The novel by Chai explores the conflict between traditional values and modern life, focusing on immigrants from different regions and the heartbreak of broken families.
Invisible Man is a novel about social unrest, focusing on an anonymous, marginalized person whose experiences with radical politics and assimilation often lead to catastrophe, using the moniker "invisible" as a metaphor.
"The Archer" by Shruti Swamy explores Kavitha, an Indian-American archer, grappling with family secrets, cultural expectations, and personal identity through sports, mythology, and personal struggles.
"The Quiet American" by Graham Greene, set in 1950s Saigon, follows Thomas Fowler's romantic triangle with Vietnamese mistress and naive American Alden Pyle, whose misguided actions lead to disastrous consequences.
Possession is a story about two young scholars discovering a lost letter revealing a covert Victorian poets' relationship, influenced by their poetry and featuring "clues" that showcase their mastery of prose and metaphors.
Brian, a young man who believes he's been abducted by aliens, is helped by his former classmate Neil. The book explores abuse, and trauma, and develops compelling characters, influencing early writing with its unabashed queerness.
"Into the Beautiful North" by Luis Alberto Urrea is a magical realist novel that follows 19-year-old Nayeli, a Mexican woman, as she seeks seven Mexican men to help her hometown recover from bandits.
Middlemarch is a novel about a small town grappling with industrialism, a young woman who believes she's married a scholar, and a doctor whose conceited wife hinders his world-changing vision. The story explores the concept of using privilege for good, as the definition of privilege evolves.