discussions.

Natasha Brown- Assembly

While the young novelist Natasha Brown was featured with her work Universality, I would still like to move the focus to her 100-page debut novel Assembly (2021). The novella’s unnamed narrator, a Black British woman, works in a London financial firm filled with primarily male colleagues. Even though she is presented as the official face of the firm’s diversity she is confronted with daily humiliations ranging from sexual remarks to explicit racial assaults. As she prepares for a garden party at her white boyfriend’s family estate, she questions her identity of assembled pieces. The narrative, through the form of vignettes, explores the protagonist’s struggles with corporate dynamics, gender, and racism highlighting the challenges she faces in navigating a predominantly white male work environment.

Sophie Mackintosh- The Water Cure

In The Water Cure, a father creates a protected and secluded island for his wife and daughters to escape the violence of the masculine outside world. When he suddenly vanishes, three unknown men arrive, sparking tension and a psychological battle with and between the sisters. This story of a post-apocalyptic setting explores violence, desire, and survival through a narrative reflecting our reality. Mackintosh explores toxic masculinity and how women are affected by it while also introducing themes such as violence and escapism concerning gender.

Sophie Mackintosh- Blue Ticket

Mackintosh’s Blue Ticket introduces a world where women are assigned their future based on a lottery-appointed ticket colour. A white ticket means marriage and children, while a blue ticket grants a career and freedom. When Calla, the novel’s protagonist, questions her destiny as a blue-ticket owner, she has to run away. Blue Ticket explores themes such as free will, social expectations, and motherhood.

Derek Owusu- Losing the Plot

Derek Owusu traces his mother’s past, imagining her journey from Ghana to the UK and the challenges she faced in a new land. Losing the Plot explores the intergenerational effects of displacement, blending raw emotion with playful storytelling. Owusu explores themes such as the experience of immigration, parenthood in a new culture, and the loneliness that comes with this journey.

Have you heard of these authors and their works before? Which of these stories sparks your interest and why?

Lisa A.