Allegorical, dark, and beautiful. A post-apocalyptic story that hits close to home, but manages to keep a spark of hope alive and burning.
Stacy
Before Apple was sued by Samsung over smartphones, before Microsoft was accused of having a monopoly in software, before Theodore Rosevelt broke up any of the large trusts, Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse went to court over who would light up America.
John
Take the gritty lawlessness of a western, combine it with vicious hippos that can and will snap a person in half with their giant jaws, then make everyone queer. That might give you an idea of what you're in for with American Hippo, but I don't think anything can really prepare you. Pick it up, and experience the delightful and bloody madness for yourself.
Shana
This book is not for everyone though it is my kind of Summer reading. Its length and rich prose requires close and patient attention. In a sense it’s a summation of Lopez’s lifetime of travels to the distant corners of our planet documenting the interactions of myriad human cultures and the natural world. Terry Tempest Williams recently called it “a masterpiece”. Indeed.
Dale
D&D meets Jumanji in the biggest comic of 2019. As with all of Kieron Gillen's books, the characters and their humanity are what drives this, even amongst such a high-concept premise. And Stephanie Hans' artwork will take your breath away. This one is a game changer.
Caleb
Roxane Gay called this collection "outstanding" and "nearly flawless," so that should tell you something. The writing is beautiful, and each story so emotionally intense I had to take breaks while reading. Quade's strong and scrappy characters face their troubled lives with heart and tenacity in rural New Mexico.
Catherine, Writer in Residence Adult
A post-apocalyptic dream song sung in a labyrinth, this is another brilliant novel from Davis. The prose is so beautiful and the images so rich that the reader is drawn in so that "Reader" becomes as much of a character as the Botanist, the Ice Man & the Archivist. A mind trip in the best possible way.
Josh
This hard-hitting graphic memoir is framed around a son's questions about how the world works, but quickly goes much deeper as Mira explores topics of sexuality, politics, prejudice, and the reality of living as a person of color in a post-2016 USA. Heart-aching and fantastic.
Rebecca
If you, like me, are a sucker for a Pride and Prejudice retelling, then this is a must-read. Set within the Toronto Indian Muslim community, this one makes Pride and Prejudice feel fresh and new, while still weaving in the elements we love from the original.
April
This has been one of my favorite books for over half my life. In a world that feels increasingly apocalyptic, this one -- with its fond-of-Earth angel and demon duo, witches and witch-hunters, motorcycle-riding Horsepersons, adorable hellhounds, and the occasional rain of fish -- is the funniest, most uplifting and irreverent apocalypse story you're going to find. And there's a tv show out now, if you like that sort of thing.
Ari
