With books of authors like Toni Morrison, Arundhati Roy and Margaret Atwood coming out in 2019, the year 2019 is expected to be major for readers of literature.
Here are some of our most anticipated books to look out for in the year 2019:
1) An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma
Chigozie Obioma’s book takes a “contemporary twist on Homer’s Odyssey, in the mythic style of the Igbo literary tradition,” the author weaves a “heart- wrenching epic about the tension between destiny and determination.” The story revolves around Chinonso, a poultry farm owner who, in an attempt to save Ndali from committing suicide, falls in love with her.
The lovers are met with rejection as the girl belongs to a wealthy family and Chinonso is uneducated. Determined to be united with his lover he sells most of his possessions in order to seek education but soon discovers that all is not what it seems. The best book to learn about life is coming out this year.
Publishing Date: January 2019.
2) The Forest of Enchantments by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The novel is a retelling of the epic Ramayana from the perspective of Sita, exploring her tale of love and tragedy. The author has done a great job in the past with her book, ‘A Palace of Illusion’ based on Mahabharata but written through the perspective of Draupadi.
The Forest of Enchantments also focuses on other major and minor female characters of Ramayana giving it a feminist approach. This is one of the best books to read this year and explore the depths of mythology.
Publishing Date: January 2019
3) A Respectable Woman by Easterine Kire
Nagaland’s first English language novelist and the winner of 2015 Hindu Literary Prize is back with another novel. The book focuses on the aftermath of war as WWII has ended and the Japanese have departed. The story follows a series of political unrest in Nagaland and the social changes that have generated more pressing problems.
Easterine Kire explores one woman’s journey through these altered realities, uncovering “the underbelly of a society in transition - one that is reluctant to cast off traditional way even as it untangles itself in the problems of the modern world” This is in the top-notch picks for the 2019 most anticipated books.
Publishing Date: February 2019
4) Mouth Full of Blood by Toni Morrison
A vital new non- fiction collection from one of the most celebrated and revered writers if our time. Spanning four decades, these essays, speeches, and meditations interrogate the world around us. They are concerned with race, gender, and globalization; the sweep of American history and the current state of politics.
The book is a collection of gathered ideas that have paved the world and the lives of people consequently. Since Toni Morrison has given some of the best books to read, this is one among the most anticipated books for 2019.
Publishing Date: February 2019
5) On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
Angie Thomas made news after her first book ‘The Hate U Give’ in 2017 and her next book is already making a statement for itself. The story revolves around Bri, the daughter of an underground rap legend who died right before he became a great hit and wants to become one of the greatest rappers. But she is also about to face homelessness and thus decides to write a song pouring in all her frustration and anger.
The song soon goes viral for all the wrong reasons and she is soon faced with controversies portrayed by the media. In order to uncover the things that happen in the future, people are eagerly waiting. Thus, the book adds to the list of most anticipated books of 2019.
Publishing Date: February 2019
6) Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
The Man Booker Prize winner is out with his first book in the Dark Star trilogy and it has created great hype among the readers of fantasy. The book also has traces of mythology and history entwined with the plot line of what happens when a mercenary is hired to find a missing child.
Critics and advanced readers have been described the fantasy world as equivalent to that of Tolkien's and also called it an American Game of Thrones. Now, the upcoming book by Marlon James adds to the most anticipated books list of 2019.
Publishing Date: February 2019
7) This Land is Their Land by Suketu Mehta
Suketu Mehta is known for writing about a lot of controversial and challenging topics. His new expedition is nothing short of it. In his book, This land is Our Land, the author explores the idea of how the west is being destroyed not by the immigrants but by the fear of immigrants.
He draws inspiration from his own experience of being an Indian growing up in New York to write this most anticipated book of 2019. Critics have described it as a very necessary and essential piece of work. And like them, every literature lover is waiting!
Publishing Date: June 2019
8) Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh
Deen Datta a dealer of rare books, leads a quiet life. But soon the foundation of his life is shaken and he embarks on a journey that takes him from India to Los Angeles, and Venice, via a tangled route of memories and experiences of those whom he encounters on the way.
The people he meets leave a grave impression on his life introducing him to a world that challenges him and his beliefs constantly. And since each one of us can relate to the storyline, this is also a much-awaited book for 2019.
Publishing Date: June 2019
9) My Seditious Heart by Arundhati Roy
This most anticipated book is a collection of non- fiction works by Arundhati Roy that covers her writing space between A God of Small Things, a Booker winner and Ministry of Utmost Happiness, a Booker nominee, covering two decades of her writing.
The essays form a “near- unbroken memoir” of her journey as “both a writer and a citizen, of both India and the world, from “The End of Imagination’ which begins this book, to ‘Azadi’, with which it ends.” I'm excited to read this book and I hope it also gets nominated for Booker prize!
Publishing Date: June 2019
10) The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
If you’re in love with Atwood’s 1985 novel The Handmaid's Tale, then I’ll assure you that the long wait is finally over. “The Testaments is set 15 years after Offred’s final scene and is narrated by three female characters,” Atwood revealed through a twitter post.
The book yet again explores a dystopian world created in The Handmaid's Tale and is set to reveal vital political insides and a more detailed working of Gilead. It's needless to say why the book makes to the list of most anticipated books of 2019.
Publishing Date: September 2019
These 10 books are the most anticipated books of 2019 and I'm sure many of you reading this will agree on this.
So let's enjoy the chilled weather and sneak into our blankets with these books.
Happy reading!