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All in Fiction
The World We Make is not as strong as The City We Became, IMO, but it was still fun and smart and definitely worth reading.
Chain of Iron was a fine sequel to Chain of Gold, but I mostly just want the third book. I love the trilogy’s characters and premise, but this book’s reading experience was pretty slow and frustrating.
My Name Is Lucy Barton is everything you hope for in an Elizabeth Strout novel: warm and simple on the surface, but layered with emotion and nuance underneath.
Small Things Like These is a deceptively simple, deeply resonate little book about a dark part of Ireland’s (not so distant) past and the danger of community complacency. I really, really liked it.
Bloodmarked is a solid, fast-paced sequel to Legendborn. It’s fast paced and expands the central conflict in smart, exciting ways. I need the third book like yesterday!
Glory is a challenging but rewarding read. I liked it, but I respected and admired it even more. It won’t be for everyone, but there’s no denying that Bulawayo is masterful.
The first book in Ali Smith’s Seasonal Quartet is a stunner, even if it makes you work a little bit for the payoff. Her prose is just so good and this book is beautiful.
When We Were Sisters is a gorgeously written novel about three Pakistani-American sisters who grow up neglected. I sunk into it and was sad to finish; just beautiful.
The Town of Babylon is a fresh, fascinating novel about suburbia, racism, homophobia, class, and the child-of-immigrants experience. I didn’t fully love it, but I think it has a ton of merits.
The Rabbit Hutch is a visceral, engaging novel with especially good prose. I definitely liked it and thought it was an impressive debut.
Hamnet is an immersive, engrossing novel that fictionalizes the life of an Italian Duchess in the 1550s. To put it simply, Maggie O’Farrell has done it again.
Witches is an absolutely beautifully written (and translated!) novel told in alternating POVs. I was more engaged with the first half than the second, but still enjoyed it overall.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a fun and exciting story that really just checks all the boxes: magic, action, romance, mythology, a plot twist! Can’t wait for book two.
The Trees is a super-smart, darkly satirical novel about racial lynching in the US. Very few writers could have pulled this off — I liked it a lot and respected it even more.
Liberation Day is just plain short story writing at its best. George has given us a deeply human collection of unforgettable characters and plenty to think about.
Seven Empty Houses is a powerful, slim set of translated stories that take a common motif (the house) and use it to pack a fresh-feeling punch. I liked it very much.
Nobody Gets Out Alive is my absolute jam of a short story collection. It’s atmospheric, character-driven, and deliciously layered. I was hooked from the first one.
All This Could Be Different is a very millennial novel (in a good way) that takes a lot of what works in many successful books today, mashes it, and adds to it to creates something that feels wholly fresh and original.
Shutter is a fast-paced, character-driven paranormal thriller that doesn’t quite knock it out of the park, but does some interesting things and definitely holds your attention.
