The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray: Reading this was harrowing in that every decision each of the four main characters made was accompanied by my running internal monologue of “no no no don’t do that anything but that.” There are some strong choices here – one character’s sections use no periods, and although I got used to it, it never felt necessary – but the scope is expansive and the writing exquisite. The ending came to feel just right after I recovered from the initial shock of disappointment that the story was over.
A Fever in the Heartland, by Timothy Egan: The origins of the KKK and how it took over much of Indiana (and other states, but that’s the focus here). Terrifying in how clearly it demonstrates the incredible difficulty of standing against those in power, even as they demonstrate their evil over and over. Timeless and timely, unfortunately – numerous scenes brought to mind Harvey Weinstein, Alex Murdaugh, and other contemporary abusers of power.
Suggested in the Stars, by Yoko Tagawa: I feel some compulsion for sequels, and there were enough small details in Scattered All Over the Earth that appealed to me (even if, in aggregate, I found it lacking) that I read this one even though I knew I probably wouldn’t enjoy it (it is quite short, which certainly helped the argument). I think, though, that I’ll pass on the hinted-at third book in the series, as there was less to intrigue and more to sigh at here.
Evicted, by Matthew Desmond: Hugely compelling and important, similar in subject to Random Family and Invisible Child but with a tighter thematic focus on eviction and a broader range of subjects (both tenants and landlords). Incredible to read this knowing that when the author was in Milwaukee doing research, the full effects of the 2008 housing crisis hadn’t even set in yet.
Intimacies, by Katie Kitamura: A novella in length and feel; I was drawn in by the setting of the Hague and the exploration of linguistics, political theater, and prosecution, but less so by the main character’s relationships.
