Best Debut Fiction of 2020

by Douglas Stuart

You will never forget Shuggie Bain. Scene by scene, this book is a masterpiece. Full review >

by Tola Rotimi Abraham

Twin sisters cut adrift in a perilous, duplicitous world learn that “only the wise survive.” A formidable debut. Full review >

by Raven Leilani

Sharp, strange, propellant—and a whole lot of fun. Full review >

by C Pam Zhang

Aesthetically arresting and a vital contribution to America’s conversation about itself. Full review >

by Alexandra Chang

Beautifully crafted and deeply thoughtful. Full review >

by Kiley Reid

Charming, challenging, and so interesting you can hardly put it down. Full review >

by Maisy Card

An intriguing debut with an inventive spin on the generational family saga. Full review >

by K-Ming Chang

A visceral book that promises a major new literary voice. Full review >

by Diana Clarke

Incisive social commentary rendered in artful, original, and powerfully affecting prose. Full review >

by Juliana Delgado Lopera

A rich, deeply felt novel about family ties, immigration, sexual longing, faith, and desire. Simultaneously raw and luminous. Full review >

by Simon Jimenez

The best of what science fiction can be: a thought-provoking, heart-rending story about the choices that define our lives. Full review >

by Helen Monks Takhar

A wickedly sharp first novel from an author to watch. Full review >

by Kevin Nguyen

A blistering sendup of startup culture and a sprawling, ambitious, tender debut. Full review >

by Deesha Philyaw

Tender, fierce, proudly Black and beautiful, these stories will sneak inside you and take root. Full review >

by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld ; translated by Michele Hutchison

Rijneveld’s extraordinary narrator describes a small world of pain which is hard to look at and harder to ignore. Full review >

by Sara Sligar

A raw and sophisticated debut. Full review >

by Kawai Strong Washburn

Striking style, memorable characters, and a believably miraculous premise add up to a beautifully crafted first novel. Full review >

by Meryl Wilsner

A sparkling debut with vibrant characters, a compelling Hollywood studio setting, and a sweet slow-burn romance. Full review >