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Our Favorite Literary Compliments
These authors have high praise for their fellow writers.

Giving and receiving a compliment can go a long way, especially if you’re an author touting the work of a fellow writer! From mystery to memoir, these books cover every genre by critically acclaimed writers. See a few of our favorite compliments between one author and another.

“Utterly brilliant. In this sweeping, gorgeously written novel, Gabrielle Zevin charts the beauty, tenacity, and fragility of human love and creativity … One of the best books I’ve ever read.” —John Green, author of The Anthropocene Reviewed

“[Shrines of Gaiety] is set during Jazz Age London, in all its fizzy madness and desperation for the new, the better, the hustle. Atkinson simply has a magician’s ability to switch readers’ moods within a few paragraphs, and as dark as her stories can get, within them always shines a beacon of humanity.” —Gillian Flynn, author of Sharp Objects

“The brilliant and unstoppable Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues to weave her magic in The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, a smart, sinister fable about social inequality and exploitation, isolation and abuse of power. Both lacerating and deeply empathetic, this story satisfies the reader on every page.” —Paula McLain, author of When the Stars Go Dark

“If, hypothetically, Denise Williams decided to establish an academy (let’s call it The University of DW) and offered courses on how to write pent-up sexual tension, steamy banter, and enemies to lovers, I would burst into the classroom and yell “TAKE MY MONEY!!” The writing is unmatched, the chemistry is on fire, and Do You Take This Man has one of the steamiest, most addictive, most satisfyingly hard-earned happily-ever-after I’ve read in ages!” —Ali Hazelwood, author of The Love Hypothesis

“I was moved to tears, not of sadness but of joy. The sisters Mirabal continue to live as long as women like Julia Alvarez are brave enough to tell their story.” ―Sandra Cisneros, author of Woman Without Shame

“A rapturous exploration of Black genius … Whether heralding unsung entertainers or reexamining legends, Hanif Abdurraqib weaves together gorgeous essays that reveal the resilience, heartbreak, and joy within Black performance. I read this book breathlessly.” —Brit Bennett, author of The Vanishing Half

“A passionate exploration of identity and belonging and a celebration of our universal desire to love and be loved.” —Imbolo Mbue, author of How Beautiful We Were

“I loved The Violin Conspiracy for exactly the same reasons I loved The Queen’s Gambit: a surprising, beautifully rendered underdog hero I cared about deeply and a fascinating, cutthroat world I knew nothing about — in this case, classical music.” —Chris Bohjalian, author of The Lioness

“This book is exhilaratingly well-written. I loved it so much that I didn’t want it to end.” —Emily St. John Mandel, author of Sea of Tranquility

“A deeply felt portrait … With gimlet-eyed observation laced with darkly biting wit, Weike Wang masterfully probes the existential uncertainty of being other in America.” —Celeste Ng, author of Our Missing Hearts