Book Reviews Archive
The Committed by Viet Thanh Nguyen
In his new novel, Viet Thanh Nguyen does not allow the reader to forget that fiction traffics in truth.
Tomorrow They Won’t Dare to Murder Us by Joseph Andras
Complicating conventional Western perceptions of terrorism, Joseph Andras’s debut novel subverts colonial morality and interrogates a philosophical dilemma that is still very much alive in our contemporary consciousness.
Popular Longing by Natalie Shapero
Natalie Shapero is an incisive social critic cutting through the smog of self-absorption and contradictions between what is said and done.
We Play Ourselves by Jen Silverman
Silverman’s debut novel is not only a story about how all-consuming artistic ambition can be, but also a poignant portrait of how much an artist can learn to love her work.
Milk Blood Heat by Dantiel Moniz
In this debut story collection, the reader feels the story in their body as they read; Moniz makes us look directly at the source of trauma in order to share the pain.
The Hare by Melanie Finn
Finn gives us an important, comprehensive picture of the stages of a woman’s learning, suggesting that, over time, teachers will be rejected, new ones sought, and the student might herself become a teacher.
Homo Irrealis by André Aciman
By daring to call forth the irrealis mood, to summon what we usually skitter around and stumble upon, Aciman sets the mood—incurring the awkwardness of doing so, and giving us the chance to realize something it might take a long time to understand.
The Revolution According to Raymundo Mata by Gina Apostol
Gina Apostol’s novel, which demands the reader’s active participation, is filled with both humorous and serious moments, references to itself, as well as political and literary history.
The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington
Leonora Carrington’s novel revels in inconclusive ideas, surreal reimagining’s, and the peculiarities of human consciousness . . . The novel eludes any whiff of definitiveness, instead layering ideas and questions atop one another like blocks in a Jenga tower. Naturally, Carrington forces the reader to withdraw the first block.
Rest and Be Thankful by Emma Glass
Emma Glass’s stunning second novel is a cautionary tale, revealing the great personal cost that comes with caring for the sick and vulnerable.