I've always been a wanderer, drawn to the allure of distant lands. Books were my first passport, transporting me to exotic locales and vibrant cultures. The New York Times recently unveiled its top 100 novels of the 21st century, a list that includes many great books that I've read (33 of them) and more that I haven't. Inspired by my love of international literature, I've curated my own top ten international novels of the 21st century, a collection of works that have expanded my worldview, broadened my understanding of humankind, and revealed profound truths.
You could define an 'international novel' in a number of ways. My list is limited to novels with a non-American author and a setting outside of the U.S. (though several of the books are set on two continents.) Many of the authors were born outside the U.S. but currently live here or vice versa. Biculturality is a huge advantage for an author's ability to portray multiple points of view.
#10. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Spain, 2005)
What does a book lover love better than a book about books? Nada, obviamente. Set in 1945 Barcelona, The Shadow of the Wind is full of mystery and atmospheric intrigue. The story begins as young Daniel's kindly bookseller father takes him to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books where he chooses a volume called The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax, a little-known author. Daniel soon discovers that all of Carax's works have been disappearing and he might possess the last existing copy of the work. Characters from the novel-within-the-novel begin appearing to Daniel in his 'real life.' Ultimately, the book shows us the power of literature to tell the truth, even when that truth is embedded in a work of fiction.
#9. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (England, 2013)
My book club went on a WWII jag for a while, and this was my favorite novel of the ones we read. Normally, I find a Groundhog Day structure to be annoying but Atkinson uses just the right amount of repetition to recount the many lives of Ursula Todd, from her first life that ends the night she is born in 1910 to a series of increasingly longer lives. Tiny actions result in significant changes in outcomes. Ultimately, the book is a meditation on the power of choice versus the relentless march of destiny. The scenes of the London bombings are still fresh in my mind years after reading this book. If you enjoy this one, you'll probably also like A God in Ruins, the companion piece to Life After Life.
#8. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia (Mexico, 2020)
I'm a scaredy cat and generally avoid horror, but I try to keep up with Latin American literature. To my surprise, I enjoyed this tale of Catalina, a young bride who marries into a British family and moves into their mansion in a fictional silver mining town in the Mexican mountains. Still a newlywed, Catalina writes to her cousin claiming her new husband is trying to poison her and that the house is full of evil. The first half of the novel is atmospheric, spookily reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe and Horacio Quiroga. The second half is bonkers, with a horror that literally grows on (and in) you. It turns out colonialism is even creepier than we thought.
#7. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (2013, Iceland)
Australian author Hannah Kent provides a fictionalized account of the true story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, the last woman executed in Iceland (in 1830). As the novel begins, Agnes has already been tried and convicted for the murders of two men. Due to a lack of incarceration facilities in northern Iceland, Agnes is housed with the family of the local district officer until her execution. While terrified of Agnes at first, the wife and daughters develop an attachment to her over time. A bleak yet compelling story, Burial Rites will leave an ache in your heart.
#6. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (Ethiopia, 2009)
Abraham Verghese is a medical doctor born to Indian parents and raised in Ethiopia. Though he has lived in the U.S. since his medical residency, his novels are set mostly abroad. They are chock full of graphic medical procedures, intriguing political history, and a compelling story. Set in Ethiopia, Cutting for Stone is as juicy as a soap opera. Conjoined twin boys are born to a nun in a missionary hospital. The mother dies in childbirth following a harrowing C-section. Abandoned by their British surgeon father at birth, the twins are raised by a pair of Indian doctors who work at the hospital. Uplifting in spite of the amount of suffering the characters endure, Cutting for Stone cuts to the quick. It is historical fiction at its best: story at the forefront in a rich and informative setting.
#5. Faithful Place by Tana French (Ireland, 2010)
Tana French is my favorite writer. I anticipate every new novel from her with bated breath and unreasonably high expectations. Faithful Place is one of her earlier novels, the third in the Dublin Murder Squad series. Frank is an undercover cop with a dysfunctional family and a deep emotional wound. At age 19, he and his girlfriend were planning to elope to England, but she never showed at the rendezvous spot. When her suitcase is discovered 22 years later in an abandoned house, Frank is drawn back into the neighborhood and into relation with his family. This book resonated so deeply with me, I remember it almost as a personal memory instead of a fictional story I read.
4. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz (Dominican Republic, 2007)
How can you not love an overweight, geeky protagonist who wants to be the Dominican Tolkien? That's a main character right up my alley. Oscar Wao's search for love is hindered not only by his obesity and nerdiness, but also by fukú, a curse that his plagued his family since the Spanish brought his ancestors to the island from Africa. The curse took its toll on Oscar's mother who was involved with a man who worked for Trujillo, the ruthless dictator of the D.R. for thirty years. The novel won the Pulitzer, which I think it easily deserves, though the book has plenty of detractors. I do remember wondering how a non-Spanish-speaker could make sense of the novel, considering that the book consists of a fast-paced stream of Spanglish and slang. I was blown away by the writing, but if you don't have any Spanish, the book could be a slog.
3. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria, 2013)
This novel follows the life of Ifemelu, a young Nigerian woman who comes to the U.S. to attend university. For the first time in her life she has to grapple with maintaining her cultural identity while learning what it means to be Black in America. After several years in the U.S., Ifemelu returns to Nigeria and reunites with her first love Obinze despite numerous complications. The themes of identity, authenticity, and the differences between race and culture are insightful and informative. Adichie's TED Talk "The Danger of a Single Story" is one of the most viewed talks of all time. I showed it to students often, and recommend it to everyone. It is well worth seventeen minutes of your life.
2. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (India, 2023)
Yes, I have two novels by Verghese in my top ten. In addition to being a doctor and professor at the Stanford School of Medicine, Verghese is a master storyteller who writes fat, juicy tales of love and loss in a detailed historical setting. Unlike Cutting for Stone, this novel is set in India in the southern state of Kerala. The novel opens as a twelve-year-old bride is married to a forty-year-old widower. Over the decades, the girl becomes the matriarch of a family beset by "the condition," a curse that causes someone in every generation of the family to drown. A Scottish doctor serving the British Raj is also a major character, his life taking a dramatic turn after a tragedy. The caste system in India is paralleled to the class system in Britain, and we follow the family as they endure, survive, and outlive the colonial empire. This is the kind of long, dense novel you never want to end.
1. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (Ghana, 2016)
Homegoing should be required reading for every American. In 18th century Ghana, two half-sisters are born. Effia marries the British Governor and lives in luxury in the Cape Coast Castle. Unbeknownst to Effia, her half-sister Esi is imprisoned in the dungeon of the castle before being put on a slave ship to America. The rest of the book details the lives of Effia's and Esi's descendants in the U.S. and Ghana up until the present day. It does an incredible job of portraying how individual lives are swept up in the tidal wave of history. Better than any book I've ever read, Homegoing proves Shakespeare's assertion that "past is prologue."
I'd love to hear about your favorite international novels of this century. Drop the title and author in the comments and I'll add them to my TBR (to-be-read) list. I'm always on the lookout for great book recommendations!
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