17 Comments

I voted for Biography of X. I wouldn't call it mainstream. It's unconventional in both form and style, and I asks a lot of good questions about identity and self-reinvention, about the purpose of art and the thrill and terror of loving an artist. It's the one book that I read last year that really made me gasp in shock and delight and repeatedly had me say out loud --- can you do that in a novel?! Yes, apparently you can.

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*and asks

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Thanks for voting, Petya! Your post speaks to why I picked the book up in the first place. Even if it doesn't win the poll, I will probably read it sooner rather than later. Cheers!

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This poll was a tough one for me. I want to see reviews of all three! (And naturally they’ll all go on my TBR pile after you finish them.)

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Lol! Yes, I am thinking I'll probably need to review all three sooner rather than later. Especially considering how tight the voting is!

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Loved the Biography of X and would be eager to hear your review, BUT you had me hooked with the story of how you stumbled across Out!! i love coming across books that way, it feels so fortuitous and special… had to vote for that one!!

Also i somehow missed your reviews of Lapvona and The Little friend…. i know how im spending my sunday! 🤠📚

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Thanks for voting, EJ! Biography of X was way out in front earlier, but the Out hive has surfaced and pushed that book ahead! Very excited to see where the poll ends up. Either way, I think I'll have to read all three sooner rather than later. I hope you enjoy the Lapvona and Little Friend newsletters!

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Per EJ below, voted for Out, want to become part of that extended story line :) Also the lizard cover brought back memories (vague) of noir they published that I loved.

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Thanks for voting, Brian! It's such an odd story about how I found Out. There is another edition out there with a whole different cover, and if the subway rider happened to be reading the other one, chances are I never would have picked it up. Book serendipity is a wonderful thing!

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I voted for Out. I have a secret soft spot for women who murder their abusers. But all 3 sound interesting, unless The Biography of X is really tedious.

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Thanks for voting, Kate! I'm looking forward to reading all three of these, but Form and Emptiness has pulled ahead. We'll see where the final vote lands, but I will probably read all three this year given the response to the poll.

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I voted for Out. Any Japanese lit will always be top of my list.

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Thanks, Jam! Out is catching up in the poll!

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I have been eyeing all three of these for some time — happy for whichever wins and excited to see where I should start!

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Thanks, Cassie! I’ll be happy to read/review whichever wins, and will aim to get to the others sooner rather then later.

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I think you should read Out

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Thanks! It's definitely high on my list for 2025!

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