NOW IN PAPERBACK

One of Entertainment Weekly‘s “10 Best Debut Novels of 2018”

A San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 Book of 2018

Named a “Best Southern Novel of 2018” by Atlanta Journal-Constitution

One of Bustle‘s “31 Debut Novels from 2018 That You Seriously Shouldn’t Miss”

Named a “Best Book of 2018” by Real Simple

A Spring 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection

Starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and Library Journal

New York Times’ Book Review Calendar of “Must-Know Literary Events in 2018”

Elle‘s “21 Best Books of 2018”

Southern Living‘s “Books Coming Out This Winter That We Can’t Wait to Read”

Huffington Post’s “60 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2018”

Book Riot‘s “101 Books Coming out in 2018 That You Should Mark Down Now”

Elite Daily‘s “2018 Book Releases That’ll Make Reading More Your New Year’s Resolution”

Bookish‘s “Must-Read Winter Books 2018”

The Millions‘ “Most Anticipated: The Great 2018 Book Preview”

Christian Science Monitor‘s “5 New Titles to Check Out in the New Year”

Kirkus Review’s “11 Debuts You Should Pay Attention To”


Advance Praise for Brass

“The unforgettable mother and daughter at the center of Brass are as bright and tough as the metal itself, and Xhenet Aliu depicts their parallel journeys with equal parts grit and tenderness. Brass is a fierce, big-hearted, unflinching debut.”

—Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You

“Xhenet Aliu is ferociously talented. She’s written a story so scathingly honest with characters so perfectly real, it left me breathless with admiration. There is no false sentiment here, no misplaced word, just a novel that pulses with a restless energy, a novel that pulses with life.”

—Cristina Henríquez, author of The Book of Unknown Americans

Patricia Engel

“Blazing with humor, wisdom, and searing sensitivity, BRASS simply electrifies. Lulu and Elsie’s story of chasing and, at times, going against one’s wildest instincts, is hypnotic, addicting, and by the novel’s heartrending conclusion, ferociously unforgettable. Xhenet Aliu is a fearless revelation of a writer whose prose will seep into your bones.”

—Patricia Engel, author of The Veins of the Ocean

Kaitlyn Greenidge

“Brass is about the thorny, unruly love that grows between mothers and daughters, from a voice so confident and assured, it is a pleasure to encounter on every page. Reading this book is like eavesdropping on a rude, erudite, heartbreaking conversation between loved ones late at night, in a smoke filled diner. Aliu proves adapt at precisely tracing the intricacies of family life and class desperation.”

—Kaitlyn Greenidge, author of We Love You, Charlie Freeman

Jennine Capó Crucet

“Told in expertly dueling voices demanding to be heard, this powerhouse debut novel demonstrates just how much the people and the places that shaped us will always be the biggest mysteries in our lives. We knew from her stories in Domesticated Wild Things that Aliu is a force on the page; in Brass, her immense gift for voice soars. A must-read for those of us who’ve ever tried–and are still trying–to truly understand someone we’re meant to love.”

Jennine Capó Crucet, author of Make Your Home Among Strangers