A Best Book of November at Oprah Daily and Chicago Review of Books
“Cheng peels through layer after layer of grief and regret until she uncovers the core of a family capable of deep forgiveness.” —Electric Literature
“A nuanced exploration of family dynamics amidst loss and the enduring power of hope.” —On The Seawall
“Subtle, precise. . . . truly beautiful.” —Oprah Daily
“Captivating and heart-wrenching. . . . perfectly captures the anxious hope that comes with a last-ditch effort for healing as well as the impending dread that what is broken may not be fixed.” —Chicago Review of Books
“Centering on themes of grief, love, guilt and grace, this story is wise, tender and triumphant.” —Ms. Magazine, A Best Book of November
“Through restrained and subtle writing that never reveals too much, this novel entices readers to recognize grief’s paradoxically discreet nature.” —Booklist
“An exquisite novel about a grieving family is a superb balance of unexpected laughter, surprising grace, and the ubiquitous human need for furry love.” —Shelf Awareness
“Each character’s bond with the rabbit proves restorative… Readers will be moved.” —Publishers Weekly
“Cheng writes in prose that is understated and direct…. The Burrow centers everyday, fragile human moments.” —West Trade Review
“[A] deeply rendered exploration of a family reeling after the unthinkable happens. . . . What’s so quietly devastating about “The Burrow” is just this very thing: the family slowly becoming known to themselves, each other and us. If only they would do X, Y or Z, everything would be better, we think as they go about their lives. From a remove, like Fiver, we watch and wait for them to get there, holding our breath all the while.” —The Minnesota Star Tribune
“The Borrow’s restrained prose and heartbreaking honesty capture the paradox of living with trauma, where the smallest of daily interactions are often the most debilitating. Yet despite dealing with such weighty material, The Burrow is an engrossing, compulsive, and uplifting read—a testimony to Cheng’s mastery of style and keen insight into human nature.” —Rajia Hassib, author of In the Language of Miracles
“A small pet rabbit takes on greater meaning in this tight, elegant story of a family quartet reckoning with grief. Melanie Cheng captures the claustrophobic, revelatory strangeness of the early days of the Covid lockdown while bravely mining complexities of human emotion—fear, guilt, anger, and love—in lovely, lucid prose that glitters throughout with cut stones of wisdom.” —Lauren Acampora, author of The Paper Wasp
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