Good People by Patmeena Sabit

 What happens when tragedy strikes an Afghani immigrant family, when older members have the memories of war fresh in their histories? When the Sharaf family goes through the unimaginable, their loss is dissected in the court of public opinion. Sabit narrates the readable story using a chorus of voices — from members of the close-knit Afghan community, to neighbors, and the children’s classmates. Through this kaleidoscope of perspectives, the reader pieces together the narrative of the frayed family fabric. The inclusion of multiple characters feels gimmicky but Sabit paints an impressive portrait of the strains that cause close-knit ties to unravel. 

Luna, Phoenix, Queen by Julie Orringer

Luna, Phoenix and Queen are all avatars of the same dog, the firm glue that holds this marvel of a story together. Orringer delivers another knockout in this nuanced portrait of life’s infinite complications. Dava Pennington is gradually fading from Alzheimer’s, worrying both her husband, Barr, a fellow professor, and Svetlana, Dava’s lover, also a professor at the same school. It’s hard to tell if Barr knows about his wife’s affair with Svetlana. When the complexities and betrayals come to light, the resulting reboot is achingly nuanced and brilliantly executed. A different book from Flight Portfolio, but still a winner. 

The Simp: A Novel Without a Hero by Roshan Sethi

 

Raj Ladlani’s non-starter of an acting career has been circling the drain for a while but living in LA, he aspires to at least some modicum of proximity to those in power. He gets a chance in a job as personal assistant to a famous Hollywood director and his wife. Desperate to hold on to the minimum-wage job that will barely pay his rent, the servile Raj is labeled a “simp” (slang for simpering) but he also has his own cards to play. A sharp satire on the vacuous and elusive nature of fame, especially during our frenetic digital age. 

Kutchinsky's Egg: A Family's Story of Obsession, Love, and Loss by Serena Kutchinsky

Who would fall in love with the idea of a large jeweled egg made with pounds of gold, dripping with diamonds, made to create theater? The author's father, smitten with the concept of a signature item, embarked on a mission that brought financial ruin to the Kutchinsky family name. While the memoir sticks well to the constructs of its genre, I hoped for some interesting asides on the history of manufacturing such objets d’art or setting the events against a broader contextual backdrop. Will hold interest for those familiar with the Kutchinsky name but will likely not engage the rest.