Top 15 Books of 2022
2022 was a really good reading year for me – everything I picked up was at least decent, and many were really, really good. But here’s a top 15 of things that were new to me, plus some old favorites.
Most “made for me” book: The Doors of Eden
Inspired by a concept from favorite science writer and childhood biology inspiration Stephen Jay Gould? Doorways into alternate earths? A diverse set of characters uniting against a fascistic antagonist? Yes, please!
Best Non-Fiction: The Invention of Nature and Sister Outsider.
The former is a delightful biography of Alexander Von Humbolt – a fellow well ahead of his time in both his approach to science (thinking in ecosystem terms before we had a word for that) and his social and political ideas.
The latter is a collection of essays and addresses by Audre Lorde. Classic intersectional feminism, from before the word was coined.
Best New-To-Me Series: Broken Earth Trilogy
Devoured all three books in a row, and they definitely live up to the hype! There are a lot of twists I don’t want to give away, but a few features of these books that might hook you in:
- This is basically a high/epic fantasy, but in a world completely different from anything I’d seen before in both primary conflict, magic system, and non-human inhabitants. No elves, dwarves, or other classic European fantasy elements!
- There’s a mostly non-white cast, and some good casual queer representation. At the same time, the prejudices of this world are not the same as ours, so if you also want a break from racism, sexism, and homophobia, you largely get that here!
- Parenthood in immensely difficult circumstances is a strong theme here, and one which the books explore in interesting ways.
Best Sequel: Children of Ruin
I loved watching the development of the jumping spider civilization in ‘Children of Time’. In this book we get 5 different types of sentient beings – including the humans and spiders from the last one, plus octopuses! – each of which has different ways of thinking that feel plausible based on their origins.
Best near-future science fiction: 'The Ministry for the Future'
This book lies somewhere between climate change dystopia and solarpunk optimism, extrapolating out a plausible future where bad things still happen but important changes are also made. It has an unusual structure that made this concept far more gripping than I had expected it to be.
Best…hmm…relatable horror?: 'Mongrels' and Our Wives Under the Sea
I wasn’t sure what to call this category, because I read at least one book that was scarier this year. But these were more enjoyable to me, despite having little in them that was chilling and more that was either gross or just deeply sad.
The titular mongrels of Stephen Graham Jones’ novel are (implied-to-be-Native) werewolves living on the margins of American society. Their transformations and some of the things they do are rather graphic, but you can’t help but root for the young narrator and his aunt and uncle to be happy.
Relationships and physical transformations are likewise central to the latter novel, but the way mental transformation shifts relationships even more so. I found myself relating more than I expected to Miri as she tries to figure out what to do with a wife who was trapped under the ocean for months and came back…different.
Best Historical Fiction: The Hummingbird’s Daughter
This story introduced me to a woman whose role as spiritual leader in the Mexican Revolution is fascinating, but who I’d never heard of before! Excellent evocative writing.
Best Short Story Collection: 'Spirits Abroad'
A collection of stories inspired by Malaysian mythology, some of which show creatures like the pontianak in their “native habitat”, and others, as the title suggests, where they interact with other settings and cultures. There’s an edge of humor to most of the tales which I found quite enjoyable.
Best “if you liked X…”: When the Angels Left the Old Country and Hell Followed With Us
I picked these up because the setup for them resembled ‘Good Omens’ and ‘Seraph of the End’, respectively (see below). But both are their own stand-alone tales, and so delivered on the familiar and the novel, just as I hoped they would.
Best “Happy Surprise”: Triad Blood
So I thought this might be just another smutty urban fantasy. But it actually does really interesting things with vampire, wizard, and demon lore, has fun character dynamics, and an exciting plot. PLUS the steamy scenes actually tend to advance all these things rather than interrupting. Win-win.
Bonus:
5-star continuing story: ‘Seraph of the End’
I’ve read up to volume 28 now, and it is amazing how
everything from the political plot to the relationships is an extreme
slow-burn…and yet there is almost never a slow moment! I love how we move from
what seems like a black and white situation to see the moral complexity of
humans, vampires, and demons alike. We seem to be nearing the end, though, and
I’m still nervous because, although I’d call Mika and Yu’s
relationship one of my favorite romances, and one that is 99% “text” rather
than subtext at this point, and although this author has built up a lot of
trust in me by how it’s been handled,…well, I don’t quite trust that the editor or someone won’t insist that
Yu end up with the girl who likes him instead (even though he’s chosen to
ignore her crush on him this entire time). So fingers crossed that at least the ending doesn't undermine what's been built, even if it stays a tad vague.
5-star re-reads:
I went on a bit of a Terry Pratchett kick, re-reading the Tiffany Aching books ('The Wee Free Men', 'A Hat Full of Sky', 'Wintersmith','I Shall Wear Midnight' & 'The Shepherd’s Crown'), Good Omens, and 'The Amazing Maurice & his Educated Rodents'. As usual, they were delightful and I found new things to appreciate in all of them!
I also re-read Borne to give some context to its more surreal sequel Dead Astronauts, and enjoyed the story of Rachel and her Lovecraftian “child” Borne as much as the first time!