PositiveUSA TodayThe novel’s cadence mimics the relentless spiral of doomscrolling – though, without its frenetic, exhausting energy. Instead, it captures that boundless online space, dubbed \'the porta\'” in the book, and distills it into elegant vignettes, spliced through with dispatches from the outside world. Paired with Lockwood’s skillful imagery, it’s mesmerizing to read ... funny. It’s self-aware and unafraid to be ridiculous when the moment calls for it ... So much of the novel is levity and referential humor (which may not make it the best fit for readers who are not online at all) ... That’s where No One Is Talking About This saves itself from potential cliche. It would have been easy to condescendingly lament over kids glued to their greasy iPads and their parents equally enraptured by their own glowing phones as the harbinger of society’s eventual downfall, but that wouldn’t have been truthful, or impactful. Instead, No One Is Talking About This simply presents a new story where the portal isn’t the priority, and something tender and heartrending takes its place. In these moments, being online loses its gravity.
Sigrid Nunez
RaveUSA Today... doesn’t claim to have all the answers. Instead, it just asks us to listen to the moment ... Without presenting a \'right\' or \'wrong,\' Nunez carefully guides the novel through varying perspectives ... Cultivating care for others is the crowning achievement of the novel. What Are You Going Through balances the narrator’s restraint with other characters’ impassioned perspectives, offering a touching, poinant illustration of what it means to have empathy for the lives around you ... Instead of hunting for an impossible guidebook, What Are You Going Through prompts us to think about our own positions in the world, and the community we can offer to each other. Don’t mistake the narrator’s quiet action for passivity. Listening isn’t just doing nothing. Depending on the context, it can be an act of harm, or a blessing.
Gabriella Burnham
PositiveUSA TodayUnder a less deft hand, this could be hokey. But one of the greatest draws of It Is Wood, It Is Stone is Burnham’s exquisite prose, making Linda’s shrewd observations lush and alive ... While the framework of It Is Wood, It Is Stone might read like a long letter to a man with a rather unimpressive personality, it’s actually a self-examination of Linda as she figures out who she is, and what she wants ... But while Linda’s soul-searching is made compelling through Burnham’s lyricism, it’s sometimes hampered by brief moments that lack self-awareness. Linda may be interesting, but she’s not always likable. That’s normally fine — main characters don’t have to be a reader’s best friend. If anything, flaws are interesting...The problem with Linda’s shortcomings is that they aren’t always recognized as such ... But by the end of the novel, it’s hard to tell if these are the necessary truths Linda honestly believes, or if they’re just fleeting musings to her. Perhaps that doesn’t matter so much as our own critical reading of her actions. After all, characters aren’t always made to be followed and loved unconditionally. If anything, that’s the message at the crux of Linda’s story, the ethos at the heart of the novel.
Megha Majumdar
RaveUSA TodayWith this high-stakes premise, Megha Majumdar carefully crafts her debut novel...as a gripping thriller with compassionate social commentary. Each chapter jumps through various perspectives as Majumdar devotes time and care to each person’s motivations. Above them all, the ability to rise – to power, fame and wealth –is everyone’s greatest ambition or moral folly ... While these internal struggles may be pivotal plot points in A Burning, what’s really compelling is how Jivan fights for herself ... But A Burning also makes the reality of the situation startlingly clear. Girls like Jivan don’t stand a chance in prison. Politics willingly ignore incarcerated people – especially those with no money or status to their name ... It’s hard not to feel intense heartache while reading A Burning. Majumdar\'s powerful debut is carefully crafted for maximum impact, carving out the most urgent parts of its characters for the whole world to see. This novel rightfully commands attention.
