In 2017, a lot of wonderful books appeared on store shelves. We decided to select 25 literary works that received a lot of positive reviews. Read and enjoy fascinating detective stories, psychological novels and biographies of great people.

1 Origin by Dan Brown

The phenomenal popularity of Dan Brown does not subside. In 2017, another novel about the misadventures of the intellectual Langdon was released.

The talented Edmond Kirsch believes that he has found facts that reveal the secret of the origin of mankind. In his opinion, this information can radically change our perception of the world and destroy religious foundations. Kirsch is about to tell the world about his discoveries, but dies at the hands of a killer, and Langdon is forced to flee in the company of a scientist and the bride of the King of Spain. The hero intends to finish Kirsch's case and tell everyone about his discovery. However, this will require hacking into Edmond's personal computer.

2. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by JK Rowling

This is the script for the film, written by Rowling herself. Frankly, the scripts are not very exciting to read - their structure resembles detailed plays. And yet, when it comes to famous writers, fans of their talent are happy to buy this kind of literature. The script differs somewhat from the movie of the same name, as it does not contain any deleted or extended scenes.

Newt Scamander - a talented, but a little absent-minded magician (as well as the future author of the textbook, which Harry Potter himself will one day own) arrives on business in New York. When the hero mistakenly takes someone else's luggage, a series of dangerous and magical adventures begins. The fact is that there were magical creatures in Newt's suitcase. These creatures are capable of doing a lot of trouble if they are released into the wild.

3. Hungry House, David Mitchell

David Mitchell's mystical novel was marketed admirably well. However, fans of his work (fascinated by Cloud Atlas) were somewhat disappointed when they purchased a copy of the book, because the work itself begins after a dozen pages of rave reviews from eminent writers. This played a cruel joke on the book. First, the lengthy intro is annoying and makes it look like you bought a promotional booklet, not a novel. Secondly, all these odes (in the spirit of “Read a book, you will gasp, you have never read anything better in your life, it will blow your mind!”) Set you in a certain way. You subconsciously expect that you will blow your mind. But no, this is an ordinary gothic horror film, although fascinating, but not mind-blowing. In order not to spoil the impression, just skip the opening praise.

In an inconspicuous alley in London, there is a small door, through which you immediately find yourself in a luxurious garden, where (on a small hill) a rich mansion rises. Once every 7 years, completely different people cross the threshold of the house and they are no longer destined to leave its walls. What kind of evil lurks there - in the depths of the mysterious house? Where do the rare guests of his hosts go? Read the novel to the end and find out everything.

4. "Eve", William Paul Young

U.P. Young is a well-known modern writer, whose work "The Cabin" doomed him not only to success, but also to persecution. The fact is that Young loves to weave religious references into his books, which causes anger among fanatically believing people who see in Young not so much a writer as a heretic. Although he simply takes biblical stories and interprets them in his own way, without pretending to be a mission. This is fiction, not treatises of Lucifer. In the novel "Eve" (as you can easily guess from the title), the author again uses his favorite technique, intertwining the plot of the book with parables about the first woman.

Waves carry a container with a terrible cargo onto the seashore. Inside are the bodies of 11 dead women, and the twelfth - barely alive from the hardships endured - unable to remember what happened. A miraculous salvation may not be a blessing at all, but an even greater nightmare.

5. “Put a Pair!” by Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett is a brilliant writer who has created his own literary universe. "Give me a couple!" became the fortieth book in the Discworld cycle and one of Terry's last creations, published in the original in 2013 (two years before the author's death). It took Russian-language publishers four whole years to translate and release the work that Pratchett's fans were looking forward to. Among the main characters was the roguish Moist von Lipwig (familiar to fans from the books Postal Service and Make Money).

The people of Ankh-Morpork are shocked by Dick Simnel's cutting-edge invention. Although Dick is only self-taught, this amateur engineer has managed to create an amazing vehicle that boggles the imagination. Dick invented... the steam locomotive! Harry the King, one of Ankh-Morpork's richest businessmen, immediately became interested in this innovation.

6. Still Water by Paula Hawkins

In small towns, crime rarely occurs, and even more so, serial murders occur less frequently. In such places, people know each other as flaky, and therefore it is not easy for a killer to hide under the mask of an exemplary citizen. Paula Hawkins (like many writers before her) decided to show what dark secrets can be hidden by nice-looking neighbors.

