Fiction Recommendations

Get ready, everyone: it’s time to go back to Gilead. There aren’t many clues as to what we can expect from this follow up to The Handmaid’s Tale, but we can be sure that the journey will be harrowing. Atwood says she’s been inspired to write The Testaments partly because of the current political climate in the United States, so perhaps we’ll see a new Commander with a shockingly bad orange toupée? - Jess

The Sweetest Fruits, Monique Truong is a brilliantly fictional retelling of the life of the Greek-Irish writer Lafcadio Hearn told through the stories of the three women, across multiple continents, who changed the direction of his life. This book is the best type of storytelling- one that connects to all senses, through journeys in time and place, and where the decisions and reflections of these women speak to the push and pull of women’s needs throughout time. A creative and beautiful tale. - Casey

At last, Edwidge Danticat (Krik? Krak!) returns to the short story, bringing her strong, clear, compassionate voice to the Haitian experience, whether in Miami, New York, or Haiti itself, and then beyond to the universal human experience. Examining loves lost or being found, families reimagined, and personal strength in the midst of crisis, Danticat cradles the complex heart of each, in vibrant, life-affirming prose. In her story “Dosas,” there is an altered sticker that claims “Everything inside is worth dying for” — an equally apt way to describe this collection. - Melinda

The author of The Tiger’s Wife takes on the country western in this novel about an outlaw and a homesteader whose paths cross, changing both of their lives forever. Obreht’s ear for language will knock you sideways—you’ll feel the wind whipping across your face as you stare across the wide plains. Fans of Cormac McCarthy and Larry McMurtry who are hungry for more can happily satiate themselves on this epic. - Jess

An homage to Don Quixote, the novel tells the story of a television-obsessed South Asian man who sets out on a journey to win the heart of an actress he’s never met. Along for the ride is his imaginary son, Sancho. The book is also the story of Sam DuChamp, a mediocre and mostly failed author of spy thrillers—and the creator of Quichotte. Though one of the main characters is real, and a couple of the others are fictional, they are all fully realized, deeply human and absolutely compelling. As usual, Rushdie’s writing dazzles with intelligence, humor, breakneck pacing and brilliant turns of phrase. This is easily my favorite novel of the year. - Rico

A luminous coming-of-age story. Ana, a young Dominican girl forced into marriage on the slim hope it will help bring her family to America, lives a life of cold isolation, confined to her abusive husband’s New York apartment, but when political chaos draws him back to the island and Ana is left behind, a new world opens up beneath her feet, and Ana must choose between duty and desire. - Katherine

This book is a stream of devastating sermons on racial injustice. Metaphysical and often experimental short stories penned in raw and irreverent prose. If Friday Black was speculative Ta-Nahesi Coates, then this book is a speculative WuTang Album. Strong language warning! Not for your sweet little grandmama. - Jason

Alternating between four different perspectives, The Dearly Beloved delves into the lives of two ministers and their wives, each with different views on religion, family, and purpose. I love a book like this; one that shows the way we are all interpreting (and misinterpreting) our interactions with one another. Though I sometimes wished Wall had just stuck with her delightfully complicated female protagonists, I was fully carried away by this engaging novel. With so many themes to interpret and explore, The Dearly Beloved is the perfect book club pick. - Emma

WWII Historical Fiction set in the vineyards of beautiful Burgundy France. This is a compelling story of survival during the German Occupation. A captivating tale of family, wine, romance, and mystery. Ann Mah has crafted a dual timeline story that pairs present-day Kate with her great aunt Helen-Marie. A long-lost diary found at the family’s ancestral vineyard reveals secrets buried in the past. Complex characters and rich descriptive language make this an enjoyable and enlightening read. - Trey

If every family has ghosts in their attic, think how many more accumulate in a sprawling family-run hotel. The Sikorsky family members come alive in their respective vignettes with their unique voices and inner worlds fully explored even as the broader plot unfolds. What makes The Hotel Neversink really sing to me is that the atmosphere and eeriness are always partnered with a vivid grittiness. There's blood and sweat on these pages and I couldn’t put it down. - Clara