The New Earth

"Jess Row’s timely novel follows a family that has weathered several implosions. Sandy and Naomi have recently separated, with the former impulsively abandoning his job and the latter living with her new partner. Their two surviving children, Patrick and Winter, are haunted by the loss of their sister, a peace activist who was killed by an Israeli sniper in the West Bank. This is a modern epic that takes an unsparing look at family and national dynamics that nobody really wants to confront. It’s ambitious and magnificent, the rare swing for the fences that actually connects."