Hurricane SeasonHurricane Season
Score Modern
What it's about
In a poor village in Mexico, children find the body of the Witch, a woman who lived alone and whom the villagers feared, sought out for cures and whispered about. Each chapter is told from inside the head of a different person connected to her death, in long, unbroken torrents of language, until the truth of what happened, and of the violence and misery that shaped it, comes out.
Why it's worth reading
The New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century, and it was shortlisted for the International Booker. It's brutal and brilliant.
You'll love it if you liked
A Brief History of Seven Killings
Blood Meridian
Salvage the BonesGood to know
It's extremely violent, with sexual abuse, misogyny and homophobic slurs throughout. Each chapter is a single long paragraph.
By the numbers
- Readers46 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics70 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller23 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz14 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
- #99 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #138 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #492 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #944 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
If you like this, read next
Gideon the Ninth
Piranesi
All Systems Red
The Green Mile
Promises in Death
The Lies of Locke LamoraExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Hurricane Season worth reading?
Yes. The New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century, and it was shortlisted for the International Booker. It ranks #944 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Hurricane Season about?
In a poor village in Mexico, children find the body of the Witch, a woman who lived alone and whom the villagers feared, sought out for cures and whispered about. Each chapter is told from inside the head of a different person connected to her death, in long, unbroken torrents of language, until the truth of what happened, and of the violence and misery that shaped it, comes out.
How long does it take to read Hurricane Season?
About 5 hours (200 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Hurricane Season?
If you liked it, try A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James, Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy or Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward.