Embark on a global literary journey with these eight essential novels that transport you to diverse settings and explore themes of identity, belonging, and transformation.
These books tap into the heart of their vivid settings to explore themes of identity, belonging, and transformation.
Identity refers to the distinct characteristics, traits, and attributes that define an individual.
It encompasses a person's background, culture, language, and experiences.
Identity can be categorized into various types, including social identity (based on group membership), personal identity (unique characteristics), and collective identity (shared by a community).
Research suggests that identity plays a significant role in shaping behavior, attitudes, and relationships.
According to a study, 70% of individuals report that their sense of identity is influenced by their family background.
Discovering Ireland Through Family Ties
The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes is a deeply thoughtful novel that offers insight into sisterhood and a connection to place. The four orphaned Flattery sisters departed Wicklow for different parts of the globe when they reached adulthood. Olwen goes to Galway, where she teaches geology to college students. Nell, similarly, becomes a professor, teaching philosophy in Boston. Rhona heads to Dublin, where she teaches at Trinity College, specializing in politics, and Maeve takes off for London, where she blooms into an online sensation for her cooking videos. The sisters are forced to reunite and traverse the Irish countryside to find their once steady oldest sister when she disappears from her previous life without a trace.
Sisterhood refers to a close and supportive relationship between women, often based on shared experiences, values, and goals.
This bond can be formed through family ties, friendships, or membership in social groups.
Historically, sisterhood has played a significant role in feminist movements, providing a sense of community and empowerment among women.
According to a survey, 70% of 'women' believe that sisterhood is essential for personal growth and development.
Located in Northwest Europe, Ireland is an island nation known for its lush green landscapes, rugged coastlines, and rich cultural heritage.
With a population of approximately 4.9 million people, the country has a diverse geography, featuring mountains, forests, and bogs.
Ireland's capital city, Dublin, is home to many famous landmarks, including 'Trinity College' and the 'Guinness Storehouse'.
The country has a strong history, with ancient monuments like 'Newgrange' and the 'Rock of Cashel' dating back thousands of years.
Told from the perspectives of all four sisters, this novel guides the reader on a journey across Ireland, exploring themes of family, identity, and belonging.
A Taste of Japan in the Suburbs
Butter by Asako Yuzuki is a Japanese novel that brings delectable culinary dreams to life. The story opens with Rika, a journalist, visiting her newly married friend in the suburbs. ‘I don’t know how you can bear a life centered on cooking dinner for a husband—the path my friend Reiko has chosen.’ However, this domestic pursuit gives Rika an insight into cracking a tough story when Reiko suggests she try connecting with a famous serial killer—one who lured his victims with delicious food—by asking for a recipe. As their exchanges begin to shift Rika’s own life in ways she never anticipated, she is forced to confront her relationship with food, her body, and societal expectations.
A Glimpse into East Germany
Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck offers a fascinating insight into what a divided Berlin was like, especially as Katherina experiences West Germany for the first time on a hard-won trip to visit her grandmother. The relationship that defines the end of her youth is recounted retrospectively by an adult Katherina, who reflects not only on the affair but also on life in East Germany just before the fall of the Berlin Wall.
A Love Story in Los Angeles
Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour beautifully evokes the city of Los Angeles, where two women have a chance meeting in a restaurant. Sara designs the drink menu for the trendy new spot, Yerba Buena, while Emilie arranges the flowers. As these two women struggle to fully situate themselves in adulthood, Los Angeles and its many layered neighborhoods come alive on the page.
A Theater in the West Bank
Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad is a lyrically beautiful novel that creates a portrait of Palestine and a dedicated theater troupe bravely fighting against a stacked hand. Sonia steps away from her life in the London theater to return to her homeland and visit her sister, Haneen. While Haneen chose to teach at a university in nearby Tel Aviv, Sonia largely avoided returning to Palestine, caught between feelings of fractured distance and deep connection to the place.
Uncovering Family Secrets in Scotland
The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight immerses readers in university life in Edinburgh and the Scottish countryside. Pen arrives in Edinburgh from Canada to start her first term at university, still mentally stuck at home in the middle of her parents’ divorce. She believes that Scotland holds all the answers to family secrets she needs to uncover.
A Portrait of Queerness and Identity
Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly transports readers to a setting not frequently captured in literature while exploring queerness, family, and identity. The two siblings come from a tight-knit Māori family in Auckland. Even after moving out of the house, they stay together and become roommates as they navigate their emerging adulthood in the city.
A Family Portrait in Jamaica
If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery presents a strong intergenerational portrait shaped by distinct experiences not shared across generations. The story is told through multiple short stories that shift perspective, exploring the story of a family of Jamaican immigrants in Florida.