Jules is horrified to learn that her sister (Nel) has taken her own life. The woman returns to her native disgusting city, in which the tragedy occurred. However, over time, a tangle of monstrous secrets begins to unravel in front of her, and Jules realizes that Nel was not going to commit suicide. The sister was killed by drowning in the infamous backwater. The perpetrator, it seems, is not the first time takes the lives of women. Why did the unfortunate victims not please him and how to find the bastard?

7. "Dear Mr. M.", Herman Koch

Hermann Koch is excellent at writing all sorts of intrigues. Evidence of this was his previous novel "Dinner", based on which the film of the same name was released not so long ago. In his last book (“Dear Mr. M.”), Koch again captivates the reader with intricate secrets and complex relationships between the characters.

The action-packed novel tells about the writer - Mr. M. A few years ago he published a book that became a bestseller. It described the story of a teacher who went missing after an affair with a student. Years later, almost everyone forgot about the writer, except for his strange neighbor. The man keeps his eyes on Mr. M. and seems to be plotting evil. How does his behavior relate to the popular book? And what really happened to the missing teacher?

8. Ideal, Cecilia Ahern

Cecilia Ahern's "Stigma", which marked the beginning of the cycle of the same name, became a bestseller with lightning speed, charming teenagers from different countries. "Ideal" is a continuation of a story already familiar to us, in which the main character will face new hardships.

Celestina Norton was absolutely happy. She studied well and met with a rich handsome man. Celestina had a wonderful family, except for the sweetheart younger sister, always striving to blurt out some kind of barb about the foundations of an ideal society. However, it can be understood, because a fairy-tale life is not always beautiful. In a world where you have to look like a needle and be successful, there are some terrible rules. And Norton broke one of them by becoming Branded. The life of the heroine has changed dramatically since the day when she extended a helping hand to an outcast and ended up on the court of the Tribunal. Despite all the horrors of the current situation, Celestina managed to find new friends and new love. But are we ready to be content with little, if there is a chance to return to our former carefree life? The girl will have a difficult choice - to remain true to her current honest friends, or to betray them and ask her enemies for mercy?

9. "Thirst", Yu Nesbe

Jo Nesbe is a Norwegian writer, best known for his cycle of works about the adventures of the detective Harry Hole. His hero is unusually smart (of course) and no less cynical. To be frank, nihilists have already become boring to many, causing longing for kind and sympathetic detectives (like Miss Marple knitting scarves for her nephews). However, the fashion for cynicism has not yet passed, and therefore Harry Hole is very popular among fans of detective stories. Thanks to the film adaptation of The Snowman (starring Michael Fassbender), interest in Nesbe's work has increased even more. "Thirst" became the eleventh book in the cycle and promises to be far from the last.

Harry returns to his duties in the police of the city of Oslo. His goal is to find a bloodthirsty maniac who hunted clients of dating sites. It seems that the monstrous crimes are mysteriously connected with the events of the tragic life of Hole himself.

10. "The Story of Loneliness" by John Boyne

John Boyne is well known to lovers of serious literature, thanks to the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. In A History of Solitude, Boyne touches on a sensitive topic related to religion.

The main character of the book is Odran, a priest from Ireland. A man is forced to face the horrific truth revealed in the 2000s during an infamous sex scandal. At that time, it turned out that some Catholic priests had sexually abused little boys. These events dealt a blow to all representatives of the church, regardless of their involvement or non-participation in the vile deeds of perverted dignitaries. Odran will also have to face the consequences of a scandal that could break the faith of not only the flock, but also her shepherd.

11 Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Fantastic dystopia Mandel touches upon the eternal questions of mankind. Who are we? What is the essence of our existence? In the spirit of the Strugatsky brothers' novel The Predatory Things of the Century, Emily describes the importance of convenience in our lives. And although the plot of the two books is radically opposite, the conclusion is the same - we are too attached to comfort, too fixated on base instincts.

A completely new disease suddenly appears in the world, which overnight destroys most of the world's population. The survivors are forced to face unexpected hardships. The heroes, having lost their familiar modern world with all its charms, live as if at the dawn of time. With longing they remember the days when electricity, transport and the Internet were an integral part of existence. Now they need to adapt to new conditions, preserving the memory not only of the conveniences of the former world, but also of its cultural heritage.

