Earlier this month, we offered up our picks for the 20 best books of the decade, most of them from authors we’d had some time to get to know before the turn of the century.
Today, we pay tribute to some of the best new literary voices of the past ten years, fresh new writers whose first novels packed walloping promise. We’ve rifled through the Paste archives to see what we first wrote about some of these stellar debuts, and in all cases, we’re still looking forward to what’s next from these young talents.
10. Rivka Galchen: Atmospheric Disturbances [4th Estate Publishing] (2008)
”[Dr. Leo] Liebenstein is a mentally declining psychiatrist who believes his real wife has been replaced by a doppelganger. [Atmospheric Disturbances] confirms that Galchen’s studies have put her in a unique position to write about themes regarding identity, intimacy and trust with both scientific and literary authority.” Brian Merchant, Paste #43 (read more)
9. Marisha Pessl: Special Topics in Calamity Physics [Viking Press] (2006)
“Special Topics in Calamity Physics is the smart, impressive debut novel from 28-year-old Marisha Pessl. She offers the story of Blue van Meer, who recounts her senior year at the exclusive St. Gallway School with a dead-on deadpan voice, quick wit and a remarkably cynical mind… Even if her cheek does tire or grow precious at times, Pessl’s novel is well-crafted and densely plotted.” Susan Swagler, Paste #23 (read more)
