This character-driven science fiction novel about displacement might be just what you’re looking for.

Hel and her partner Vikram are refugees from a nuclear war-ravaged alternate timeline, living in our timeline’s New York City. Hel struggles with this familiar yet foreign world, in which the refugees are treated with disdain, hostility, and violence. Inspired by a book that is the last remnant of their timeline, Hel is determined to memorialize their lost culture and history. We loved this creative exploration of the immigrant experience, from its stylish writing to its often ambiguous and detached tone, and its exploration of nostalgia, grief, longing, and identity.