best of 2021: fiction

Now that December is here (how?!?), it's time to start posting my "best of" lists!  A few notes before I begin:

- Not all of these books were first released in 2021, but that's when I read them.

- I know December isn't over yet, so if something comes along between now and December 31st that belongs here, I'll update accordingly.

- These are in random order, but I did make note of my absolute favorite.  

- Three novels received my coveted (LOL) double star designation this year:  numbers 3, 7, and 9.

- And as always, your mileage may vary.

1. Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy:  Inti moves to Scotland as part of a project to reintroduce wolves into the wild, much to the dismay of the locals.  When Inti finds a dead farmer, she quickly buries the body for fear that the wolves will be blamed.  I thought this book was good until the last fifty or so pages, at which point my opinion changed to great. 

2. The Push by Ashley Audrain:  Blythe always wanted to be a good mother, but she feels no emotional connection to her daughter Violet. She thinks maybe she's just broken, but when her son is born, she's instantly in love with him, so is she broken...or is Violet?  It reminded me of another book, which I won't name because it will spoil this one, but it has a compelling and disturbing charm (so to speak) of its own.

3. Milk Fed by Melissa Broder:  Rachel obsessively counts every calorie she consumes, chewing nicotine gum in between meals to dull her appetite.  The only indulgence she allows herself is an occasional cup of frozen yogurt, and one day, there's a different person working behind the counter.  Miriam is an Orthodox Jew, completely unapologetic about her size, and determined to make Rachel enjoy food again.  It sounds sappy, but trust me, it's not; it's funny, lushly erotic, and heartbreaking.

4.  No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfield:  After smalltown pariah Lizzie Oullette is found gruesomely murdered, the investigation points in an unexpected direction.  I would have given it double stars, except the author telegraphed a huge plot development and then I wasn't surprised when it happened.  Still, it's very clever and engrossing.

5. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint:  A feminist retelling of the myth of Ariadne and Theseus.  If you, like me, love Madeline Miller, you'll probably eat this up like candy.

6. Out of Love by Hazel Hayes:  A five-year romance told in reverse that manages to be both heartbreaking and hopeful.

7. Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton:  A zombie apocalypse ravages humanity.  Done before?  Well, sure, but this time around, it's narrated by animals (most notably a talking domesticated crow named Shit Turd, or S.T. for short) as they watch what happens to their masters and enemies and try to save other animals from the new threat.  So much for no new ideas!  I can't describe it better than this blurb on Amazon: "The Secret Life of Pets meets The Walking Dead".  Wholly original, funny and heartbreaking.

8. Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi:  Jayne is a broke fuckup; her sister June is rich and successful.  They've been estranged for a long time, but June tracks Jayne down to tell her she's been diagnosed with cancer.  Like the author's previous novels, Permanent Record and Emergency Contact, it's gorgeously written, occasionally outrageously funny (at one point, Jayne talks about how June was reluctant to be born and would have been happy staying in the womb and "eventually wearing Mom like a hat"), and heartbreaking.

9. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward:  A man lives with his daughter and cat (who narrates some of the chapters) in the titular house.  He was suspected and cleared in the disappearance of a little girl, but the girl's sister isn't convinced of his innocence, and she moves next door in hopes of getting answers.  Horrifying, surprising, and heartbreaking in equal measure; it's like nothing else I've ever read, and it's my favorite novel of the year.

10. The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker:  When she was eight, Chrissie murdered another kid.  Now an adult, living under a new identity and with a child of her own, she gets a phone call and realizes her past might be catching up with her.  The cover and title make it look and sound like something light, but...uh...no.  I really enjoyed it, not just because it's beautifully written, but because it evokes great sympathy for Chrissie, both child and adult, without in any way diminishing her crime.