Inheritors by Asako Serizawa shows the effects of WWII on families through stories spanning decades. Set in the USA and Japan, it explores how history is lived.
The Mermaid from Jeju by Sumi Hahn is a magical tale with a dark edge set on Jeju Island in South Korea.
If you’re looking for stories that make you question everything you read, then read Bluebeard’s First Wife by Korean author Ha Seong-nan.
Girls Against God by Norwegian author Jenny Hval is about a girl’s need for bonding. The main character feels a lot of hatred and is endowed with a very rich fantasy.
Seven Years of Darkness by Korean author You-jeong Jeong is a thriller that exposes the relationships between family members. What will you do to protect your idea of a perfect family?
Summerwater by Sarah Moss is a novel set in Scotland that shows you how you can feel isolated yet still not alone enough. Some are given a voice to express this, while others never get the chance.
Spark by Japanese author Naoki Matayoshi is both inspiring and sad. A novel about two Manzai performers who pour their souls into their art, only to find out that the audience wants something different.
Almond by Won-pyung Sohn is a touching story about two vastly different boys that grow closer by talking and somehow end up complementing each other.
The poems in Some Are Always Hungry by Jihyun Yun have a good flow and read like stories. Get ready to sympathize with (human) food...
The Law of Lines by Korean author Hye-young Pyun is a psychological novel set in Seoul. The story slowly unwinds until you’re left with a complete understanding of what happened and why.