THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW 3TO SUBSCRIBEto the Book Review by mail, visit nytimes.com/getbookreview or call 1-800-631-
Book Review SEPTEMBER 13, 2020
Fiction
10 Otherworldly
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Reviewed by Amal El-Mohtar
11 MIGRATIONS
By Charlotte McConaghy
Reviewed by Michael Christie
12 THE GLASS KINGDOM
By Lawrence Osborne
Reviewed by Louise Doughty
13 TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM
By Yaa Gyasi
Reviewed by Nell Freudenberger
17 HOMELAND ELEGIES
By Ayad Akhtar
Reviewed by Hari Kunzru
19 OUT OF MESOPOTAMIA
By Salar Abdoh
Reviewed by Elliot Ackerman
19 A GIRL IS A BODY OF WATER
By Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
Reviewed by Khadija Abdalla Bajaber
20 ZO
By Xander Miller
Reviewed by Kawai Strong Washburn
20 AGAINST THE LOVELESS WORLD
By Susan Abulhawa
Reviewed by Laleh Khadivi
Nonfiction
18 THE SADDEST WORDS
William Faulkner’s Civil War
By Michael Gorra
Reviewed by Ayana Mathis
26 The Shortlist
Trumped Up
Reviewed by Julian E. ZelizerChildren’s Books
22 BEFORE THE EVER AFTER
By Jacqueline Woodson
Reviewed by Randal C. Archibold22 THE BRIDGE
By Bill Konigsberg
Reviewed by Katy HershbergerFeatures
1 Politics in Fiction
Compiled by John Williams8 By the Book
Jane Fonda21 Essay
The Man Who Loved Animals
By James Traub27 Sketchbook
By Ebony FlowersEtc.
4 New & Noteworthy
6 Letters
23 Best-Seller Lists
23 Editors’ Choice
24 Inside the List
24 Paperback Row“This is a compelling thriller that
has the rarest of qualities:
‘What’s going to happen next?’”
—Steve Martin”You Can Go Home Nowis a timely
meditation on justice and retribution
that will long stay in the memory,
in no small part due to its moral
complexity.”—Criminal Element”Elias writes convincingly in the voice
of a deeply troubled female cop
and puts her in the crosshairs of the
hot button issues of abortion and
domestic abuse. He takes you along
the dark streets of revenge where
surprises lurk in every doorway.
An unputdownable pleasure for the
literary mystery lover.”
—April Smith, author ofHome Sweet Home“This fine book’s melodrama is
laced with humor and poignancy”
—Tom Nolan, The Wall Steet Journal“I am still reeling. The surprises,
the descriptions, the characters,
the unexpected events, theending,
wow! The book is on a par with
TheGirl on the TrainandGone Girl.”
—Iris Rainer Dart, author ofBeaches