Defining Care in Win Me Something
In Kyle Lucia Wu’s debut novel, care looks like many things . . . it’s in this subtle lesson that Wu’s quiet, understated prose builds to a deeply moving coming-of-age novel.
Fiction
Death, Rebirth, and Selfhood in Dreaming of You
In Melissa Lozada-Oliva’s debut novel, a Latina poet brings Tejano pop star Selena Quintanilla back to life through a séance . . . the book brilliantly challenges the limits of one’s selfhood and reveals what’s lost when it’s contorted to fit the beholder’s gaze.
Unending American Horror in The Trees
Percival Everett’s new novel explores our nationwide web of racist violence, and makes us realize there will never be enough deliberation on these horrors.
Soothing Existential Dread in Beautiful World, Where Are You
Sally Rooney’s talent lies in her ability to capture millennial existentialism and dread while almost simultaneously soothing it—the experience of finding one’s own anxieties articulated so precisely on the page feels like a balm.
Finding Oneself in Three Rooms
Jo Hamya’s debut novel is an invitation to reflect not only on where we house our bodies, but also our attention.
Seeking Meaning and Survival in Something Wonderful
Jo Lloyd’s story collection ripples with intelligence and heart . . . she writes brilliantly about both the past and present, locating humanity’s most elemental anxieties in misbegotten characters who want, above all else, to find a way to keep living.
The Illusion of Progress in American Estrangement by Saïd Sayrafiezadeh
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh’s new story collection offers a reality uncanny to ours today.
Self-Editing in Hermione Hoby’s Virtue
Hermione Hoby’s new novel beautifully explores the temptation to define yourself by other people’s expectations, and the risks of losing yourself in relationships where you don’t belong.
Intergenerational Love and Oppression in Sunjeev Sahota’s China Room
Sunjeev Sahota’s new novel creates a dance between power and powerlessness, showing how one generation seeks to repair the deep wounds and injustices inflicted on preceding generations.