Abundance

The conceit of Guanzon's novel is powerfully simple: each chapter is titled with the amount of money in the pockets of this down-and-out father and son pair. In a year when inequities continued to be laid bare for all to witness, Guanzon cuts to the heart of the economic matter, generating much drama and tension each time you pick back up with Henry and Junior. Abundance is everything we wanted from a debut novel and from this year: the excitement and urgency of a new voice shaking our shoulders and shouting, listen to me, look at what is happening to us, see this! And doing so with an attention to detail and empathy beyond his years.