“An exhilarating debut novel” (R.O. Kwon The New York Times Book Review ) about the daughter
of Afghan refugees and her year of self-discovery—a portrait of the artist as a young woman set
in a Berlin that can’t escape its history A girl can get in almost anywhere even if she
can’t get out. “A no-bullsh*t must-read debut.”—Kaveh Akbar “Kaleidoscopic full of style
and soul.”—Raven Leilani “Aber writes with . . . masterful precision.”—Leila Lalami The
Atlantic "Once in a blue moon a debut novel comes along announcing a voice quite unlike any
other with a layered story and sentences that crackle and pop begging to be read aloud. Aria
Aber’s splendid Good Girl introduces just such a voice . . . Aber an award-winning poet
strikes gold here much like Kaveh Akbar did in last year’s acclaimed Martyr! "— Los Angeles
Times SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION • LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION
FIRST NOVEL PRIZE In Berlin’s artistic underground where techno and drugs fill warehouses
still pockmarked from the wars of the twentieth century nineteen-year-old Nila at last finds
her tribe. Born in Germany to Afghan parents raised in public housing graffitied with
swastikas drawn to philosophy photography and sex Nila has spent her adolescence
disappointing her family while searching for her voice as a young woman and artist. Then in
the haze of Berlin’s legendary nightlife Nila meets Marlowe an American writer whose fading
literary celebrity opens her eyes to a life of personal and artistic freedom. But as Nila finds
herself pulled further into Marlowe’s controlling orbit ugly barely submerged racial tensions
begin to roil Germany—and Nila’s family and community. After a year of running from her future
Nila stops to ask herself the most important question: Who does she want to be? A story of
love and family raves and Kafka staying up all night and surviving the mistakes of youth
Good Girl is the virtuosic debut novel by a celebrated young poet and now a major new voice
in fiction.