12. "Here I am" by Jonathan Safran Foer

After the success of Outrageously Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Foer was destined for a brilliant career in the literary field. However, problems in his personal life forced the writer to postpone work on the next book. After a painful divorce from his wife, Feuer finally published the novel Here I am. This work, although not a memoir, became very personal for Foer, reflecting his experiences. “Here I am” is literature for adults, since only those who have experienced similar things can understand what is described.

13. Girls, Emma Kline

Emma's debut novel brought her a tidy sum long before it was published. As soon as Kline told the publishers exactly what she wanted to write the book about, they gave her a hefty advance. The fact is that the plot of the work is connected with the activities of the scandalous sect of Charles Manson. However, we hasten to disappoint those who are interested in the biographies of famous criminals - this is not a documentary work, but rather a book about teenagers and for teenagers. Although Kline's novel was advertised almost as a sensational disclosure of the secrets of the sect, in fact it is just a discussion about the problems of growing up.

Evie is only 14 years old and, like other teenagers, she is in a hurry to learn the forbidden charms of adulthood. By the will of fate, the girl ends up on a ranch, where the commune of Manson is located. There, Evie enjoys an unbridled perpetual holiday of permissiveness. However, her delight comes to an end when the sect leader gives his henchmen a frightening order. Evie begins to learn from bitter experience that the holidays do not last forever and that pleasures come at a high price.

14. The Everyday Logic of Happiness, Gabriel Zevin

There are moments in life when the whole world is against you - troubles follow one after another, not giving you the opportunity to rest. And then you want to run away from everyone, hide somewhere behind seven castles, looking for protection from the blows of fate. Familiar? If not, then you are the lucky ones. For those who can barely cope under the yoke of problems, The Everyday Logic of Happiness is recommended as a cure for sadness. This book teaches you to love life again and to notice in the world not only the bad, but also the pure, the good, the bright.

AJ Fikri had to endure a lot: first, his beloved wife died, then his bookshop began to decline. The last straw was the theft of a valuable edition of Poe. Fikri was going to sell an expensive book to make a living. This misfortune finally forced the poor fellow to become a recluse. So he would have lived unsociable, if one day he had not seen a little guest in his deserted store.

15. Where Happiness Lives by Jojo Moyes

Without the works of Jojo Moyes, in recent years, not a single bestseller list can do. And although Where Happiness Lives did not sell the same fabulous circulation as Moyes's previous works, it found a lot of fans.

Susanna worries about her difficult relationship with her father, stepmother, and boyfriend. Driven to the limit by endless squabbles, the woman leaves for another city. In a new place, she manages to open a cozy shop where she treats visitors to excellent coffee. The move gave Susanna not only the coveted opportunity to be in silence and be herself, but also wonderful friends. Adapting to a new life, the heroine gradually discovers the secrets of her origin.

Published worldwide annually. And 2017 was also incredibly rich in book novelties. It’s just that it’s unlikely that they will be able to devote time to all of them. We have studied the top sellers of Belarusian online bookstores and compiled a list for you “ most popular books.

Paula Hawkins "In Still Water"

This is the second novel Pauly Hawkins in a row, which becomes a world bestseller. Her The Girl on the Train became a worldwide phenomenon, spending 20 weeks at number one in the UK's best-selling book rankings.

The author characterizes his new novel as psychological thriller about "difficult" women. The main character Jules arrives in the provincial town of Bedford to pick up her niece, orphaned after her mother's suicide. And the more Jules tries to understand the circumstances of her sister's death, the less he believes in her suicide. Indeed, in this story, the mystical Deadly Pool appears, in the waters of which many women died. The price can be found.

Viktor Pelevin “iPhuck 10”

The action of the new novel by one of the most famous Russian writers of our time takes place at the end of the 21st century. The main character is a literary-police algorithm Porfiry Petrovich. He investigates crimes and writes detective novels about them in his spare time. The usual way of his existence changes when Porfiry Petrovich is rented out to the art historian Marukh Cho.

iPhuck 10- rather non-fiction: a collection of essays united by the main characters. Pelevin talks about the difference between artificial and natural intelligence, about gender and sexuality, about contemporary art. And his philosophical fabrications do not go unnoticed: critics have already called "iPhuck 10" the author's best text in recent years.

Elchin Safarli “When I return, be at home”

The new book of the famous oriental writer Elfin Safarli is a reflection on love and death, on the simple joys of life and the severity of losses. These are letters that an elderly single father writes to his lost daughter in the hope that someday they will certainly get to her. In letters, he tells her stories from his past, comfortably describes his daily life, gives important advice, shares parental wisdom and even the smell of the ocean. You can buy the book.

