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Books have a way of capturing the mood of a year, and 2025 is already brimming with unforgettable stories. From Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s long-awaited ‘Dream Count’ to RF Kuang’s daring ‘Katabasis’, writers across the world are pushing boundaries and reminding us why we read in the first place. While there are still some months away in 2025, here are 10 of the standout titles that have shaped conversations so far. 1. Helm by Sarah Hall Booker-nominated Sarah Hall returns with a climate-focused historical novel two decades in the making. Set in Cumbria, Helm weaves science, history, and poetry into a story about Britain’s only named wind and humanity’s struggle to master nature. 2. Good and Evil and Other Stories The Argentinian writer, Samanta Schweblin, offers six unsettling tales where compassion collides with dread. Subtle yet chilling, the collection explores the fragility of human experience in everyday moments that turn eerie. 3. Flashlight by Susan Choi This Booker-shortlisted novel begins with a child found alone on a Japanese beach, then stretches across generations and continents. Choi delivers a sweeping exploration of family, identity, and belonging. 4. Katabasis by RF Kuang Prolific at just 29, Kuang reimagines academia as a descent into hell. Dark, witty, and wildly inventive, Katabasis blends fantasy with biting satire in a tale of rival students navigating a magical Cambridge. 5. Bring the House Down A sharp debut set at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, this novel by Charlotte Runcie examines female rage, cancel culture, and the messy dynamics between artists and critics. Critics call it “formidable” and “deeply entertaining.” 6. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny Nearly 20 years since her last book, Kiran Desai delivers a sweeping 700-page story of love, identity, and postcolonial history. Richly detailed and genre-bending, it cements her place among contemporary literary greats. 7. Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Adichie’s much-anticipated return follows three Nigerian women whose lives unfold through intertwined storylines. Exploring themes of race, masculinity, colonialism, and power, it has been hailed as “extraordinary” and “worth the wait.” 8. We Do Not Part Translated into English in 2025, this novel by Nobel laureate Han Kang blurs dreams and reality while exploring trauma, memory, and forgotten history. Critics describe it as both exquisite and unsettling. 9. Stag Dance by Torrey Peters Peters’ new collection ranges from romantic tales to dystopian narratives. With bold imagination and playful storytelling, she once again pushes the boundaries of contemporary fiction. 10. Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah The Nobel Prize winner’s latest is a coming-of-age story set in postcolonial East Africa. Exploring friendship, betrayal, and identity, Theft has been praised for its restraint, depth, and timeless truth.
