Book reviews

By Sequoia Nagamatsu
Jan 18, 2022
304 pages
$27.99
William Morrow

‘How High We Go in the Dark’ 

Stories and people connected in surprising ways; the myths we tell ourselves even when reality is breathing down our necks; the absolute power of time. These are just some of the themes that explode from this shining debut book.

A plague that ravishes humanity may seem a bit on the nose for the moment, but the sweeping scale and powerful resonance Nagamatsu brings to his tale could not feel timelier and more urgent. This is an epic, interwoven series of stories that lead to both heartbreaking and surprising places. From an archaeologist in profound grief, to the remains of a family searching desperately for a new home, each story is both connected and stands on its own as a piece of a tale that seems to span all of humanity.

This book feels disjointed at times, until the end ties together both the melancholy and the hopeful bits that cross the centuries over which the story is set. It is a wholly satisfying ending — a rarity these days. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fictional way to process our recent troubled times. ♦
— Review by Julie Goodrich

By Elaine Castillo
July 26, 2022
352 pages
$27.99
Viking

‘How to Read Now’ 

I love books about books. I like them even better when they are not the same old tired travelogue of classics with a bent toward old white men. My favorite, though, is an examination of society through the sharp-eyed lens of someone who can make me laugh out loud. Thankfully, Elaine Castillo manages all of those things so well in this new collection of essays that I feel like she wrote it just for me.

By turns painfully inciteful and uproariously funny, this careful and critical examination of modern literature is exactly what I did not realize I needed. There is more to reading than just bringing people together or seeing through another’s eyes. The chance for unexpected intimacy, radical shifts in perception, complex emotions — these are all possible with a different view of my favorite hobby of reading.

There is so much in these connected essays that got me thinking about how I read, what I read, and even the pop culture I spend too much time consuming. If you are looking for something fiery and interesting that will definitely challenge your reading habits, this is an ideal choice. ♦
— Review by Julie Goodrich