Caffall, Eiren

Caffall takes her inspiration from the archivists and curators who stayed behind in Iraq, Leningrad, and other areas in wartime to preserve art and antiquities. All this, including Wong’s narration, makes for a heart-wrenching and all-too-imaginable scenario. Highly recommended for fans of Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven.

A compelling memoir, detailing the author’s passionate struggle to illuminate imperiled ecosystems even as a degenerative condition forces her to rethink work, parenting, and love.

The setting, the detailed emotive descriptions, and nail-biting adventure are incandescent. This debut novel from Caffall (The Mourner’s Bestiary) is like Peter Heller’s The Dog Stars met Barry Unsworth’s Sacred Hunger, with a focus on the essential nature of community.