Both of these transporting and fascinating novels create fictional artists that seem so real it makes you want to Google to find more information about them. Goldberg and Jenkins-Reid use similar unconventional structures to create wonderfully complex 360 degree portraits of the artists.

This brilliant novel is narrated by Samantha Preston, the daughter of the late photographer, Lillian Preston, whose work is being exhibited in a retrospective at the Musuem of Modern Art. Rather than through conventional prose, we learn about Lillian and Samantha through captions for the photographs written by Samantha, Lillian’s journal entries, and interviews with Lillian’s friends, family and lovers. This interesting structure allows the reader a complete picture of who Lillian truly was, an artist obsessed with her work, forsaking all else to get the perfect photograph. Though she loves her daughter, her photographs always take priority. If she’s not taking photos, her life has no meaning.

“She didn’t tell her finger to press the shutter any more than she told her heart to pump blood.”

“Without her camera, my mother was twitchy and uncomfortable, like she had an itch she was trying to scratch.”

“Watching my mother work in the dim red glow of the darkroom’s safe light was like watching a bird that had been awkwardly wading around on shore finally take to the water and realizing: Oh that’s a swan!”

This book takes a bit of work to piece together the story, but the effort pays off. The portrait Goldberg creates is so palpably real, it was hard to believe that Lillian never existed. As I closed the book, I wished I could see Lillian’s photos hanging on the wall at MOMA for myself.

I listened to this one on audio, a totally immersive and moving experience. This is the first time an audiobook has brought me to tears. The full cast includes Judy Greer, Jennifer Beals, Benjamin Bratt, amongst many others. The novel tells the story of Daisy Jones, an enigmatic lead singer who joins a late 60’s and early 70’s band called The Six. Together the band burned bright, until the flame fizzled and extinguished. Like Goldberg, Jenkins-Reid also chose an unusual story structure, exploring why the band broke up as an oral history in the style of VH1’s Behind the Music. Daisy and all of her bandmates feel so human that I was sure The Six was a real band that I’d somehow missed.

I loved everything about this book—the characters, the story, the brilliant way its structured so that all of the band members and people who support the band can share their side of the story. Reid did an unbelievable job creating the characters and giving them all unique stories and different voices. And, I almost never cry when I read—this one is the rare exception. The ending was surprising, stunningly beautiful and heartbreaking in the best possible way. I longed to hear their famous songs, and watch videos to see what each of the band members looked like. Even if you’ve never listened to an audiobook before, treat yourself with this one! I literally had tears streaming down my cheeks while listening to the ending.