FlashlightFlashlight
What it's about
Susan Choi's sweeping novel follows a family across decades and countries, marked by loss, secrets and history, in a story about what we can and can't know about the people we love.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for both the Booker Prize and the Women's Prize for Fiction. It's an ambitious, absorbing family saga.
You'll love it if you liked
Pachinko
Do Not Say We Have Nothing
The Covenant of WaterGood to know
It's long and moves across countries and decades.
By the numbers
- Readers28 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics49 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller16 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz100 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
- #77 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #161 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #238 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1362 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Gripping
If you like this, read next
The Frozen River
The God of the Woods
Trust
Where the Crawdads Sing
A Brief History of Seven Killings
True History of the Kelly GangExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Flashlight worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for both the Booker Prize and the Women's Prize for Fiction. It ranks #1,362 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Flashlight about?
Susan Choi's sweeping novel follows a family across decades and countries, marked by loss, secrets and history, in a story about what we can and can't know about the people we love.
How long does it take to read Flashlight?
About 12 hours (464 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Flashlight?
If you liked it, try Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien or The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.