Colson Whitehead's latest novel, "Cool Machine," is among the new literary fiction releases this week, joined by "Ash" by Louise Wallace and "Family Friends" by Chloe Ashby.
Whitehead's "Cool Machine" is described as an excellent installment that brings his 1970s-set Harlem Trilogy to a close. The novel is set in the 1980s and follows Ray Carney, a furniture salesman by day and a fence by night, as a plan unfolds to reclaim Jesse Owens' Olympic gold medal. The book is noted for its heist-driven plot, dynamic dialogue, and its portrait of New York and Carney himself. Whitehead is recognized for his ability to explore America's often-forgotten history of race relations.
Louise Wallace's "Ash" is a structurally innovative novella that focuses on Thea, a veterinarian in a small New Zealand town struggling with work and family life. The narrative is interrupted by snapshots of other female lives, offering a glimpse into Thea's internal monologue as she navigates sexist colleagues, domestic challenges, and estrangement from her husband. The eruption of a nearby mountain, cloaking the town in ash, serves as a backdrop to these struggles. Wallace, who has authored four poetry books, is praised for capturing Thea's voice, described as spiky, beleaguered, and seething with rage.
Chloe Ashby's "Family Friends" is set against the backdrop of a family's annual summer holiday at a French villa. The arrival of the former wife of one of the hosts and her daughter disrupts the routine, leading to the rekindling of old feelings and the surfacing of buried secrets. Ashby is noted for her descriptions of the setting and the novel's exploration of family vulnerabilities, deceptions, and betrayals.
