Word’s pick: “City of Mirrors” by Justin Cronin
The final book of the Passage Trilogy brings the post-apocalyptic series to a satisfying close. If you have not read “The Passage” or “The Twelve” this book will be confusing for you, but you are lucky to have those books before you. In “City of Mirrors,” protagonist Amy faces her destined foe in an epic battle amidst the ruins of New York. Few heroes of speculative fiction are as fully fleshed and familiar as Amy, and few dark forces are as unnerving as those found in Cronin’s work. Take this book with you on your travels, keep it by your bedside, and be blown away.
— Hannah Oliver Depp, Word [126 Franklin St. at Milton Street in Greenpoint, (718) 383–0096, www.wordbrooklyn.com].
Community Bookstore’s pick: “How German Is It?” by Walter Abish
This recently reprinted 1980 novel, winner of the inaugural Poets, Editors, and Novelists/Faulkner Award, is entirely sui generis. A dark look at life after Germany’s murderous wars, it follows the Hargenau family, a veritable symbol of un-German activity. The father faced a firing squad for plotting to assassinate Hitler; later, his son Ulrich testifies against fellow members of a Baader-Meinhof-like terrorist group. When the reformed son attempts to start a new life, petty lies, shallow affairs, and revolutionary violence haunt his every decision. “How German Is It?” complicates the question of how to live a moral life in a country responsible for the Shoah.
— Hal Hlavinka, Community Bookstore [43 Seventh Ave. between Carroll Street and Garfield Place in Park Slope, (718) 783–3075, www.communitybookstore.net].
Greenlight Bookstore’s pick: “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi
This generational novel begins in 18th century Africa and continues through to the present day. The story begins with two half-sisters who never meet; one is married off to a white governor, the other is sold into slavery, and each chapter follows the next generation of the family. This book is beautifully crafted and beautifully written, and you will not put it down. “Homegoing” is one of the best debuts of the summer.
— Geo Ong, Greenlight Bookstore [686 Fulton St. between S. Elliott Place and S. Portland Avenue in Fort Greene, (718) 246–0200, www.greenlightbookstore.com].
