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Cover of A Song for a New Day by Sarah PinskerA Song for a New Day
Modern · Fiction, LGBT, Science Fiction

A Song for a New Day

by Sarah Pinsker
2019 · 384 pages · Fiction
76.5Must-Read
Score Modern
Critics' pick
≈ 10 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

In the Before, Luce Cannon was a rising rock star. Now, in the After, terror attacks and deadly viruses have led the government to ban public gatherings, and concerts are illegal. Luce plays secret shows in underground venues, until Rosemary, a young woman working for the company that streams music to people's homes, is sent to find her.

Why it's worth reading

It won the Nebula Award. Published just before the pandemic, it's a hopeful, prescient story about music and human connection.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It alternates between Luce and Rosemary. It's more about music than action.

By the numbers

76.5Must-Read Score
  • Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics54 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller11 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz10 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Won
Nebula Award winner (2019)

Reads as

Thought-provoking, Dark, Moving

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is A Song for a New Day worth reading?

Yes. It won the Nebula Award. It ranks #656 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.5 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is A Song for a New Day about?

In the Before, Luce Cannon was a rising rock star. Now, in the After, terror attacks and deadly viruses have led the government to ban public gatherings, and concerts are illegal. Luce plays secret shows in underground venues, until Rosemary, a young woman working for the company that streams music to people's homes, is sent to find her.

How long does it take to read A Song for a New Day?

About 10 hours (384 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What awards has A Song for a New Day won?

Nebula Award winner (2019).

What should I read after A Song for a New Day?

If you liked it, try Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid or A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers.