Book List

Best Debut Fiction of 2019

FICTION

FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE

by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Firing on all circuits, from psychological insight to cultural acuity to narrative strategy to very smart humor. Quite a... Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

BLOOMLAND

by John Englehardt

Hugely important, hauntingly brutal—Englehardt has just announced himself as one of America’s most talented emerging writers. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

SABRINA & CORINA

by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

Fajardo-Anstine takes aim at our country's social injustices and ills without succumbing to pessimism. The result is a... Full review >

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FICTION

WYOMING

by JP Gritton

An affecting, richly drawn, darkly humorous novel about grifting siblings, one worse than the other. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

THRILLER & SUSPENSE

MIRACLE CREEK

by Angie Kim

Intricate plotting and courtroom theatrics, combined with moving insight into parenting special needs children and the... Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

THRILLER & SUSPENSE

DISAPPEARING EARTH

by Julia Phillips

An unusual, cleverly constructed thriller that is also a deep dive into the culture of a place many Americans have probably... Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

THE OLD DRIFT

by Namwali Serpell

Comparisons with Gabriel García Márquez are inevitable and likely warranted. But this novel’s generous spirit, sensory... Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

BANGKOK WAKES TO RAIN

by Pitchaya Sudbanthad

This breathtakingly lovely novel is an accomplished debut, beautifully crafted and rich with history rendered in the most... Full review >

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FICTION

THE REMAINDER

by Alia Trabucco Zerán ; translated by Sophie Hughes

Thanatofiction at its best and a debut that leaves the reader wanting more. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

ON EARTH WE'RE BRIEFLY GORGEOUS

by Ocean Vuong

A raw and incandescently written foray into fiction by one of our most gifted poets. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

IN WEST MILLS

by De'Shawn Charles Winslow

Winslow's heroine isn't easy to like. But over time, she reaches into your heart and touches it deeply. So does this book. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

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