After reading 41 books and some 14,638 pages in 2024, here was the top five I read this year (ask me tomorrow and it'll be different). I probably say this every year, but nailing down a top five was near impossible. And on a side note, I've made a mental note to re-evaluate how often I'm using the word "stunning" in my reviews (a good problem to have).
Without further ado ...
What I Say Now:
Stunning tale of dystopian Ireland is immersive, terrifying, and exhausting, featuring almost overwhelming grief, tragedy.
Passages to Remember:
“I wish you would listen to me, Aine says, history is a silent record of people who did not know when to leave.”
“I should have known this would happen, he says, I should have known but I shut my eyes, I loved her once you know, I really did love her, I still do love her, oh– tell me, where did the love go, tell me that, I can’t remember where things go anymore, where does all our love go when once we held it beating in our hand?”
“Watching them all now with this feeling of the moment vanishing, knowing she will remember them like this, her children seated around the table, sensing the wheel of disorder coming loose into spin.”
“Sooner or later pain becomes too great for fear and when the people’s fear has gone the regime will have to go.”
What I Say Now:
Beautiful novel captures the pursuit of love, identity, and belonging in 1940s New York City.
Passages to Remember:
“Joe, on the floor, was aware for a moment that he was lying on a sour-smelling oval braided rug, in an apartment recently vacated by a girl who had impressed him, in the few instants of their acquaintance, as the most beautiful he had ever seen in his life, in a building whose face he had scaled so that he could begin to produce comic books for a company that sold farting pillows, in Manhattan, New York, where he had come by way of Lithuania, Siberia, and Japan.”
“The sound of their raised voices carries up through the complicated antique ductwork of the grand old theater, rising and echoing through the pipes until it emerges through a grate in the sidewalk, where it can be heard clearly by a couple of young men who are walking past, their collars raised against the cold October night, dreaming their elaborate dream,wishing their wish, teasing their golem into life.”
“It was marvelous that in this big town he had managed to rediscover, a year later, the girl with the miraculous behind.”
“The newspaper articles that Joe had read about the upcoming Senate investigation into comic books always cited ‘escapism’ among the litany of injurious consequences of their reading, and dwelled on the pernicious effects on young minds, of satisfying the desire to escape. As if there could be any more noble or necessary service in life.”
3. "James," by Percival Everett
What I Say Now:
Inspired reimagining of "Huckleberry Finn" sets emotions aswirl like the water of the Mississippi River.
Passages to Remember:
“I don’t see no profit in askin’ for stuff just so I don’t get it and learn a lesson ‘bout not gettin’ what I asked fer. What kinda sense does that make? Might as well pray to that board there.”
“‘To fight in a war,’ he said. ‘Can you imagine?’
‘Would that mean facing death every day and doing what other people tell you to do?’ I asked.
‘I reckon.’
‘Yes, Huck, I can imagine.’”
“I hated the world that wouldn’t let me apply justice without the certain retaliation of injustice.”
“My name is James. I’m going to get my family. You can come with me or you can stay here. You can come and try freedom or you can stay here. You can die with me trying to find freedom or you can stay here and be dead anyway. My name is James.”
What I Say Now:
Remote Scottish island provides moody backdrop for beautiful tale of cloistered loneliness and unexpected hope.
Passages to Remember:
“How is it, she thought, we never see the big things coming?”
“He remembered the strange hand movements his visitor had made in the beginning, and how he’d ignored them, not wanting to know why he was here because that would involve thinking about how long he would stay and when he would leave, and from the moment John Ferguson had looked him squarely in the face and the wave of emotion had crashed over him and almost drowned him, he’d never wanted to think about him not being here anymore.”
“‘Forgive me,’ he whispered, hardly knowing who he was talking to, only knowing that he was guilty.”
What I Say Now:
Sophisticated meditation on grief spans Gulf Coast and an unforgettable cast of characters -- and mysteries.
Passages to Remember:
“Grief is the stuff of life. A life without grief is no life at all. But regret is a prison. Some part of you which you deeply value lies forever impaled at a crossroads you can no longer find and never forget.”
“Something on the road. Something coming. Some sweatsoaked beast, some hooded and wheezing abhorrence trundle upon the footpath. Just the faintest movement of the air like a gradient of ill come unshelved and drifting toward her lonely outpost.”
“You want to know when was the last time I saw anybody. I could ask you when was the last time you didnt see anybody. When was the last time you just sat by yourself. Watched it get dark. Watched it get light. Thought about your life. Where you’d been and where you were goin. Was there a reason for any of it.”
