The Book of X is a rare novel that defies easy categorization. In it, Sarah Rose Etter tells the story of a girl, like her mother and grandmother before her, born with her body twisted into a knot. Set in the haunting landscape of a quarry that oozes raw meat, this unique blend of magical realism and feminist themes dives deeply into the experience of womanhood, brought to life through Etter’s vivid prose and dreamlike imagery.

Across 279 pages, we follow the protagonist’s search for tenderness in a world that seems determined to deny it. Etter’s minimalist style transforms surreal elements into piercing truths about femininity, crafting a mind-bending work that could easily inspire a Yorgos Lanthimos adaptation—where the strange is eerily familiar. For anyone who treasures genre-defying fiction that dares to push boundaries while staying powerfully human, this novel is an absolute must-read.