Set in post-WWII England, Janet Todd’s grim mother-daughter novel, Don’t You Know There’s a War On?, is about boundaries, love, manipulation, and patriotism. Joan’s life was forever changed by the war and by the birth of her... Read More

Vertiginous and gritty, Andrzej Tichý’s novel "Wretchedness" depicts the seamier side of Europe’s society. Cody is a cellist for an avant-garde ensemble, and Tichý’s narrative weaves in and out of his drug-infused past. While... Read More

In Karen Quevillon’s novel "The Parasol Flower", a doctoral candidate, Nancy, becomes so entranced by an illustration of a painting that she stumbles upon during her research that it changes the course of her life. The painting is the... Read More

Maryse Condé’s "The Wondrous and Tragic Life of Ivan and Ivana" is a gripping story in which a twin brother and sister grow up in the turbulent atmosphere of Guadeloupe. Exploring extremism, corruption, desire, immigration, poverty,... Read More

Kristen Millares Young’s novel "Subduction" is rife with personal struggles, confrontations, and the pain of memory. Claudia, a Latinx anthropology professor, escapes a barren marriage and the life that she built in Seattle after... Read More

Kristian Novak’s "Dark Mother Earth" is a fraught work involving tragedy, mythology, trauma, and history. Set in northern Croatia, the novel follows the tortured memories of a stalled writer, Matija. It begins in present day Zagreb and... Read More

Gunnar Staalesen’s "Wolves at the Door" is a chilling thriller made engrossing thanks to the sarcastic sallying and social conscience of its lead detective. Falsely accused of having child pornography on his computer, private... Read More

Alex Myers’s compelling and poignant coming-of-gender novel "Continental Divide" is set in Wyoming and delves into the difficult decisions that a trans person has to face—and how challenging the process of transitioning can be, both... Read More