FOREIGN LANDS

Fall fiction uncovers new landscapes.

- LEAH FAYE COOPER, TAYLOR ANTRIM, CHLOE SCHAMA, LIAM HESS

CLOSE-UP Cover details of, FROM LEFT: Cursed Daughters, A Wooded Shore, Heart the Lover, and The Wayfinder.

If Oyinkan Braithwaite's debut, My Sister, the Serial Killer, was a thrilling departure from reality— channeling the surreal perspective in the title—the author's sophomore effort snaps you right back to it. Cursed Daughters (Doubleday) tells the story of the Falodun women, who believe themselves subject to a curse: “No man will call your house his home. And if they try, they will not have peace....” Set against the vibrant backdrop of Lagos and enlivened with dry humor, the story focuses on Eniiyi and how she navigates a world designed to withhold romantic partnership. Not everyone can relate to this struggle, but the broader themes are familiar: love, loss, rivalry, and the will to chart your own path.