From My Desk: February 2025
A harrowing historical novel, a raw and literary memoir, and an electrifying debut
February is typically a slow time of year, both in bookstores and in publishing. This year, though, it happens to include three of my favorite books from our spring season.
Isola by Allegra Goodman (out now) — Isola is historical fiction at its finest. Based on (truly unbelievable) real events, it follows the life of Marguerite de la Rocque de Roberval, a sixteenth-century French noblewoman who survived being marooned on a remote island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The novel begins when she is a young woman, just after her parents’ deaths, traces her guardian’s power over her money and her future, and eventually finds her struggling to survive over a cold, desolate winter in New France. In addition to being a wonderfully told, harrowing story, it's also a window into female friendship, the politics of power, and how and why women’s stories get told.
Allegra Goodman is an author I’ve known about for a long time, since she lives locally to me, but I’m embarrassed to say I’d never read. This was a fantastic introduction.
For: lovers of historical fiction; those with an interest in untold women’s history; anyone who loves a good adventure tale
Bibliophobia by Sarah Chihaya (out now)1 — Sarah Chihaya is a literary critic, a contributing editor at the Los Angeles Review of Books, and co-author of The Ferrante Letters: An Experiment in Collective Criticism. Bibliophobia is a raw and challenging memoir in essays about Chihaya’s lifelong relationship with reading, about her profound mental health struggles, and about how books have been both an affirming and a damaging part of that journey. (TW: This novel frankly discusses Chihaya’s struggles with mental health, including suicidal tendencies.)
Each chapter centers on a book that has been meaningful to her, from her youthful obsession with Anne of Green Gables to The Last Samurai, the first novel she was able to read after a mental breakdown. The essays are raw, honest, and fiercely intelligent, applying her expertise in criticism both to the books themselves and the periods in her life when they connected with her. I read it slowly, and I know it will be one I dip back into over the years.
For: lovers of books and books about books; anyone ready to think critically about how books and reading fit into our lives
Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley (2/25/25) — Deep Cuts is Holly Brickley’s debut novel, and I’m already a huge fan. It tells the story of two young people, Percy and Joe, who meet in college and bond over a shared love of music. Joe is a talented rising musician, and Percy’s passion comes out in endlessly analyzing her favorite songs. (One of my favorite details in the novel is the blog Percy writes. She writes her first post about “Surf’s Up” by the Beach Boys, and the book includes multiple drafts as she searches for the right angle to approach the song.) The novel follows them into their adult lives, as their relationships evolve and their talent grows.
Beginning in 2000, Deep Cuts is also a powerful vehicle for Millennial nostalgia, and the many music references make it feel both fresh and grounded. Check out this Spotify playlist of the songs mentioned!
In some ways, Deep Cuts reads like a modern, feminist response to High Fidelity, and I’m here for its questions about talent, creativity, and ambition.
For: fans of well told coming-of-age stories; Millennial (and other) music lovers; readers looking for a fresh new voice
I’m not the only one who loved these books. Isola and Bibliophobia were both included in this week’s “Best Reviewed Books of the Week” column in Book Marks.