S. Zainab would like to think she bleeds ink but the very idea makes her feel faint. She writes fantasy and horror, and is currently clutching a manuscript while groping in the dark. Find her on Twitter: @szainabwilliams.
I’m in the business of being annoyed by the Statlers and Waldorfs grumping about how their favorite book or author didn’t make it on a list, as if any list is capable of satisfying everyone. But if someone told me I could add one–and just ONE–book to New York Times‘ 100 Best Books of the 21st Century list, the book I’m recommending today is the one I would choose. Perhaps it didn’t make the list because it was a debut by an author who doesn’t have a massive catalog, but what a debut. This story left me breathless and in awe of the masterful storytelling that gave this sweeping, multigenerational tale so much power and a page-turning quality even. I’ve read a lot of books since picking this one up, but I struggle to think of one that made as big an impression.
All Access members, read on to find out which book should have made NYT’s Best of the Century list!
English (US) · 