Book List

21 Great International Books for U.S. Readers

FICTION

THEFT

by Abdulrazak Gurnah

A tightly constructed family drama with surprising complications. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

THEORY & PRACTICE

by Michelle de Kretser

A ferociously intelligent novel from a writer at the height of her powers. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

THE WORLD WITH ITS MOUTH OPEN

by Zahid Rafiq

Tender, subtle, sad—many of these stories read like elegies for the living. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

WILDCAT DOME

by Yuko Tsushima ; translated by Lisa Hofmann-Kuroda

A superb literary mystery that leaves readers, like the protagonists, constantly guessing. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

OROMAY

by Baalu Girma ; translated by David DeGusta & Mesfin Felleke Yirgu

An exemplary anti-war novel from a little-known theater of conflict. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

THE CAFÉ WITH NO NAME

by Robert Seethaler ; translated by Katy Derbyshire

A gem of a novel, whimsical and bittersweet but never sentimental, with indelible characters and a powerful sense of place. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

GALWAY'S EDGE

by Ken Bruen

A shaggy, wonderfully evocative lineup for a hero whose “modus operandi [is] to retaliate first.” Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

RUNAWAY HORSES

by Carlo Fruttero & Franco Lucentini ; translated by Gregory Dowling

A macabre Mediterranean mystery bubbling with romantic intrigue. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

HUNCHBACK

by Saou Ichikawa ; translated by Polly Barton

Audacious, insightful, bold, and—with its critique of ableism—necessary. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

BIRTHDAY

by Jana Egle ; translated by Uldis Balodis

Vivid, thoughtful, emotionally layered fiction. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS

REMEMBER US TO LIFE

by Joanna Rubin Dranger ; translated by Maura Tavares

A beautifully introspective account of a Jewish author learning about her roots—and a dark side of Swedish history. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

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The Magazine: Kirkus Reviews

Featuring 298 industry-first reviews of fiction, nonfiction, children’s, and YA books; also in this special International Issue: profiles of Abdulrazak Gurnah, Mayumi Inaba, Leila Boukarim, and Siri Pettersen; and much more

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  • The Kirkus Star

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  • The Kirkus Prize

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