Hot Milk

Sofia, a young anthropologist, has spent much of her life trying to unravel the mystery of her mother’s inexplicable illness. She’s often exasperated by Rose’s endless complaints, yet secretly relieved to be summoned away from her own faltering adult life. Together, they travel to the scorching, sun-bleached coast of southern Spain to consult a renowned specialist—their final hope—in the belief that he might cure Rose’s erratic paralysis.

But Dr. Gomez’s methods are unconventional, with little resemblance to conventional medicine. As the treatment unfolds, Rose’s condition becomes more puzzling, not less. Sofia’s role as investigator intensifies—charting symptoms, chasing motives—and soon she begins to uncover not only the hidden roots of her mother’s suffering, but her own submerged longings in this surreal and shifting desert enclave.

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year and Man Booker Prize finalist.