Brood

I picked this up on a whim, and I'm so happy I decided to end my reading year with it. This was such an intimate, raw exploration of emotions, relationships, and what it means to be a caretaker while struggling with one's sense of self. The short chapters each focused on a different aspect of the narrator's life, mostly revolving around her four chickens and her desperate attempts at keeping them safe and happy while navigating her own relationships with family, friends, and neighbors. At the surface, the story was quaint, but also deeply personal and moving. The writing was beautiful, and in just over 200 pages, had me invested in every small descriptive detail. I'm so happy I picked this up and I can't recommend it enough.