“The problem is that what drives the tale will not survive the tale. As the room dims and the sound of voices fades you understand that the world and all in it will soon cease to be. You believe that it will begin again. You point to other lives. But their world was never yours.”
Narrow Misses (in 15 words or less):
"Rules of Civility," by Amor Towles: Beautiful imagery, rhythmic pacing mark tale of coming of age in late-1930s New York.
"Among the Thugs," by Bill Buford: Stunning depiction of football hooliganism explores disenfranchisement, mob mentality, and what propels disturbing lad culture.
"The Bee Sting," by Paul Murray: Cloistered Ireland backdrops wide-ranging tale of hidden identities, stagnant lives, looming regrets, misunderstood loves.
"You Like It Darker," by Stephen King: Extrasensory perception, visions, Covid battle for top billing in one more King short-story masterpiece.
"Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop," by Hwang Bo-Reum: Big heart drives feel-good read about the ripple effects of Seoul bookshop with soul.
"The Barn," by Wright Thompson: Native Mississippian digs deep to unearth the historical inevitability of Emmett Till's murder and whitewashing.
"Trespasses," by Louise Kennedy: Hypocrisy, religion, and violence backdrop an illicit love affair set against backdrop of the Troubles.
"Shadow Divers," by Robert Kurson: Intensity, conflict, danger, mystery, and history collide at 230 feet deep in mesmerizing true story.
"Table for Two," by Amor Towles: Absorbing, touching collection of short stories and a novelette span a number of genres, eras.
Honorable Mention (in 10 words or less):
"The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store," by James McBride: Culture clash in 1930s Pennsylvania spurs unlikely alliances, needed hope.
"Our Share of Night," by Mariana Enriquez: Haunting tale of dark magic captivates while documenting sprawling vision.
"Chain-Gang All Stars," by Nana Kwame Adjlei-Brenyah: "Gladiator" meets reality TV for coerced prisoners in provocative read.
"Berry Pickers," by Amanda Peters: Atmospheric Northeast backdrops story of loss, redemption for indigenous family.
"Loudermilk," by Lucy Ives: Midwest writer workshop reveals memorable characters and questions of authenticity.
"Just Kids," by Patti Smith: Tale of 1970s NYC culture is gritty, melancholy, and celebratory.
"Zone One," by Colson Whitehead: Surprising take on zombie apocalypse shows a master at work.
"Stella Maris," by Cormac McCarthy: Esoteric contemplations of math, philosophy, science, morality in McCarthy's coda.
"Arrowsmith," by Sinclair Lewis: Social climbing conflicts with scientific rigor in Roaring Twenties America.
"All the Sinners Bleed," by S.A. Cosby: Southern noir tackles racism, grief, religion in serial killer form.
"Wrong Way," by Joanne McNeill: Meandering examination of automation and its impact on worker dignity.
Notable (in 7 words or less):
"Last Best Hope," by George Packer: Attempt to explain America meanders into silence.
"The Guest," by Emma Cline: Serial thief/sex worker explores value concept.
"Think Again," by Adam Grant: Power of rethinking reinforced by visual cues.
"The Best American Short Stories of 2019," curated by Anthony Doerr: Diverse adolescent struggles dominate notable short stories.
"Godwin," by Joseph O'Neill: Midlife crisis drives quest for football prodigy.
"A Good Girl's Guide to Murder," by Holly Jackson: School project becomes fast-paced murder investigation.
"Yellowface," by R.F. Kuang: Culture exploration marred by one-dimensional characters.
"The Last Song: Words for Frightened Rabbit," edited by Aaron Kent and Maria Sledmere: Moving tribute to iconic band Frightened Rabbit.
"Steal Like an Artist," by Austin Kleon: Image-intensive book becomes lengthy motivational poster.
The Rest (in 5 words or less):
"Entitlement," by Rumaan Alam: Skin-deep NYC-dreams exploration.
"It. Goes. So. Fast," by Mary Louise Kelly: Bittersweet memoir of fleeting parenthood.
"Great Expectations," by Vinson Cunningham: Unfocused coming-of-age tale.
"As Good as Dead," by Holly Jackson: Trilogy finale adapts darker tone.
"Good Girl, Bad Blood," by Holly Jackson: Sequel features true-crime podcasting.
"The Cruel Prince," by Holly Black: Modern-medieval mix tackles identity.
"World Made By Hand," by James Howard Kunstler: Dystopian MAGA fantasy world depiction.
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