The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li

"No one is born a myth. All babies, whether delivered in a barn or in a palace, need the same things to stay alive. Later, some people are smart enough to turn themselves into myths….We would have no use for myths if the world were neither hideous or tedious."

One of the reasons I didn't want The Book of Goose to end was because I knew I could not adequately describe it. It is absolutely one of the most unique novels I've ever read, both in content and style. I cannot think of another book to compare it to, and believe me, I've tried. Have you ever finished a book that gave you a certain feeling but when you tried to summarize it for someone else, you couldn't? That is The Book of Goose.  

The settings are crucial to this story and they are well drawn; we go from post war, rural St. Remy, France, to Paris and then to an English boarding school. Agnes is our main character and Fabienne is her childhood best friend. The story is told by Agnes looking back over their lives and we only know Fabienne through the recollections of Agnes. The bond between Agnes & Fabienne reminded me of Elena & Lila from Ferrante's Neapolitan novels. Their singleness and obsession with one another, the poverty they knew as children -- I just kept coming back to it. But The Book of Goose is unique unto itself.

I also cannot compare Li's prose to any other author. Her style is sparse and direct, never flowery and yet classic. At the same time it is moody and evocative. It cast a spell as I read; Li's writing drew me into a world and I didn't want to leave. I kept thinking “this is why I read.”

The Book of Goose is literary fiction at its best. It won't be for everyone, but for the right reader it will be everything.   Thank you FSG Books for my copy!  Out 9/20.