Marta Chernova and Maria Cheryakova “Brave girl”

A new book from the creators of the Belarusian project “Geta, zetka”. In 2015, the girls have already released one bestseller - a book of the same name, about how foreigners see Belarus.

"Brave Dzyachynka" is a children's fairy tale with original illustrations. Its plot is based on the Belarusian folk tale « Not strength, but courage», redesigned to be close to modern children. Like the first book of girls, the story " Dare dzyachynki" is told in two languages: Belarusian and English.

Lee Bardugo "Six of Crows"

Six of Crows was written in 2015, but only received an official translation this year. And of course, the loudest novelty in the young adult segment could not help but become a bestseller.

AT Catterdam- the main secret international black market - young criminal genius Kaz assembles a team of six people who are completely different from each other. Together they will have to carry out the kidnapping of the century, which will make the heroes rich if successful. Of course, if they finish the job before they kill each other. The book is on sale.

Yael Adler “What hides the skin. 2 square meters that dictate how we live"

The main popular science book of this year is devoted to the largest part of the human body - the skin. If you are looking for cosmetic recipes, then pass by, if you want to understand what skin consists of and what skin is for, then you are here. The book was written by a dermatologist.

Katherine Banner "House at the End of the Night"

At the very beginning of the 20th century, the island Castellamar off the coast of Italy, where residents know each other by name, a doctor arrives Amadeo Esposito. He buys an abandoned bar called The House at the End of the Night and reopens it. The reader will spend almost a century in this place, living through all the dramas, trials, love vicissitudes and life stories of four generations of the Esposito family. “The House at the End of the Night” is a wonderful family saga that combines the facts of the history of the 20th century with the legends of the island, which will delight all fans of atmospheric stories. How much does a book cost?

Max Frei "Give me my heart"

The sixth book in the Dreaming Echo series tells of new adventures Sir Max who got into the world of his dreams, dreams, magic and decided to stay there forever. And the new story begins very simply: caring friends lock the protagonist in prison so that he can finally get enough sleep. And while Sir Max is resting, a wizard appears in his world who knows a special spell that can be performed only by giving someone his heart. The hero of the book is ready to introduce the reader to this spell, as well as give instructions on how to deal with other people's hearts. Price.

Mark Manson “The Subtle Art of Giving a Fuck. A paradoxical way to live happily”

No bestseller list is complete without a self-development book, and ours has one. Popular blogger Mark Manson opposed the ubiquitous cult of success and positive. The author's recipe for a happy life is healthy indifference, and the way to achieve it is an analysis of one's own and others' life failures. This book, in a witty manner, will tell you how to master the art of not giving a fuck, why you need to be a little less confident in yourself and why “Do something” is an example of the right motivation.

Stephenie Meyer "The Chemist"

The official translation of the detective novel "Chemist" from the author of the famous vampire saga became the bestseller as soon as it reached the warehouses of online stores. The main character, nicknamed the Chemist, is working on a scientific project for the American intelligence agencies. At one point, the employers realize that the Chemist knows too much and decide to eliminate her, but the girl is not ready to give up so easily. You can buy the book.

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The last winter month is a great time to spend it wrapped in a blanket, with a cup of hot tea and an interesting book in your hands. True, it is quite difficult to choose exactly the work that you will definitely like from all the variety offered by publishers. ELLE will help you narrow down your search to the critically acclaimed and best-selling books of 2016 and pick something you like from a list of the best.

The detective novel by Paula Hawkins has been at the top of the bestseller list for several years, so it is not surprising that in the fall of 2016, a film of the same name starring Emily Blunt was released on it. True, the presence of a film adaptation is unlikely to reduce interest in the original text, because the book itself is really written in an extremely exciting language and is read in one breath, it is not in vain that it is compared with Gillian Flynn's sensational novel Gone Girl, which, by the way, is also filmed.

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Sara Gio "Moon Trail", "Morning Glow"

Last year, two books by Sara Gio "Moon Trail" and "Morning Glow" hit the bestseller list of 2016. And this is not surprising, because the author, like no other, knows how to describe feelings and tell romantic stories that you want to believe.

