Beautiful Children

In Charles Bock's debut novel Beautiful Children, twelve-year-old Newell Ewing disappears one Saturday night in Las Vegas, sending shockwaves through his family and a cast of disconnected characters navigating their own struggles. As Newell's mother, Lorraine, grapples with grief, and his father, Lincoln, seeks solace, the narrative weaves through the lives of urban nomads—a comic book illustrator, a shy artist, and a group of misfit runaways—each harboring their own secrets and desires. With a blend of incandescent prose and dark humor, Bock captures the vibrant yet haunting landscape of modern America, making this New York Times bestseller a compelling exploration of heartache and redemption.