Cruel Compassion in Zülfü Livaneli’s Disquiet
The characters in Zülfü Livaneli’s Disquiet cross borders, enter lives, and make real distant traumas for those whose only knowledge of the Syrian Civil War is from headlines.
Fiction
Confronting the Past in Elias Rodriques’s Debut Novel
Rodriques examines what it is to reconsider male friendship in adulthood, to balance newfound beliefs and acceptances.
The Allure of Scapegoating in Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch
In her new novel, Rivka Galchen explores insidious philosophical terrain with incisive intellect and humor, once again proving herself to be one of contemporary fiction’s sharpest minds.
Skewering Workplace Racism in The Other Black Girl
The driving pulse of Zakiya Harris’s debut novel is a sharp critique of the publishing industry’s lack of diversity.
Bad People and Bad Dreams in A Door Behind a Door
Yelena Moskovich’s novel is loose, dreamy, and symbol-packed. Characters morph and become nightmarish versions of themselves, and it is unclear if the transformation is real or only a bad dream.
The Purpose of Art in Rachel Cusk’s Second Place
Cusk’s new novel is worth reading for its sharp descriptions and powerful story alone, but it’s the in-depth exploration of the purpose of art that makes the story meaningful.
Crossing Boundaries in Whereabouts
Jhumpa Lahiri’s new novel beautifully showcases the way we experience life: the moments that are most important—the turning points—are often only realized in retrospect.
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Caleb Azumah Nelson’s highly anticipated debut celebrates Black art and explores generational trauma.
Eat the Mouth That Feeds You by Carribean Fragoza
In her debut collection, Fragoza imagines a world where patriarchy can be eradicated and finds beauty in how Chicanx women come together.