Good News: A Novel by Alexa Yasemin Brahme

In this stylish and provocative novel, a young artist struggles to find her way in New York City while navigating strained relationships, the reappearance of an ex, and her burgeoning sense of self. A mess, of course, ensues. 

Maggie is on the brink. Her MFA thesis—a vast canvas of twenty women suspended between life and death—is met with polite confusion, sending her into the throes of an obsessive work spiral. She’s ignoring calls from her frantic Turkish mother and drifting apart from her marriage-material boyfriend, Rob, who, lately, spends every waking moment at the office, including some suspiciously late nights. To make matters worse, her brother John (perfect, doctor) is dating Maggie’s art-world rival: a performance artist who constantly seems to be skyrocketing toward fame even after renouncing her name to be called simply “the Artist.”

But it’s when Maggie’s ex reappears that her forced composure starts to slip. A smooth-talking art critic with power and charm, Rakib sees Maggie in a way that completely mystifies her. Then come whispers that her painting might be nominated for a grant that could launch her career. With deadlines looming, her relationship with Rob faltering, and her sense of self in flux, Maggie begins to question not just her art but the entire life she’s been trying to build.

Set against the push and pull of immigrant family expectations, the competitive world of contemporary art, and the relentless uncertainty of one’s late twenties, Good News is a mordantly clever and emotionally resonant debut that will appeal to readers of Lily King, Sarah Thankam Mathews, and Coco Mellors.