“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

“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

“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

“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