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There’s been many a conversation in literary circles about how no single book has stood out as the big book of the year, how this year is lacking in really exceptional works that push the envelope, and so on and so forth. And yet, I read some really great books this year, including the work of literary fiction I’m recommending today. This National Book Award finalist was my late-breaking favorite fiction book of 2025.
This is a book I will cherish and hold onto. It’s a book I’ll recommend to all of my friends because this is a story of friendship, as it develops, evolves, and impacts the lives of a group of women from their 20s into middle age. I downright miss spending time with this book even as I know it’ll be there when I need a reminder of the importance of the relationships we choose and hold tight to. This is also a book that does push the envelope, especially when we’re talking about stories centering Black women—it’s the kind of story about Black women I hope to see more of and more of publishing’s dollars behind.
 The Wilderness by Angela FlournoyThe friendship between Desiree, Nakia, January, and Monique isn’t written to satisfy the #squadgoals dynamic but, nonetheless, their complex relationships have made me look at my most lasting friendships through a new, more appreciative lens. We follow these Black women from their messy 20s late into their lives, bearing witness to both the experiences they share with each other and the ones they pointedly choose to keep for themselves. The story takes us many places, but mostly between Los Angeles and New York City, and it doesn’t follow a straight course in time, sometimes taking us farther into the future before bringing us back to the past. We get each of their perspectives on life, on themselves, on each other. All together, this brief but heady read manages an impressive portrayal of enduring kinship. |
