2024 has been an incredible year for literary fiction, with approximately 304 novels released over the course of the past twelve months. There is no doubt that each one of those novels was crafted with considerable care and dedication by the most talented authors of our generation, so truly any book read is a crucial contribution to the artistic world, and an engagement in a much larger conversation. However, below is a compilation of a very small fraction of highlights among those 304, but rest assured that each novel on this list is a must-read.
James
by Percival Everett
In this enthralling re-imagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, the central perspective shifts from Huckleberry Finn to that of his friend, Jim, an escaped slave. Through Jim’s eyes we experience a myriad of adventures, evolving into a tale of belonging, sacrifice, and racial and personal identity. James is simultaneously haunting and witty, inviting readers to reexamine our world, in both its past and present circumstances.
The Mighty Red
by Louise Erdrich
A novel with many faces, The Mighty Red contains romance, drama, satire, and tragedy, all while illuminating the ramifications of an impending climate crisis. The story takes place in North Dakota’s Red River Valley where the rural population wrestles with the declining economy and an ecosystem damaged by the rise of monopolized agriculture. With impressive dexterity Erdrich intertwines the threads of spirituality, love, and community into a glorious tapestry.
Intermezzo
by Sally Rooney
Intermezzo, the wildly popular and equally critically acclaimed fourth novel by Irish author Sally Rooney is a tale of devotion in all forms. Two brothers, Ivan and Peter, are polar opposites in almost every way and, subsequently, do not get along. That is, until they are forced to reconnect in the wake of their father’s death. Intermezzo displays exactly what Rooney does best– bringing to life characters who are breath-takingly raw and emphasizing loveliness within the minutiae of life.
The Women
by Kristin Hannah
Frances “Frankie” McGrath serves in the United States Army Corps as a young nurse during the Vietnam War where she forges unbreakable bonds and discovers the true value of courage and optimism. Though the Vietnam War is a historical period well-recounted through many artistic mediums, the role that women played during this time has always gone largely unnoticed. In The Women, Hannah expertly draws readers into the atmosphere of war in its entirety, encompassing both the lighter moments of improbable friendship and the darkest of tragedies that devastated without discretion.
Martyr!
by Kaveh Akbar
Recovering alcoholic and orphaned son of Iranian immigrants, Cyrus Shams has spent his life attempting to grapple with the death of his mother after her plane was shot down over the Persian Gulf. Cyrus feels aimless in this endeavor, as well as in his pursuits as an unrecognized poet. Both of these afflictions cause him a great deal of self-loathing and hopelessness in the face of an unmerciful universe that he has yet to find his place in. Martyr! attempts to offer a response to the truly impossible question– “what is the meaning of life?”
Similar to the past year, there are many exciting book releases expected throughout 2025. USA Today lists Rebecca Yarros new installment in her “Empyrean” series, Onyx Storm, as being one of the first of those releases on January 21st. Another immensely popular author, Taylor Jenkins Reid, is planning to debut her newest novel, Atmosphere, about NASA’s first team of female scientists in space, on June 3rd. Other suspected bestsellers include Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab on June 10th and Katabasis by R. F. Kuang on August 26th. If any of the books mentioned sound intriguing, we highly encourage you to check them out at the San Marcos High School Library, one of Santa Barbara county’s public libraries, or purchase them at one of our local bookstores.
