A Critical Look At Critics' Top Books of 2018

I know that a few of you are anxiously awaiting my reveal of my top 10 books of 2018.  But if you have been getting my top 10 lists for years, then you'll know that I don't make and distribute my list til January.  After all, what if I read an awesome book (or books) in December?  So, in the meantime, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at various different critics' lists of their favorite books of 2018.

I've compiled a variety of lists here, with links to each critic's actual list embedded in the name of publication below in case you're interested in looking at the critics' comments. For these purposes, I'm only going to discuss each sources' fiction choices, since I don't read a lot of non-fiction.  I'll add my comments after each book the first time it appears on a list below.  And I'm listing all books alphabetically by author's last name.

The New York Times Book Review

- Washington Black by Esi Edugyan - I haven't read this yet, but it was already on my to read list, though I am worried that this is going to be one of those books that's just too literary for me.
- Assymetry by Lisa Halliday - I haven't read this yet, but it was already on my to read list.
- The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai - I haven't read this yet, but it was already on my to read list.
- There There by Tommy Orange - I haven't read this yet, but it was already on my to read list - though another one that I'm worried about whether it will be too literary for me.
- The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani  - I've heard of this one, but it just doesn't sound appealing to me

Entertainment Weekly

- The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin - I read this with my book club this year.  It was very good and I definitely would recommend it, but it's not in contention to be one of my personal best books this year.
- Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
- The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner - This was already on my to read list, but not in a priority way.
- The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
- My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh - Have heard of this and it is on my to read list, though from what I hear it's one of those love it or hate it books.
- Circe by Madeline Miller - Have heard of this, but was not previously interested in it.  However, I see it is highly rated on Goodreads and in fact won the Goodreads Choice Award for best fantasy, so I think I have to add this to my to read list.
- There There by Tommy Orange
- Flights by Olga Tokarczuk - Never heard of this though apparently it won the Man Booker.  Doesn't sound that interesting to me.

The New Yorker

- Kudos by Rachel Cusk - Haven't read the first two books in this trilogy so will probably skip this one
- Freshwater by Akwake Emezi - Sounds pretty interesting.  Adding this one to my to read list.
- Ordinary People by Diana Evans - Never heard of this one.  Sounds interesting, but the reviews on Goodreads are pretty bad so I probably won't bother.
- Florida by Lauren Groff - Already on my to read list.  Loved Lauren Groff's "The Monsters of Templeton" but was mediocre on "Fates and Furies."
- Assymetry by Lisa Halliday
- Immigrant, Montana by Amitava Kumar - Hadn't heard of this one and doesn't appeal to me.
- Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Muraka - Never heard of this one, sounds potentially interesting.
- Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg - Never heard of this one, and it just sounds weird to me.

Slate

- Transcription by Kate Atkinson - I read this one!  Really enjoyed it, but was disappointed at the same time just because I have enjoyed other books by her even more.  Would definitely recommend it, but it's not going to make my top 10 list this year.
- Milkman by Anna Burns - Also won the Man Booker this year.  Does not sound up my alley.
- Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
-  The Witch Elm by Tana French - Another book I actually read this year!  I loved this one, but not as much as I have loved Tana French's other books, so it's pretty unlikely to make my top 10 list, even though most of her other books have.
- The Sparsholt Affair by Alan Hollinghurst - Have vaguely heard of the author but not this particular book; probably going to pass on this one.
- The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
- My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh

People Magazine

- An American Marriage by Tayari Jones - Read this one with my book club as well.  It's gotten a lot of critical raves this year but I personally found it over-rated.
- Circe by Madeline Miller
- A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza - Have heard of this one and it's already on my to read list.
- You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld - Loved this short story collection!  Not likely to make my top 10 list but I highly recommend if you like short stories and/or Curtis Sittenfeld.
- The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer - Loved this one and in fact did a virtual book club on it with my friend Jennie!  This is definitely on the short list for my top 10 list this year.

Publisher's Weekly

- Insurrecto by Gina Apostol - Never heard of this one and I think I'm going to pass.
- Assymetry by Lisa Halliday
- The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson - I have vaguely heard of the author if not this book, which apparently won the National Book Award.  Probably going to pass on it though, just doesn't call out to me.
- Melmoth by Sarah Perry - Sarah Perry's previous book, "The Essex Serpent," is vaguely on my to read list, but this one sounds perhaps a little too peculiar for me.
- The Shape of the Ruins by Juan Gabriel Vazquez - Never heard of this one, don't think it sound like my kind of book.

The Washington Post

- Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
- A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
- There There by Tommy Orange
- The Overstory by Richard Powers - Had only vaguely heard of this one; I think I'm going to add it to my to read list.
- The Maze at Windermere by Gregory Blake Smith - Never heard of this one but this sounds like my kind of book.  Adding it to my to read list.

NPR

- Washington Black, by Esi Edugyan
- The Largesse of the Sea Maiden, by Denis Johnson
- The Great Believers, by Rebecca Makkai
- Warlight, by Michael Ondaatje - I've only read one book by him (In the Skin of a Lion) which I hated, so going to skip this one.
- There There, by Tommy Orange
- Lake Success, by Gary Shteyngart - Have heard of this but was not on my to-read list because I've never read any of Gary Shteyngart's previous books.  On the fence about this one.

***

So, having looked at these 8 critics' lists, here are my takeways:

First of all, I have barely read any of these books!  And of the few that I have read, most are unlikely to make my own personal ten best list.  Always interesting to compare my response to that of critics.

Next, the most acclaimed book is clearly "Washington Black," which made its way onto 5 of these 8 lists. "There There" was on 4 lists, and "Assymetry" and "Great Believers" were each on 3 lists.  Since these were all on my extremely long to read list (and all available from the library), I'll probably bump these ones up a bit in terms of priority.  (Interestingly, all 4 of those books were on the New York Times list.)

As for what I'm adding to my to read list, so far I'd say "Circe," "The Maze at Windermere," "The Overstory" and "Freshwater."  If you've read any of the others and would recommend them, let me know!