She's Always Hungry by Eliza Clark
Visceral, speculative body horror from the author of Boy Parts and Penance—Eliza Clark’s debut short story collection marks the arrival of a major voice in British fiction. In this collection, a teenager yearns for flawless skin, a scientist cares for delicate alien plants, and a young man takes control of the night. Each character is driven by a desperate need—will any of them find satisfaction? Unsettling, revelatory, and infused with Clark’s signature dark humour, these stories explore the raw depths of human hunger in all its forms.
Those Opulent Day by Jacquie Pham
Jacquie Pham’s debut novel, Those Opulent Days, is a gripping historical murder mystery set in 1920s French-colonial Vietnam, where glamour, violence, wealth, and opium collide. The story follows four childhood friends—Duy, Phong, Minh, and Edmond—who are powerful figures in Saigon’s elite society. When one of them is murdered during a lavish gathering in Dalat, a web of terror, loyalty, and dark secrets begins to unravel. Told from multiple perspectives, it blends a tense, intricately structured whodunit with a searing critique of colonialism, class disparity, and the economic divide that defines the era. It’s a rich, immersive tale that promises a lasting impact.
What We Tried to Bury Grows Here by Julian Zabalbeascoa
Julian Zabalbeascoa’s What We Tried to Bury Grows Here weaves together family history and meticulous research to offer a haunting, masterfully crafted portrayal of the Spanish Civil War, with a particular focus on its impact on Spain’s Basque region. Set in 1936, the novel follows eighteen-year-old Isidro Elejalde, who leaves his Basque village to fight for democracy against the insurrectionists. Meanwhile, in Bilbao, Mariana raises her children while using her writing to rally against the fascist coup. Through a rich chorus of voices—including a female soldier, a reluctant conscript, and an abandoned young girl—the story explores the struggles of ordinary people striving to retain their humanity amid the violence and division of war. A remarkable feat of research and imagination, Zabalbeascoa’s debut is both a deeply moving historical novel and a transcendent literary achievement.
The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri
In The Sunflower House, Allina Strauss’s idyllic life in 1939 Germany is shattered when she discovers her Jewish heritage makes her a target under Nazi rule. After losing everything, she’s forced to work at Hochland Home, a Nazi-run “baby factory” part of the brutal Lebensborn program. There, Allina must hide her identity while witnessing and resisting the horrors around her. As she forms an unexpected bond with Karl, a high-ranking SS officer, they risk everything to save the children in their care.
All The Truth I Can Stand by Mason Stokes
In All The Truth I Can Stand, set in 1990s Wyoming, high schooler Ash is struggling with the recent loss of his mother and rejection from his friends when his father pushes him to join the crew of a college production of Oklahoma!. There, Ash forms a connection with student reporter Jenna and Shane, the troubled yet magnetic lead in the show. Their budding romance is shattered when Shane is brutally attacked and later dies. As his death sparks a movement for gay rights, Ash and Jenna are left grappling with their grief, the complexities of Shane's life, and the painful realization that he may have been more than they ever truly understood. This poignant novel explores grief, identity, and the complicated legacy of those who become symbols of larger causes.
Words Platform Desk
Date 12.11.2024