Some 2012 fiction that is rad:
This year, We Sinners won Hanna Pylvainen a Whiting Award and some deservedly rave reviews. Her debut ‘novel in stories’ focuses on one family of believers, The Rovaniemis– nine kids, two extremely devout parents of a rare Finnish faith, and many questions. Like, if God says wearing green nail polish is wrong, and I wear it, what about my future? Am I fucked? What if my brother is gay? What if I don’t want to have nine kids? What if I like the fact that I’m part of something, and when I leave I’m just another sinner, just like everybody else? Each kid questions her place in the church, a few boyfriends question the dad-minister, and it climaxes in turn-of-the-century Finland. A wicked debut from a young American talent. Recommend.