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"Sinbad"

The translation of the first novel from the Neapolitan Quartet series has become almost the most anticipated in the past year. In addition to the exciting storyline that tells about the growing up of two friends Elena and Lilu, another intriguing storyline unfolds outside the book pages. The thing is that it is still not known for certain who is actually hiding under the pseudonym of Elena Ferrante. But this did not stop her from entering the list of the 100 most influential people in the world according to Time weekly in 2016.

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Listing the best-selling books of last year, one cannot fail to mention Jonathan Franzen's novel "Sinlessness". It tells the story of a girl who is in search of herself. The plot is quite textbook, but it may seem so only at first glance. The author touches upon the global problems of our time, such as the influence of Internet technologies on our lives and how the past can affect our present. By the way, many readers added another plus to the rating of this book for the excellent translation.

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Often we attach too much importance to things that are not really worth not only our nerves, but also, in principle, attention. To appreciate what is really important, the book of the practicing neurosurgeon Henry Marshall teaches.

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Despite its impressive volume and rather late release (the novel came out in the fall of 2016), A Little Life has become one of the most read books of the past year. A story about growing up, finding oneself, reassessing values ​​and everything that fills our everyday life. It is worth noting that this novel has extremely mixed reviews: some consider it the book of the decade, while others could not move beyond the 50th page. Why not form your own opinion?

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AST, Edited by Elena Shubina

Speaking about the best bestsellers of 2016, one cannot fail to mention the book by the Russian writer Evgeny Vodolazkin "The Aviator". In the center of the story is the story of a man who, waking up in a hospital, cannot remember who he is, but describes in detail the revolutionary events of 1917. The intrigue lies in the fact that in fact the main character is our contemporary. By the way, Vodolazkin's previous novel "Laurel" won the Big Book award, so it is not surprising that the writer's new work was so awaited. A pleasant addition to the publication was the cover, which was painted by a living classic, artist Mikhail Shemyakin.

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"Alpina Publisher"

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Haruki Murakami "Men Without Women"

It is difficult to imagine how many best-selling books Haruki Murakami has published. And the last book of the author "Men without women" was no exception. It includes the stories of a Japanese writer, the heroes of which are men who, for one reason or another, were abandoned by their lovers.

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Many people think that in the 21st century humanity is more and more interested in new technology than in books. However, statistics show that publications constantly publish thousands and millions of copies of literature, and writers do not get tired of delighting us with their bestsellers. Therefore, we have compiled a list of the ten most anticipated new products of 2017 and books that you should definitely read this year.

1. Wolf Hunters by Vixen Lee

The novelty from the talented writer Vixen Lee, who writes in the exciting genre of teenage fantasy, will not leave indifferent those who love such literature. The novel "Wolf Hunters" continues the cycle called "Fox Hall".

The book takes the reader to the mysterious era of the Middle Ages, to the magical fairy-tale world of the Kingdom, through which a desperate wolf hunter has been traveling for two hundred years. At first he was only a trapper, but then he began to unravel the tangles of the mysterious stories of aristocratic families.

In the novel, there are not only animal hunters, but also insidious rich men, old monks, young beauties and powerful magicians who recruited a mercenary to go to war with the Absorbing One. Other heroes of the work also resist darkness. In this struggle, the destinies of those who want to save the world of the Kingdom are intertwined.

2. The Winds of Winter by George Martin

The second most anticipated novelty for readers from all over the world was the book "Winds of Winter", which continues the already well-known cycle of "A Song of Ice and Fire". The publishers promise that the book will be released in March 2017. The excitement around the continuation of the cycle from George Martin is connected with the fact that his last book, entitled A Dance with Dragons, was released back in 2011, and there were no new works after it. Based on the series of the author's bestsellers, the famous TV series "Game of Thrones" was also shot, but experts say that some facts are distorted in the film, so I advise you to read about the continuation of the war for power and might in the Kingdom in the new novel "Winds of Winter".

3. Turned on You by Carol Matthews

The writer has become the author of almost three dozen bestsellers, the popularity of which is constantly growing, especially in the US and the UK. She is the winner of many awards in the field of literature, so at least one of her novels is worth reading. The main theme of the author's books is a description of the life of different women who become successful in work and in their personal fields.

"Turned on you" is a novel about the fate of a thirty-year-old girl named Jenny. She is an average British, "gray mouse" who does not stand out from her girlfriends. Jenny herself is dissatisfied with herself, because she goes to Africa to change her life. On an even continent, an Englishwoman meets a guy Dominic, who radically changes her worldview, her opinion of herself and the idea of ​​women and men in this world. After returning home, the girl's life changes dramatically. Now the heroine is ready to fight fate for her happiness and place in the sun.

