Contemporary fiction genre books (507)


401.

The Illusion of Return : A Novel by Samir El-Youssef EN

0 Ratings
Country: Asia / Lebanon flag Lebanon
Description:
The nameless narrator of this startling novella believed himself to be under no illusion: a Palestinian refugee, he had escaped the deadly tumult of Lebanon, the roving militias and endlessly complicated religious violence, by having long ago fled to London. He knew he could never go back. But then one day an old friend, who had also escaped, calls him and asks to meet at the airport on a stop-over on his way back to Lebanon. For the narrator, it summons up everything he thought he had suppressed, both the yearning to go home and the secret reason he can't. Thus the reunion with his old friend... continue

402.

The Impatient by Djaïli Amadou Amal EN

Rating: 3 (1 vote)
Country: Africa / Cameroon flag Cameroon
Description:
A powerful, heartrending, and insightful novel of a trio of women in Cameroon who dare to rebel against oppressive, long-held cultural traditions—including polygamy and domestic abuse—that define and limit their lives. Three women, three stories, three linked destinies . . . In North Cameroon, well-to-do young Ramla is torn from her true love and wed to a manipulative older man. Safira, her co-wife, juggles envy and empathy for this new bride with disappointment in the husband she desperately loves. Like her older sister, Ramla, Hindou is married off to a man she does not know or want, a dista... continue

403.

The Inhabited Woman by Gioconda Belli EN

Rating: 5 (2 votes)
Description:
A revolutionary romance by a Nicaraguan poet. The protagonists are two architects: Lavina, a woman from the privileged classes, and Felipe, a member of the national liberation movement. When Felipe is killed, Lavina takes over command of his unit.

404.

The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta EN

Rating: 5 (2 votes)
Country: Africa / Nigeria flag Nigeria
Description:
...a graceful, touching, ironically titled tale. - John Updike A new edition of her classic novel to coincide with the publication of her other works in the African Writers Series. Nnu Ego is a woman devoted to her children, giving them all her energy, all her worldly possessions, indeed, all her life to them -- with the result that she finds herself friendless and alone in middle age. This story of a young mother's struggles in 1950s Lagos is a powerful commentary on polygamy, patriarchy, and women's changing roles in urban Nigeria.

405.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini EN

Rating: 4 (195 votes)
Country: Asia / Afghanistan flag Afghanistan
Description:
Soon to be a major Broadway stage production. Coming July 2022! The #1 New York Times bestselling novel beloved by millions of readers the world over. “A vivid and engaging story that reminds us how long his people [of Afghanistan] have been struggling to triumph over the forces of violence—forces that continue to threaten them even today." –New York Times Book Review The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, caught in the tragic sweep of history, The Kite Runner transports readers to Afghanistan at a tense and ... continue

406.

The Little French Bistro : A Novel by Nina George EN

Rating: 3 (1 vote)
Country: Europe / Germany flag Germany
Description:
Following a failed suicide attempt inspired by her loveless marriage, Marianne Messman travels to Brittany with the intention of trying again but changes her mind when the guests of a charming bistro reintroduce her to life's delights.

407.

The Little Old Lady who Broke All the Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg EN

Rating: 4 (1 vote)
Country: Europe / Sweden flag Sweden
Description:
79-year-old Martha Anderson dreams of escaping her care home and robbing a bank. She has no intention of spending the rest of her days in an armchair and is determined to fund her way to a much more exciting life-style. Along with her four oldest friends - otherwise known as the League of Pensioners - Martha decides to rebel against all of the rules imposed upon them. Together, they cause an uproar with their antics: protesting against early bedtimes and plastic meals. As the elderly friends become more daring, their activities escalate and they come up with a cunning plan to break out of the ... continue

408.

The Living and the Rest by José Eduardo Agualusa EN

Rating: 2 (1 vote)
Country: Africa / Angola flag Angola
Description:
Daniel lives with artist Moira on her native Island of Mozambique. They are awaiting the birth of their child, while also organising the island's first literary festival. But as soon as the first guests arrive, the coast is hit by a cyclone. The island is spared, but the bridge to the mainland is left impassable, and telephone and internet connections are severed. The islanders - and the writers who have come for the festival - are cut off from the outside world. Left to their own devices, the authors forge new bonds and make the best of a situation that gets stranger each day. Some believe th... continue


410.

The Love of Singular Men by Victor Heringer EN

Rating: 4 (1 vote)
Description:
Rio de Janeiro, the 1970s. One hot Brazilian summer, Camilo meets Cosme and the two teenage boys discover a new kind of tenderness. But an act of violence will shatter their intimate world, and change the trajectory of their young lives. At once an incisive exploration of Brazilian society and a tender account of first love, first grief and revenge, The Love of Singular Men is a powerful and exhilarating novel, which sparkles with wit and playful ingenuity throughout.