Book Reviews

The narrator of Vivek Shanbhag's new novel once lived a lower-class subsistence in Bangalore. Critic Maureen Corrigan says Ghachar Ghochar embodies the "fear of falling into economic and moral ruin."

Beagle has spent his career writing about unicorns — and he returns to that enclosed garden with In Calabria, the tale of a grouchy farmer who finds a pregnant unicorn investigating his fields.

Margaret Drabble's new novel follows a 70-something woman as she travels around England for her job — working with old age homes — and grumbling about how sad, funny and genuinely absurd aging is.

Bill Hayes was Sacks' partner during the renowned author and neurologist's last years, and Insomniac City is a charming, intimate portrait of their relationship, full of sweet, unguarded moments.

Sure, it's Valentine's Day — the day we set aside for flowers, chocolates, wine and declarations of love. But love is more than one day, so here are three romances you can enjoy any time of year.

Musician and author John Darnielle's new Universal Harvester follows three connected stories in three different eras, in an unsettling fairy tale about mysterious images that appear on video tapes.

Katie Kitamura's new novel follows an unnamed narrator who tails her estranged, disappeared husband to Greece — while keeping the ominous surroundings and disquieting emotions at a cool remove.

Viet Thanh Nguyen's new collection looks at how it feels and what it means to be a refugee. It's a wonderful group of stories that prove fiction can do more than tell stories, it can bear witness.

Ali Smith kicks off a seasonally-themed quartet with this ultimately uplifting look at the lifelong friendship between a young woman and her unconventional childhood soulmate, an artistic gay man.