Black Cat: Grove

This debut novel is sheer magic, a perfect read. It exudes a palpable warmth, and there’s no waste in verbiage or plot.

In lovely, rhythmic prose that flows like poetry, photographer and debut novelist Nelson has written a brave and beautiful ode to love, to the importance of self-love, and to the joy of being seen and understood in a world that’s still set on denying Black personhood. An incandescent read that perfectly illuminates this moment in time.

Expect interest from a range of readers, from young adults to environmentalists to animal lovers.

Incorporating elements of magical realism and tales from both the Quran and Anglo folk traditions, this latest from Aboulela (The Kindness of Enemies) is a strange mix of domestic realism and fantasy/allegory. The supernatural aspects start out subtly and almost unnoticeably but begin to take over in the book’s last third, which makes the conclusion a bit heavy-handed if intriguing.