4. Movie Night by Marisha Pessl

The recently published novel by the author Marisha Pessl caused mixed impressions among readers. The detective story is based on the murder of a young talented pianist, who is also the daughter of a very famous director. The police claim that the heroine committed suicide, but journalist McGrath not only does not believe in this version, but also does not consider the girl's death an accident. He takes on the investigation of a mysterious murder, but does not know that he will lose everything because of this case. The book contains a dossier on the heroine, clippings from periodicals, and investigative scenes.

5. "God Save My Child" by Toni Morrison

American Toni Morrison became not only a world-famous novelist, but also a Nobel laureate. The main theme of the work is the inextricable bond between a mother and her child, their love or enmity. The multifaceted novel by the American writer has a multifaceted plot. It is based on the relationship between mother and daughter. A parent sometimes acts very cruelly with her child, but she believes that this is for the good and so she will give him the best. The novel will show a difficult story of love, resentment, hatred and misunderstanding that happen between loved ones.

6. Absolute Memory by David Baldacci

In 2017, the novel "Absolute Memory" is published in Russian for the first time and few people are familiar with it in the CIS countries, but in the USA and European countries it is considered a real bestseller. The exciting plot of the detective work will not leave indifferent fans of this genre, who will turn page after page, not having the desire to tear themselves away from the book.

The plot is based on the life of an athlete Amos Decker. One day, after being hit on the head, he discovers that he has a phenomenal, "absolute" memory. He remembers even the smallest details, so he decides to break with the sport and go to work for the police. However, a ruthless criminal kills Amos' wife and his daughter. The hero must find the intruder who took away two of his relatives from him.

7. "The Universe vs. Alex Woods" by Gavin Extens

The novelty, written by the writer Gavin Extens, cannot leave literature lovers indifferent. The story of the book is based on the life of the guy Alx Woods, which was divided into "before" and "after" when a meteorite unexpectedly fell on his head.

The book also has other characters that surround Alex. This is his mother, who is engaged in fortune-telling, classmates, a girl and an old man, in whose house the guy accidentally ends up. An elderly man reads the works of the writer Kurt Vonnegut all the time and sends letters to prisoners who have been convicted of crimes they did not commit. It is the acquaintance with a strange old man that changes the life of a guy.

8. Twice Born by Margaret Mazzantini

This novel deserves to be read. Critics called it "the most sincere book about unreal characters". The novel has everything: love, betrayal, family drama, and war. The plot is based on a married couple Gemma and Diego. A woman cannot have the children her husband dreams of. In this regard, problems are brewing in the relationship of two lovers, life is filled with conflicts. The novel tells about real, not fictional love and war.

9. Law of the Sandwich by Thieu Lecoq

The French writer knows how to take to the quick. Her novels are filled with poignancy and emotion. Her new creation with an unusual name "Sandwich Law". The main characters are representatives of the first generation of Internet users. They get acquainted with chats, forums and social networks.

The main character is the girl Marianna, who works as a blogger. Her former lover posted a video on the Web in which they are captured in bed, moreover, the heroine's face is clearly visible in the video. The hacker Paul and the fellow journalist Christophe help her save her reputation, with whom fate sometimes brings her together, sometimes divorces her.

10. “Mind on fire. My Madness Month by Suzanne Calahan

A rather unusual novel that tells about the life story of the writer herself, who faced psychological problems. She herself remembered her condition during her illness, talked to doctors from the psychiatric clinic where she was treated and even watched all the videos from the surveillance cameras installed in the medical facility. The book can be useful for psychologists, people whose loved ones have experienced depression, and those who are interested in the mysteries of human consciousness.

2017 pleased even the most sophisticated readers and critics. Dozens of works have appeared in Russian, both by iconic contemporary authors such as Jonathan Foer and Margaret Atwood, and by classics such as Daniel Keyes and Penelope Fitzgerald.

We have selected 10 main novelties of foreign intellectual prose in 2017.

Paul Beity

The American Paul Baty is becoming an increasingly prominent figure in the global literary process. His novel The Sellout won the prestigious Booker Prize a year ago. He became the first citizen of the United States to receive this high honor.

