“A page-turning adventure story and a nuanced meditation on the meaning of home. This is a fantastic book.”—Molly Antopol, author of The UnAmericans

“[A] sprawling, wildly ambitious novel . . . Thoughtful and thought-provoking, with a passionate faith in the redemptive powers of art.”—The Boston Globe

“An agile and assured debut . . . In each of these stylistically old-school yet freshly envisioned morality tales, Penkov burnishes brute circumstances to surprising beauty.”—Elle

“An intelligently mapped plot complements the skillful blend of familial relationships with religious commentary, and elements of the hamlets’ folklore and rituals lend an added mystery . . . . This is a historically rich study of borders: those imposed by cartography and those that are self-constructed.”—Financial Times (London)

"Penkov's stories combine toughness, vulnerability, and bravado . . . This is a sparkling collection."—Catherine Taylor, The Guardian

“A tremendous achievement from one of the best young international writers.”—Yiyun Li, author of Kinder Than Solitude and Gold Boy, Emerald Girl