Why read The Falconer?

Book cover of The Falconer

Book description

An iBooks Book of the Year 2019, 'Our favourite debut ... a glorious, empowering, coming of age NY story.'

'An electric debut' New York Times
'Exhilarating' Claire Messud
'Deeply affecting' Salman Rushdie

Seventeen-year-old Lucy Adler, a street-smart, trash-talking baller, is often the only girl on the public courts. Lucy's inner…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Falconer as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

John Lawson III

Author

I loved this novel because Lucy Adler, the protagonist, is so real. When she’s walking around New York, I’m walking alongside her. When she’s talking about her favorite sport (basketball), I feel like I’m contemplating my favorite sport (football). When she’s talking about the boy who’s out of reach (Percy), I remember, many decades ago, the numerous girls who were out of reach.

As the book concludes and Lucy begins to come of age, I rediscover that sense of maturity that dawns as youth gives way to adulthood. It’s a credit to Czapnik’s writing that readers can experience such feelings…

From John's 3 favorite reads in 2023.