The Centre

Filled with dark and twisty humor and a strong narrative voice, this debut literary thriller from Gillian Flynn’s new imprint begs for a thorough book club discussion. Pakistani translator Anisa Ellahi dreams of translating “great literature” and gets a big break when her multilingual ex-boyfriend recommends her for a spot at an elite language institute. But every time Anisa returns for new language lessons, she becomes more uneasy with the program’s unique methods—and more involved with Shiba, its alluring manager. I have not stopped thinking about this novel since I read it back in December. Siddiqi poses highly discussable questions around translation, cultural appropriation, and ambition, wrapped in a propulsive story.