Andre Soares' 3 favorite reads in 2023

I tend to lean more towards caution when a title is celebrated in the mainstream literary landscape. 

This is no remnant of a punk heritage or an anarchist legacy. I just found that, in most cases, no amount of famous pop culture authors' praises or NYT cookie-cutter sentences like “Gripping.”, “Poignant.”, “X meets X meets X.” can save an uninspired story that is only defined, at its core, by tropes and market drivers.

But I’ve always wanted to read The Midnight Library. Its time travel mechanics and exploration of internalized pains resonated with me, with the father and the writer I’ve become. I finally gave in and purchased a copy.

The Midnight Library lives up to its hype and media coverage, I must say. Starting on an ominous note with a painfully accurate depiction of depression and self-harm, it is a thrilling demonstration of the author’s sensibilities and deep understanding of human nature. 

Initially on a darker spectrum, the novel takes you through a character’s exploration that is skillfully intertwined with a literal race against time (in a magic library where alternative life choices can be revisited) and concludes with a more positive and hopeful message. 

I rather not venture into spoilers’ territory, but this title has single-handedly breathed new hopes into my racing mind and reminded me of the beautiful and strange creature that was life; one which is worth preserving and celebrating, in all its flawlessness and scars.

A family man is kidnapped by a mysterious individual and sent to an alternate timeline. Another time travel epic unfolding against the backdrop of a conspiracy, Dark Matter made my Favorite Reads of 2023 list. For very specific reasons. 

It is not a tour-de-force in character development or classic literature, but a very slick high-octane thriller written like a screenplay: the journey is visual, the progression linear, and the pacing intense.

It’s an ode to my screenwriting days and I love how Blake Crouch was able to combine two different mediums (the novel and the screenplay) to shape a story you cannot put down, one moving to the beat of a filmmaker’s drums. 

There are very interesting themes, also: how decisions bear unexpected ramifications, the true meaning of significance, or even the manipulative nature of the corporate complex. 

A must-read for any fan of time travel thrillers.

2023 was an opportunity for me to catch up on modern classics I did not have the bandwidth to explore prior. 

N.K. Jemisin has always been one of my influences and inspirations. One of the most decorated authors in the world, she often offers raw, political storytelling with undertones of intersectional feminism and black girl power. 

I’m a huge fan of her other works (The 5th Season, The Killing Moon…), but this project has a special place in my heart: as a ten-year NYC resident, the City being the first place I set foot on in the US, I found this celebration and critic of New York City layered, accurate and compelling. 

The story follows the journey of city/borough avatars/gods as they face a threat of epic proportion. It shares a few similarities with American Gods and other Neil Gaiman works (The Sandman especially): the personification of global fears, grounded gods, parallel perspectives… But here, it is less of a character study and more of a societal reflection.

An amazing read that pens a moving homage to the city that never sleeps.