What excites Baty as a writer? Exactly what should excite a great artist: modernity and its problem areas, rejection and loneliness of a person. This is an author closely connected to the context of today's life in the United States. He raises themes of racism and polycorrectness, social inequality and prejudice. "Beast for Sale" is a fascinating novel that does not try to offer ready-made answers to global questions, but allows the reader to think about them for himself.

Jonathan Safran Foer

The name of Jonathan Foer is now known to anyone who is even slightly interested in modern Western literature. Foer in a relatively short time (he recently turned 40 years old) wrote 5 books that in one way or another influenced the development of the modern American novel. One of them - "Extremely loud and incredibly close" - became an absolute bestseller and made its author one of the most successful and influential English-language prose writers of our day.

The new novel "Here I am" has been waiting for more than 10 years. Penetrating and precise, fascinating and serious, he tells about the complex history of the Jewish family and the difficulties that fell to its lot. Like Foer's other works, Here I am is set against the backdrop of historical disasters: if Total Illumination was connected to the Holocaust, and Terribly Loud and Incredibly Close to the September 11 attacks, then the events of this book are intertwined with the current situation in Israel and the Middle East.

Penelope Fitzgerald

Penelope Fitzgerald, the daughter of the writer Edmund Knox, made her debut quite late (she was under 60 years old), but managed to leave a noticeable mark on the history of British literature of the last century. So, her novel “On the Water” was awarded the Booker Prize in 1979, and “Bookshop” was included in her shortlist the year before.

This novel is dedicated to books whose fate in a world whose values ​​change so quickly is in great question. The main character - Florence Green - dreams of opening her own bookstore, but not everyone supports this idea, and someone frankly interferes with her.

J. M. Coetzee

J. M. Coetzee is a versatile author who is equally interested in everyone: both highbrow intellectuals and just lovers of good books. What is already worth the fact that he is the only writer, in whose assets are two Bookers, the Jerusalem and the Nobel Prizes (excluding more modest awards). The amazing prose of Coetzee, who himself never stood aside from the political problems and troubles of the oppressed people, affects almost all spheres of life and often contains autobiographical motifs.

Jesus School Days was longlisted for Booker in 2016. This is a philosophical parable that continues the themes outlined by him in his previous book, The Childhood of Jesus.

Ian McEwan

Scandalous, titled and world-famous British writer Ian McEwan once again surprised readers. This time with his new novel "In the Shell". Have you ever read a story written from the point of view of an embryo, which, even before its birth, is ready to be horrified by the absurdity that is happening in the world? If not, then this book is definitely for you. Like all of McEwan's other novels, this one is notable for its famously twisted plot, which is based on a powerful philosophical concept and a postmodernist game with meanings.

Richard Flanagan

Another Booker laureate - Australian writer Richard Flanagan - criticizes in his novel "The Unknown Terrorist" a modern society in which there is nothing left but total mistrust, fear and hatred. The heroine of the book, Geena Davis, lived an ordinary life, but suddenly became a criminal - where is the line separating a normal existence from hell on Earth? The author is trying to find the answer to this question.

Margaret Atwood

Canadian writer, poet and feminist Margaret Atwood has collected almost every honorary literary award to date, and her worldwide literary fame reached its peak with the release of the series The Handmaid's Tale.

"Stone Bed" is a fascinating collection of stories that combines many genres, intonations and themes, and the extraordinary insight of the narrator becomes the main distinguishing feature. In short, Atwood as we love her.

Adrian Jones Pearson

Adrian Pearson has been compared to Thomas Pynchon. The protagonist of the novel "Country of Cows" is involved in the struggle of meat-eaters-retrogrades with militant vegetarians. The plot is extremely ironic and possible only in our days, when everyone around is busy with questions of self-determination. When you open the book, be prepared: Pearson may also ridicule your beliefs.

Graham McRae Barnet

Graham McRae Barnett's book His Bloody Project made a splash when it was published in 2016 and was even called "the greatest Scottish novel of the 21st century". It was important for the author to show, on the one hand, the tragedy of the rural community during the reign of Queen Victoria, on the other hand, to bring this local case to the level of an almost biblical reflection on the phenomenon of violence and madness.

Daniel Keyes

Daniel Keyes is a professor of philology and one of the most popular American writers of the last century, who received universal recognition after the publication of the story “Flowers for Algernon”. The novel "Touch", published back in 1968 and translated into Russian half a century later, should please many of the author's fans with its intriguing plot and the opportunity to reflect on the unexpected turns in the fate of the characters who are forced to constantly overcome alienation and misunderstanding from others.