We recommend these novels for your time in a deckchair or beach chair
Illustration Anja Lemcke / NZZ
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In Kristine Bilkau's new novel, a mother and her adult daughter suddenly encounter each other for an extended period of time. Old conflicts resurface before new ones emerge.
Nora Osagiobare: “Daily Soap”
In Nora Osagiobare's "Daily Soap," there's a federal agency for skin color called BARACK, and the SVP wants to ban foreigners from laughing. A successful debut.
Helene Hegemann: «Striker»
As a 17-year-old, the author faced accusations of plagiarism for her debut novel, "Axolotl Roadkill." Today, it wouldn't be a bad idea for German literature to take a few cues from her.
Urszula Honek: «The White Nights»
"The White Nights" comprises thirteen individual stories from rural Poland. The heroes are tormented creatures, lonely, marginalized, and hopeless. A glimpse into the dark side of a country.
Tomas Espedal: "Pleasure. Fruits of labor. Fruits of reading."
Norwegian star author Tomas Espedal tends to "write in a first-person narrative that expands into a third person." Now he has written his memoir in this vein: the captivating account of his awakening to become an uncompromising artist.
Our favorite novels of March : Serhij Zhadan: "No one will ask for anything. New stories"
Ukrainian writer Serhiy Zhadan presents long-awaited new stories. In them, he doesn't describe the war, but rather its demoralizing effect on society. Yet there is hope in this unemotionally humane book.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: “Dream Count”
In her novel "Dream Count," Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie writes about "the kind of pain reserved only for women." It's funny and insightful, and just when you think you're holding a gentle book, Adichie drops a bombshell.
Christian Kracht: «Air»
Instead of the Barbour jacket of yesteryear, the protagonist of "Air" now has to choose between a wool and a fleece sweater. This new novel has everything you'd expect from a good Kracht novel. And yet, something's missing.
Sophie Hunger: «Waltz for Nobody»
Until now, she has made a name for herself as a singer-songwriter. Now Sophie Hunger is also trying her hand at writing. In her debut novel, "Waltz for Nobody," she describes the struggles of growing up.
Our favorite novels in February Zach Williams: "There will be beautiful days ahead"
In his highly acclaimed debut, the American author takes his characters out of everyday life and shows how thin the wall is between delusion and reality.
Meral Kureyshi: “We have never been in the sea”
In her novel "We Were Never in the Sea," the Bernese author tells of things that come to an end. Her own biography helps her in this process.
Cristina Henríquez: “The Big Crack”
Construction workers, laundresses, domestic workers: When a canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans was built around 1900, a diverse range of people met in Panama. Cristina Henríquez's novel "The Great Rift" gives them a voice.
Asta Sigurdardottir: «Matchsticks»
Asta Sigurdardottir was considered the greatest talent of post-war Icelandic literature. Yet the alcoholic author only lived to be 41. Her eccentric stories struck a chord with the bigoted society of the 1950s.
Mieko Kanai: "Slight dizziness"
Mieko Kanai, born in 1947, caused a sensation in Japan at a young age. With her stream-of-consciousness narratives of everyday life, she was always far ahead of her time. She has now matured into a grandmaster with her subtle nano-dramas.
Our favorite novels in January Wolf Haas: «Wackelkontakt»
Can you imagine anything more boring than a puzzle with a thousand pieces? But there's nothing more entertaining than a novel about such puzzles, especially if it's written by Wolf Haas.
Han Kang: "Impossible Farewell"
Last year, 54-year-old Korean writer Han Kang was surprisingly awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Some critics felt this was too high. Does her latest novel about the historical scar of the Jeju Massacre live up to expectations?
Julia Schoch: «Wild after a wild dream»
In her autobiographical novel "Wild after a wild dream," Julia Schoch recalls an affair that turned her into a writer. What are the consequences of writing so personally?
José Maria Eça de Queirós: “The Maias”
The Portuguese once dreamed of a global empire, but in the 19th century, their rule collapsed. Against this backdrop, José Maria Eça de Queirós unfolds his social panorama.
Maria Stepanova: «The Jump»
Maria Stepanova is one of the Russian intellectuals who fled into exile to escape Putin. In her new novel, she expresses her shame and anger about the war and reflects on the aporia of not being able to escape her Russian identity.
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