What are the best new books in 2022? And how about surprisingly good older gems? A year of reviewing books led me to some very engaging books.
What a year this was!
I read fewer books this year because I spent most of my time taking care of my newborn son. During his first few months, I picked up light books (for me, that’s fantasy and science fiction) that I didn’t review. No wonder the only new book list for 2022 is called stuck in one place.
Many books were either hit or miss this year. More so than in other years. I gave quite a few two star ratings (also to books I didn’t review), but also many four stars. Four stars is a good rating: most of the books I enjoy get four stars. Five stars are reserved for books that fascinate me for whatever reason.
So let’s move on to my 2022 list. Here come the best, most engaging, unique, and inspiring stories of 2022.
Extremes
Guaranteed rereads
- Flock Without Birds by Filip Dousek (review): the most intriguing book I read this year. Also one that I somehow can never explain well when recommending it to friends. That’s a good thing right? This book is not for everyone, but if it’s for you then you’ll enjoy it very much.
- Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko (Amazon)- An older book that I picked up because I wanted to read something from Ukraine this year. This is what I want from a book: an absurd and enchanting way of telling a story about a theme that I love.
The opposite
- The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik (Amazon): I saw this coming when I finished The Last Graduate last year. The end of my magical dream…
- Rabbits by Terry Miles (Amazon): A book that came with good reviews but lacked a story.
- Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (Amazon): This author is just not right for me. A rather boring book that ended exactly as I predicted at the beginning.
- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Amazon): Easy to read but oh so cliche. Am I the only one?
Old and new obsessions
Meeting new cultures
- Witches by Brenda Lozano (review): The author explores the role of gender and culture in Mexican society through a story about the lives, families, and strengths of a healer (curandera) and a journalist. Loved the content, but was less fond of the writing style.
- Where the Language Lives by Janet Yoder (review): Essays about the life’s work of Vi Hilbert who saved the nearly dormant indigenous language Lushootseed. Most readers will regard this ode to the teacher who changed lives as educational (me), but the passion will be lost in paper.
Return to Korea
I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee (review): The bestseller status of this book got me curious. This book is first and foremost a collection of dialogues and essays about the author’s experiences dealing with depression, anxiety, and dysthymia.
Wolves by Jeon Sungtae (review): This short story collection is worth reading because of the author’s good storytelling skills that have been preserved (or perhaps even improved) in the translation. The stories are about change that happens to you and change that you desire.
New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre by Cho Yeeun (review): A jelly massacre embodying your heart’s desire, how can I not be intrigued?
Endless Blue Sky by Lee Hyoseok (review): The theme and story were a pleasant surprise that created a culture clash for my stereotypical view of literature from that decade.
The Library of Musical Instruments by Kim Junghyuk (review): The stories lack something essential, namely a beat that is in sync with my heartbeat and touches the strings of my heart.
Night Picture of Rain Sound: Seventeen Stories by Sue Ja Joo (review): The seventeen stories in this collection navigate the blurry line between fantasy and reality, witnessing and wit, passion and the symbolic meaning of everything in the world. Some great stories, but not all of them.
Launch Something! by Bae Myung-Hoon (review): I had high expectations for this one. Unfortunately, it wasn’t even close to being as interesting as Tower.
Into Japanese (books)
- Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata (review): Meet a new normal based on a fascination with the use of the human body and the way you care for it.
- How Do You Live? by Genzaburō Yoshino (review): The author challenges you to answer this question from both the rooftop and the street, the middle of the city and the ocean.
- Core Japanese language learning resources for N3 (link): Have you mastered JLPT N4? Then check out these resources (including books) to conquer N3.
- Where to buy Japanese books online from Europe? (link): Ordering books in the original Japanese language can be quite expensive if you live outside of Japan. This blog posts lists the best options for those of you living in Europe.
I want to visit Taiwan and China in a post-apocalyptic(corona) world!
Close to home
Most popular book reviews on Wheretokim in 2022
- I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee (review): The bestseller status of this book got me curious. This book is first and foremost a collection of dialogues and essays about the author’s experiences dealing with depression, anxiety, and dysthymia. The new number one!
- Almond by Won-pyung Sohn (review): A touching story about two vastly different boys that grow closer by talking. Popular three years in a row!
- Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung (review): The author will amuse you with all the unusual things that are considered perfectly ordinary.
What is the most interesting and engaging book you read in 2022? Any books you’re looking forward to in 2023?
