Science Fiction and Fantasy: ‘Babel,’ ‘The Anchored World,’ ‘Self-Portrait With Nothing’
New books about language, fairy tales and the paths we don’t pursue.
Book Review: ‘Seven Empty Houses,’ by Samanta Schweblin
The stories in Samanta Schweblin’s “Seven Empty Houses,” a finalist for the National Book Award in translated literature, tear down the delicate scaffolding of home.
10 New Books We Recommend This Week
Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times.
When It Comes to Sturdy Kids, Becky Kennedy Has You Covered
In “Good Inside,” the clinical psychologist, podcast host and Instagram parenting guru provides tools for building strength and calm.
His Fantasy Literary Dinner Party? He Already Threw It.
As a student, Anand Giridharadas asked V.S. Naipaul to dinner on a lark — and, when Naipaul accepted, carried him up three flights of stairs to his apartment. “It was strange and beautiful,” says Giridharadas, whose new book is “The Persuaders,” “to carry the man who had taught me to write.”
Book Review: ‘Liberation Day,’ by George Saunders
In a post-democratic America, the characters in Saunders’s story collection “Liberation Day” are waiting for the end. But what if it never comes?
Book Review: ‘Nerd: Adventures in Fandom From This Universe to the Multiverse,’ by Maya Phillips
In a new book, the cultural critic Maya Phillips explores the impact and evolution of nerd culture, especially in her own life.
Book Review: ‘The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy,’ by Anand Giridharadas
“The Persuaders,” by Anand Giridharadas, profiles progressive activists and organizers who are embracing bold tactics to persuade other Americans to change their views.
Newly Published Poetry, From Alice Fulton to Saeed Jones
A selection of books published this week.
Book Review: ‘Daughters of the New Year,’ by E.M. Tran
In “Daughters of the New Year,” E.M. Tran explores assimilation, rebellion and the power of ancestry, as seen through the history of one Vietnamese family.
Child of Light
UnCovered review by Liz Sausto, ACLS
Galloway Branch
I found Terry Brooks’
CHILD OF LIGHT
to be an interesting if not problematic read. It is the story of a
teenaged girl named Auris who, along with many other children, has been held
captive by goblins in a horrible prison. When she and some of her friends make
a daring escape, they are pursued and only Auris manages to evade her former
captors. Stranded in the unforgiving wastelands, she is saved by Harrow - a
member of a magical race known as the Fae. He takes Auris to his homeland,
Viridian Deep, and surprises her by suggesting that she might be Fae as well.
Although skeptical of this idea at first, Auris soon finds that Harrow might be
right and explores her murky past in order to discover who - and what - she
truly is.
e world-building in
this novel, while not perfect, is quite intriguing. It might be a bit cliché,
but I liked the idea that there is a hidden world of magical creatures that
humans either do not believe exists or cannot enter easily. I also enjoyed the
sinister plot point of humans actually working with goblins and allowing them
to do unspeakable things to other humans. I also liked that the goblins didn’t
have any dialogue, as if to point out that humans are the true monsters. This
is made clear when the main antagonist turns out not only to be a man but the
very definition of a mad scientist.
I found some of the writing to be a little rambling. Told in the first-person, Auris tends to overthink things and often repeats herself. I believe this is an attempt to put the reader on the right track of the story but Brooks tries a bit too hard here. I found myself put-off whenever Auris tried to put her thoughts together and often had to put the book down in order to shake off the monotony of it all.
Despite its flaws, I found CHILD OF LIGHT to be full of action, romance, and sorrow. It made for an unforgettable experience, and I look forward to the continuation of Auris’ journey of self-discovery in the sequel.
Book Review: ‘The Slowworm’s Song,’ by Andrew Miller
Andrew Miller’s novel “The Slowworm’s Song” reckons with conflicts both personal and national.
Book Review: ‘The Hollow Kind,’ by Andy Davidson
In Andy Davidson’s “The Hollow Kind,” an inherited turpentine farm is haunted by generations of suffering.
Review: “Odder” by Katherine Applegate
In new novels by Carlie Sorosiak, Lynne Rae Perkins and Katherine Applegate, animals are emblems of how we humans treat one another.
Review: ‘Illuminations,’ by Alan Moore
With his first story collection, “Illuminations,” the British writer and comic-book titan works his subversive power on a smaller scale.
Review: ‘Marigold and Rose,’ by Louise Glück
“Marigold and Rose” explores the inner lives of two very different sisters.
Book Review: ‘Dinosaurs,’ by Lydia Millet
In Lydia Millet’s 13th novel, “Dinosaurs,” a middle-aged oil heir leaves behind heartbreak in New York City for the “alien beauty” of the Arizona desert.
Book Review: ‘Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology,’ by Chris Miller
Silicon chips power everything from cars and toys to phones and nukes. “Chip War,” by Chris Miller, recounts the rise of the chip industry and the outsize geopolitical implications of its ascendancy.
Book Review: ‘Morgenthau,’ by Andrew Meier
A sprawling book by the journalist Andrew Meier traces four generations of epoch-making Morgenthaus, culminating in the life of the borough’s longest-serving district attorney.
Celeste Ng makes the case for art as a weapon against oppression in her new novel
Our Missing Hearts is the story of 12-year-old Bird, a quest to find his mother and the power of small acts of rebellion. Saddled by grief, this quasi-dystopian novel is ultimately propelled by hope.
(Image credit: Penguin Press)
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