Starred Reviews for Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Álvaro Enrigue, Eric Klinenberg, Vinson Cunningham, and more!

“Set 10 years after The Space Between Worlds, this novel provides a new protagonist, returning characters, and a multiverse of paths for all of them. Johnson’s tense sci-fi thriller is exciting and immersive.” —Library Journal, starred review

“The sequel to City Under One Roof is compelling story, perfect for readers of crime novels set in isolated areas or those that feature strong, independent characters forced to fight for their lives.” —Library Journal, starred review

“Banks’s stories are about fragile, everyday people whom, despite their resilience and strength, life still manages to break. An imaginatively constructed novel from a late master storyteller.” —Library Journal, starred review

“Inspired by the work of Jorge Luis Borges, Mexican novelist Enrigue (Sudden Death) writes a fantastical spin on the history of the famous Aztec leader Moctezuma II and his fateful meeting with the Spaniard Hernán Cortés in 1519… In Enrigue’s well-researched novel, a segment of Aztec history comes to life, with the author’s own twist.” —Library Journal, starred review

“Readers will take delight in Kashiwai’s exquisite meals and the culinary history that accompanies them.” —Library Journal, starred review

“The legions of fans for this popular, long-running series will eat this entry up with a spoon and then hold out their bowls and beg for more stories in a world that thankfully exhibits no sign of ending.” —Library Journal, starred review

“Throughout Dorfman’s (Darwin’s Ghosts) long and distinguished literary career, themes of social protest, political oppression and injustice, and exile have been at the forefront of the Chilean American writer’s work; this novel is no exception, but with an ecological twist… Dorfman’s novel is a fitting tribute to the 50th anniversary of the coup that toppled socialist Allende’s legitimate presidency.” —Library Journal, starred review

“In his latest collection, Pulitzer Prize winner Millhauser (Voices in the Night) offers well-paced, distinctively written stories that cast suburbia in an eerie, sometimes twisted light.” —Library Journal, starred review

“The striking, nuanced stories in Orhan’s debut are individually gems and collectively astonishing, set in a Turkey burdened by oppression; absurdity is sometimes the only way to respond.” —Library Journal, starred review

“Spreading the narrative’s focus over many characters and nations, Ackerman and Stavridis paint a sweeping and resonant portrait of a world faced with a powerful technological advancement it doesn’t fully understand. The results are genuinely chilling.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Pataki (The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post) takes readers on a trans-Atlantic journey in this winning fictional biography of Transcendentalist writer Margaret Fuller (1810–1850)… Pataki’s star-studded and gripping account is full of lush details about the life of an overlooked contributor to Transcendentalism and women’s rights. This is one to savor.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Select a positive superlative and be confident readers will use it in describing this tale. Fans of Alice Bell, Janice Hallett, and Agatha Christie will hope to see more from Perrin, who set aside YA fiction to make her adult debut.” —Booklist, starred review

“Cunningham, a writer for the New Yorker and former staffer on Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign and in the White House, has written an electrifying first novel and bildungsroman of consummate artistry and sensitivity, honed vision and wit.” —Booklist, starred review

“Ruffin, author of the terrifying racial dystopia We Cast a Shadow (2019), re-creates the slave narrative in this imaginative Civil War-era meta novel… A sobering yet liberatory portrayal of American slavery and of the courage, determination, and intelligence required to survive it.” —Booklist, starred review

“This is a bewitchingly atmospheric, psychologically lush, and deeply knowing tale of ancient sorrows and coalescing crises, courage and fortitude. ” —Booklist, starred review

“Chung’s (Sea Change, 2023) dedication—the recipient identified in Korean, 엄마, for “Mom,” whom Chung calls her first storyteller—presciently launches her superb 15-story collection highlighting Korean and Korean American mothers and daughters navigating their lives both
together and apart… Chung proves she’s a vibrant heir to her beloved first storyteller.” —Booklist, starred review

“St. James’s (The Book of Cold Cases) intricate plot skillfully mixes gumshoe detective work with unexpected supernatural chills, not to mention winning characters that easily earn readers’ affection. This highly recommended title will thrill fans of St. James’s work and earn new ones along the way.” —Library Journal, starred review

“Form, lyricism, and imagery are expertly presented, and the result is a compelling, cohesive collection addressing timely topics. A beautiful addition to Pardlo’s already impressive oeuvre.” — Booklist, starred review

“Scholarly but engrossing, this book captures the lingering uncertainty that has characterized the COVID pandemic, while assessing its global effects and likely future challenges. This vital title has breadth.”—Library Journal, starred review

“Actor and singer Streisand elevates the ceiling for the standards of excellence in celebrity memoirs… This lengthy but invigorating, passionate, and reflective memoir will be in great demand for decades.”—Library Journal, starred review

“Journalist Kimble (Unprocessed) sets forth an immersive account of three ongoing “freeway revolts” in Texas cities that aim to block further urban highway expansion… By seamlessly combining an expansive history of urban anti-highway organizing with an intriguing up-close look at present-day Texas politics, Kimble delivers an invigorating window onto American grassroots activism.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Curzan lays forth her incomparable erudition with deft lightheartedness that will appeal to wordies at all levels.”—Booklist, starred review

“In this bracing history of an obscure but significant aspect of the D-Day landing, Lance (In the Waves, 2020) combines a staggering amount of research with an array of compelling personalities to tell an unforgettable story.”—Booklist, starred review

“Holzer brings part of America’s
past alive and shows that while modern immigrants come from different places, controversies about them are the same as generations ago.”—Booklist, starred review

“In fluent command of an enormous amount of detail both enraging and awe-inspiring, Alexander vividly recounts Holiday’s valiant and ravishing last recordings and performances as her health deteriorated but her conviction stayed strong. A portrait as affecting and indelible as Holiday’s exquisite performances.”—Booklist, starred review

“Both visual feast and celebrity tell-almost-all, Vellekoop’s memoir is a magnificent, magnified bildungsroman centering his personal and artistic development.” —Booklist, starred review

“The blend of science and storytelling that Nagoski’s readers expect is on full display throughout this affirming, inclusive guide, which has the potential to transform readers’ sex lives and their general well-being. An essential purchase.” —Library Journal, starred review

“What a delight to hear Shields, an astronomer, astrobiologist, and classically trained actor, narrate the audiobook of her inspirational memoir, into which she has gracefully woven fascinating astronomical concepts… This lyrical, beautifully performed memoir from a Black woman scientist should inspire listeners to look to the sky.” —Library Journal, starred review

“What began as a story about two diametrically opposed foes becomes an account of two film critics, neither of whom liked the other’s reviews, but respected each other as people… A must-listen for all nonfiction collections. Singer’s reverence for Ebert and Siskel is heard throughout” —Library Journal, starred review