Metronome: The 'unputdownable' BBC Two Between the Covers Book Club Pick

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Are the answers essential to the story? Probably not, but when you start pondering such questions mid-book it is obvious that the 'magic' of the story has not drawn you in and you are no longer able to 'suspend disbelief'.

This seven-part series, designed to bring the nation together by sharing the enjoyment of reading, will take the same format as before. In each episode, Sara’s book group of four famous guests will bring along their own book of choice and also discuss a newly published book. The seven selected books are revealed below.

Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this book, perhaps because it didn’t serve up everything to me on a plate. In the same article, Tom adds: “I couldn’t be more delighted to work with Emma and the team at Bloomsbury to publish Metronome. They’ve shown such enthusiasm and support, and I feel humbled to see Metronomeat the same house as legends such as Madeline Miller, Ben Myers (shortlisted for the 2014 BSSP), and so many other heroes.”

Aina and Whitney are sentenced to 12 years banishment, for a crime that increasingly becomes apparent - they had an illegal child. This is a dystopian near future, and if you don’t have a Permission To Conceive pass (issued after conception), then you’re not allowed to have a child. This gives an insight into the desperation of the parents, then the discovery and removal to remote Long Sky Croft. In addition, environmental factors mean they must be issued with a tablet to counteract potential adverse medical effects, so that is dispensed, upon thumb scan of the recipient, three times a day. In effect, their sentence is at the same time physical, punitive, and psychological. I thought the storyline was really interesting and not like anything I had ever read before. The author clearly has a great imagination for creating worlds not quite like our own, but scarily close to what could happen in real life. Both Whitney and Aina were very complex characters but unfortunately I did not seem to warm to either of them. I wonder if this may have been the point? As both characters have lots of secrets that they keep to themselves throughout the novel and we don't ever really get to understand what they all are. She is haunted by the loss of a child, the fear of losing another child, the endlessness and despair of not knowing what happened to her son.... More exciting news for another of our 2016 shortlistees: Tom Watson’s debut novel, Metronome, will be published by Bloomsbury in spring 2022. Sara Cox says: “I’m absolutely thrilled we are once again delving between the covers, bringing another selection of seven brilliant brand new books, as well as spanning the decades with seven books by talented authors from across the Commonwealth to celebrate the Jubilee. On a personal note, it still brings me endless joy that drinking tea and eating custard creams whilst curled up with a good book is considered 'work'. Bring it on.”The book is short and very pacy, with a lot in it to hold my interest and I finished it in two sessions on a particularly long train journey. I enjoyed the story and was really intrigued with it although I would have liked a little more world building to tell me about the world outside the island. The plot is very character-focussed, told from the perspective of Aina, and we are rooting for her throughout the story, with occasional chapters dedicated to (vaguely) explaining what happened before to cause them to have been exiled. I would have liked a little more explanation as to why these rules had come into existence and also how the punishment system was supposed to work, as well as a little more information about the pills. When a later event regarding the mainland is introduced, this is also skimmed over and I would have liked a little more speculation from the characters as to what had happened as well. How is the pill dispenser made to be so reliable, adaptable and indestructible but maintenance-free? A book about guilt, new beginnings, making mistakes or decisions, because of being forced by circumstances. The betrayal by someone the mc thought she could trust, and her struggle with sensing this from the beginning, and the not knowing if she should trust. Their parole is due and they expect the Warden to come and free them, but he doesn't appear and Aina takes matters into her own hands. She too can have secrets and she forms a plan that she cannot share with Whitney.