The Alternatives

'Exuberant... A bold, beautiful, complex novel, and I can’t wait to read what Hughes writes next. She, too, is an unstoppable force.' New York Times

'Caoilinn Hughes is one of the most intelligent, surprising, and delightful writers around. The Alternatives made me laugh, cry, and think.' Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses

'I wish I knew how Caoilinn Hughes has managed to write a book of such depth and gravity that is also so gripping and relentlessly funny.' Hernan Diaz, author of Trust

'I've admired all Caoilinn Hughes' books, and this one is a triumph, searching and clever and warm and funny.' Sarah Moss, author of Ghost Wall

'Beautiful... The Alternatives is both a book of ideas and a gripping read, formally audacious yet deeply humane. Superb.' Rumaan Alam, author of Leave the World Behind

'The Alternatives is fizzy, brainy, and brilliant, always at the service of a drama of great emotional power. Caoilinn Hughes is an extraordinarily gifted writer.' Joseph O’Neill, author of Netherland

'Hughes's elegiac romp into our collective crises erupts in gorgeous language and sizzles with wit, yet is undergirded by pathos. A shapeshifter of a writer, she can draw any character, any foible with crystalline precision.' Diane Cook, author of The New Wilderness

‘The Alternatives is vintage Caoilinn Hughes—sharp, funny and philosophical, and very much a novel for our times.’ Carys Davies, author of The Mission House

'A novel so full of verve that one gains energy from reading it. The prose is a delight, and the force of the author’s intelligence would be overwhelming if not for its warmth and wit.' Jing-Jing Lee, author of How We Disappeared

'Simply brilliant... The dynamics of the sisters' interactions and the easy way they anticipate each others' needs while slipping into decades-old roles are the novel's highlights.' Booklist (starred review)

'Moving, richly detailed... Intelligent, impassioned, and wholly satisfying.' Kirkus (starred review)

'The Alternatives, is yet another example of [Caoilinn Hughes'] gift for illuminating the dark places in the lives of dysfunctional, but deeply sympathetic, families… Bighearted, wise, and frequently sharply funny novel.' Shelf Awareness

'An intriguing story of complex family connections, highlighting the diversity that often exists among siblings, and underlining the commonalities that tie them together. Readers will enjoy this story about the need for family, independence, and support.' Library Journal

'A powerful and timely novel.' Brooklyn Rail

'A novel of tiny, telling details alongside big ideas... The Alternatives contains multitudes. Its mysteries and complexities reward a second reading... The book's ending is a stunner. And Olwen, Maeve, Nell and Rhona make it unforgettable.' Star Tribune

'Each sister’s voice is clear, purposeful, realistic and hopeful. When the sisters come together, The Alternatives becomes even more engaging as their stories overlap, growing increasingly complex and intertwined.' Bookpage

'In Caoilinn Hughes’s “The Alternatives,” the four Flattery sisters are each struggling to address the world’s emergencies in the aftermath of the pandemic... Ultimately The Alternatives is concerned with the duties of caring for the planet and one’s loved ones.' Wall Street Journal

'The dense blend of score settling, wise-cracking, ideas and eccentricity is nothing if not attention-grabbing... The question of how to go onward in our troubled times is admirable.' Daily Mail

'An explosion of a novel by a writer of rare brilliance and power... True originality is a rare thing but Caoilinn Hughes has it; she really is like no one else.' New Zealand Herald