Tag: debut novel
Review: The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar
I loved this book, set in 18th century England, about a lonely merchant who comes upon a mermaid that changes his life. Gowar’s debut novel is one of those rare books you can’t possibly categorize – is it historical fiction, fantasy, romance, or just…
Review: The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
This is a book that’s gotten a ton of praise, and has been described as Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day. As a murder mystery, it’s great fun, playing on the great murder mystery tropes: a group of wealthy, bored socialites in a dark and…
Review: What We Were Promised by Lucy Tan
I really enjoyed Lucy Tan’s debut novel about a family living in modern-day Shanghai. Wei, Lina and their teenage daughter Karen are a wealthy family living in a luxurious “serviced” apartment, that have recently moved from America to Shanghai. The story is told from their…
Bonfire by Krysten Ritter
I picked up this book from NetGalley because I loved Ritter in Jessica Jones. I know that acting and writing are completely different, but I feel like she must have brought a lot of herself to the role, so I was curious about her…
Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong
I recommend this short but moving first novel by Rachel Khong about a woman caring for her father with Alzheimer’s. This is a prospect I find absolutely terrifying, whether for my parents and for myself. It seems to me that almost any physical ailment…
Girl at War by Sara Novic
Like The Unquiet Dead, it’s hard to adequately review a book about a really serious historical subject like the massacres in Croatia. But I’ll do my best. What I appreciated most about this book was its readability, and how real it felt. I imagine…
An Interview with Katie O’Rourke, author of Monsoon Season
I wanted to hear from Katie O’Rourke about how she came to write her first novel, Monsoon Season. Her book is a really different, layered look at a young relationship, one that feels very emotionally “real”. Below is a brief interview. How did you…
