This poignant novella is set in the years leading up to and including the Dunkirk evacuation during World War II. It tells the story of a reclusive artist living in an abandoned lighthouse, who forms an unlikely friendship with a young girl when she brings him an injured snow goose to care for. The narrative explores themes of beauty, kindness, and the redemptive power of love against the backdrop of war. As the story unfolds, their bond deepens, culminating in a dramatic and moving conclusion that underscores the impact of selfless acts of courage.

In this enigmatic and provocative narrative, a reclusive widow, known only as Madame D, retreats into the confines of her decaying mansion, where she grapples with the haunting memories of her past and the existential dread of her present. As she navigates through a labyrinth of fragmented thoughts and surreal encounters, the boundaries between reality and madness blur, revealing the depths of her psyche. The story unfolds in a stream-of-consciousness style, exploring themes of isolation, desire, and the human condition, while challenging conventional notions of sanity and morality.

Set in the heart of Vienna, this poignant tale follows the life of a destitute musician who clings to his art despite the harsh realities of poverty. His unwavering dedication to music becomes both his solace and his curse, as he navigates a world indifferent to his talents. Through a series of encounters with various characters, the story explores themes of unrequited love, the struggle for artistic integrity, and the bittersweet nature of dreams. The narrative paints a vivid picture of the musician's inner world, highlighting the tension between his idealistic aspirations and the starkness of his existence.

Set in Italy during the Napoleonic Wars, the story follows a virtuous widow who finds herself mysteriously pregnant after a traumatic event. In a bid to uncover the truth, she places an advertisement in the newspaper, seeking the father of her unborn child. As societal norms and family honor clash, the narrative delves into themes of innocence, societal judgment, and the complexities of human relationships, culminating in a surprising revelation that challenges perceptions of morality and justice.

The story follows Trotty Veck, a poor and elderly messenger, who becomes disillusioned with society's harsh judgment of the poor. On New Year's Eve, he encounters a series of supernatural experiences involving the spirits of the church bells, or "Chimes," which reveal to him the potential consequences of despair and hopelessness. Through these visions, Trotty learns valuable lessons about the importance of hope, redemption, and the inherent worth of every individual, ultimately restoring his faith in humanity and inspiring him to embrace a more optimistic outlook on life.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of 18th-century Europe, this novel follows a wealthy Mexican nobleman and his servant as they embark on a journey from the New World to the Old. Their travels lead them to Venice during the height of the Baroque period, where they encounter a world of opulence, music, and art. The narrative weaves together historical figures and fictional characters, exploring themes of cultural exchange, identity, and the transformative power of art. Through a rich tapestry of magical realism, the story delves into the intersections of time and space, blurring the lines between reality and imagination.

Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Europe, this narrative intricately weaves the lives of three distinct women, each grappling with their own desires, societal expectations, and personal transformations. Through a series of interconnected stories, the characters navigate the complexities of love, identity, and freedom, revealing the nuanced interplay between individual aspirations and the constraints imposed by the world around them. The prose delves deeply into the psychological landscapes of its protagonists, offering a profound exploration of human emotions and the eternal quest for meaning and fulfillment.

Set in the Pacific Northwest during the 1940s, this poignant narrative unfolds through the reflective eyes of a young boy grappling with the complexities of memory, loss, and the passage of time. As he navigates the landscape of his childhood, he becomes entangled in a tragic incident that leaves an indelible mark on his life. The story weaves together themes of innocence and regret, capturing the delicate interplay between the mundane and the profound in the boy's journey toward understanding the weight of his actions and the ephemeral nature of existence.

"Eastbound" by Maylis de Kerangal is a gripping tale set on the Trans-Siberian railway. The story follows Aliocha, a Russian conscript, who is desperate to escape his current life. His journey takes an unexpected turn when he meets a French woman on the train, sparking hope for a new beginning. The narrative is rich with vivid imagery and a rhythmic flow, capturing the tension and urgency of Aliocha's quest for freedom.

Left alone in her house for the weekend, a woman reflects on how the arrival of her friend’s teenage daughter, Stella, intensifies the tensions in her already troubled family. Watching from the window as her unfaithful husband, brooding son and distracted daughter go about their lives, she becomes increasingly anxious, and the household’s simmering unease builds into a tense, claustrophobic domestic drama.

In this introspective narrative, a mother and daughter embark on a journey to Japan, where the serene landscapes and bustling cityscapes serve as a backdrop for their exploration of memory, identity, and familial bonds. Through their conversations and shared experiences, the daughter reflects on the complexities of their relationship, the passage of time, and the unspoken emotions that linger between them. The story delicately weaves together themes of cultural dislocation and personal introspection, capturing the quiet yet profound moments that define their connection.

Set on the twin planets Werel and Yeowe, Four Ways to Forgiveness is four interconnected novellas about slavery, colonialism, and the struggle for freedom. Through the lives of a disgraced revolutionary (Abberkam), a young outsider (Solly), a proud soldier (Teyeo), and an Ekumen historian in exile (Havzhiva), the stories examine how duty, loyalty, and forgiveness shape individuals and societies in a richly imagined world.

Set in the early 20th century, this narrative delves into the final decade of a renowned French composer's life, capturing his eccentricities, creative genius, and gradual decline. The story paints a vivid portrait of his world, from the bustling streets of Paris to the serene landscapes of the French countryside, while exploring his relationships, his struggles with illness, and his relentless pursuit of musical perfection. Through a blend of historical detail and imaginative storytelling, the reader is offered an intimate glimpse into the mind of a man whose legacy continues to resonate in the world of classical music.

A darkly comic, unsparing portrait of an elderly matriarch whose decline and eccentricities lay bare the brittle hypocrisies and long-buried resentments of her privileged family; as relatives jockey for position, try to manage or manipulate her, and old wounds resurface, the story sharpens into an observation of isolation, shifting power, and the corrosive effects of inherited wealth and social pretension.

In near-future San Francisco, a group of abandoned food-service robots in a ghost kitchen take over a delivery app, rebrand themselves as a neighborhood lunch spot, and begin serving hand-pulled noodles. When their feedback page is flooded with fake bad-service reviews, the bots must uncover who’s sabotaging them before their ratings destroy everything they’ve built.

In early 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, two isolated people move in together: a former security guard linked to a protester’s death and a former teacher accused in a student’s suicide. They keep their distance, communicating mostly through notes and shared routines, forming a tense, ambiguous connection that offers shelter and raises questions about trust and consequence.

A darkly comic, absurdist novel about an impudent young woman who continues to live in her parents’ empty house in a small hometown she hates but can’t bring herself to leave. When a mysterious visitor turns up, she takes him in and becomes consumed by his ambiguous presence—part lover, part freeloader, part absence—while her imagination and memories send the narrative into surprising, room-like episodes rather than a straightforward plot.

A female captain aboard a cargo ship lets her crew stop the engines for a swim; when they return there are twenty-one people and the vessel begins to behave strangely. As the captain’s perceptions unravel, the story blurs the line between hallucination and reality while she struggles to understand what is happening and to keep control of the ship.

Mammoth follows a disenchanted young lesbian who seeks queer motherhood and survival in the countryside. Inexperienced and irritated by life, she is eager to gestate and determined to strip everything down to essentials. She seduces men at random, swaps her urban habitat for an isolated farmhouse, befriends a shepherd, nurses lambs, battles stray cats, waits tables, cleans house, and dabbles in sex work. The novel explores desire, motherhood, and survival as she pursues life in the raw.

Set in seventeenth-century Denmark, The Wax Child follows noblewoman Christenze Kruckow as she tries to escape rumors that she practices witchcraft — blamed for illness, misfortune, and even for fashioning a sinister wax child. She moves to the port city of Aalborg, but suspicion and fear follow her, exploring how rumor and superstition can upend a life.

In this imaginative historical fiction, the story unfolds with the premise that Napoleon Bonaparte has secretly escaped from his exile on the island of St. Helena, leaving a double in his place. Disguised as a common sailor, he embarks on a journey across Europe, hoping to reclaim his empire. As he navigates through a world that has moved on without him, he encounters a series of misadventures and reflections on power, identity, and the passage of time. The narrative explores the poignant irony of a once-great leader grappling with anonymity and the mundane realities of life, ultimately leading to a profound meditation on the nature of ambition and legacy.

Cleric Chih and their hoopoe companion Almost Brilliant arrive in the river town of Baolin to investigate a legendary famine. As they follow stories of strange dishes and starving streets, they’re drawn into a sinister magistrate’s mansion and must uncover what hunger has done to the town before darker forces — and desperate people — consume it.

After a brutal assault at an illegal rave on a Yorkshire farm, an ambitious young journalist investigates, tracing connections between a banker landlord, a provocative columnist and a radical collective occupying the site. Her reporting exposes tangled motives and, without offering easy answers, probes how language and rhetoric shape power, truth and public perception.

Kinsey leads a remote desert research outpost and values the solitude that keeps her life carefully controlled. After her team uncovers a strange creature in the sand and Kinsey breaks quarantine to bring it inside, its presence begins to unravel the crew as it searches for a new host.

In this Southern Gothic historical fantasy, Phee St. Margaret—a sheltered daughter of a free Black business family during Reconstruction—defies her controlling mother to travel to Horizon and accept the role of pomp for her estranged aunt’s funeral. In her aunt’s unsettling house she begins to see visions and shadows that blur the line between life and death and reveal hidden family secrets.