Muriel Leung Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Poetry Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

About Muriel Leung

Muriel Leung is an American author known for her science fiction and poetry. Her first book, Bone Confetti, earned the Noemi Press Book Award in 2015. Later, Imagine Us, The Swarm won the Nightboat Poetry Prize. Her writing has also been recognized with fellowships and a Pushcart Prize nomination.

Leung has a talent for telling stories that hold attention. Her plots unfold smoothly, mixing emotion with sharp, clear writing. The energy in her work makes it enjoyable to read. Whether through poetry or fiction, she crafts pieces that leave a lasting impression.

Her stories stand out because of the way she builds characters. She gives them depth, making their journeys interesting and real. Readers find themselves pulled into the worlds she creates. The way she shapes her protagonists keeps the narrative moving in unexpected ways.

Through her writing she crafts protagonists who are layered and dynamic, never one-note. Their journeys, whether emotional, adventurous, or introspective, keep the pages turning. The way she writes makes it easy to care about what happens next. At the same time, her worlds provide a vivid escape, full of rich detail and unexpected turns.

She writes characters that feel real, with struggles and triumphs that readers recognize. They pull people into her worlds, offering a break from everyday life. Her stories balance depth with imagination, making them both relatable and transporting. Readers get lost in her narratives while still seeing pieces of themselves in the characters.

Her ability to blend authenticity with creativity is what makes her work so engaging. Readers don’t just observe her characters; they feel connected to them. That mix of resonance and escapism is why her stories stay with people long after they finish reading. Leung understands how to make fiction feel alive.

It is in her writing that she connects with readers everywhere because it feels genuine. She doesn’t force her stories to fit trends but stays true to her own voice. This honesty makes her work stand out, drawing people in. Readers appreciate that her stories feel real, even when set in imaginative worlds.

Her ability to entertain comes from sharp, lively storytelling. She balances emotion with clever twists, keeping the pace engaging. Whether through poetry or fiction, her words have energy. People enjoy her work because it never feels dull or predictable.

Leung’s writing stays memorable because it carries weight without being heavy. She crafts scenes that linger in the mind long after reading. Her stories invite readers to think while still being fun. That mix of depth and entertainment keeps her audience coming back for more.

Muriel Leung continues to create new work, with more stories and poems on the way. Her past successes suggest future projects will be just as compelling. Readers can expect her signature blend of originality and engaging storytelling. There’s no doubt she’ll keep leaving her mark on literature.

Early and Personal Life

Muriel Leung spent her early years in Richmond Hills, New York, where she was raised in a Cantonese-speaking household. English became her second language when she started elementary school, opening up new worlds through books. Her childhood was shaped by family stories, including those of her mother’s relatives who worked in Manhattan’s garment industry.

Her father’s journey to the U.S. as a refugee from Hong Kong and his experience as a restaurant owner added to her perspective. These family influences likely played a role in her curiosity about people and their stories. She later pursued her undergraduate studies at Sarah Lawrence College, where her passion for writing grew.

Over time, Leung’s background and experiences helped shape her voice as a writer. The blend of cultures, languages, and family histories in her life provided rich inspiration. Today, her work reflects the depth and authenticity that comes from a life filled with diverse influences.

Writing Career

Muriel Leung’s writing career took a significant step forward with her poetry collection Bone Confetti, completed during her MFA at Louisiana State University. The book, which won the 2015 Noemi Press Book Award, explores themes of grief, loss, trauma, and queerness, partly inspired by her father’s passing from pancreatic cancer. Published in 2016, the collection reimagines the Orpheus and Eurydice myth while blending raw emotion with precise, controlled language.

Critics praised Bone Confetti for its haunting yet skillful style, noting its mix of gothic intensity and dark humor. The collection established Leung as a bold, original voice in contemporary poetry, unafraid to tackle difficult subjects with creativity.

Muriel Leung’s writing style blends poetic precision with raw emotional depth, often weaving dark humor through unsettling landscapes. Her tone balances haunting vulnerability with moments of unexpected tenderness, creating stories that feel both surreal and intimately human. She crafts narratives with a sharp yet lyrical voice, unafraid of the grotesque while maintaining a quiet warmth.

With more work ahead, her career continues to evolve as she writes new pieces that challenge and captivate readers.

How to Fall in Love in a Time of Unnameable Disaster

Muriel Leung’s dystopian fantasy How to Fall in Love in a Time of Unnameable Disaster was published on October 22, 2024, by W. W. Norton & Company. The novel marks her fiction debut with the prestigious publisher.

Here Leung’s debut unfolds in a toxic, postapocalyptic New York City ravaged by acid rain, where survivors are trapped in militarized boroughs. In one apartment building, a fractured community forms between humans and ghosts; including Mira, a Chinese American woman searching for her lost partner via HAM radio, and Shin, a ghost cockroach reliving memories.

Strange bonds emerge as characters grapple with love and survival, including a headless man named Sad and Mira’s mother, haunted by violent dreams alongside the ghost of Grandpa Why. The story explores how connection and meaning shift when civilization collapses.

Readers looking for a fresh dystopian story will find Muriel Leung’s debut novel both haunting and unexpectedly tender. Its imaginative blend of postapocalyptic survival and ghostly companionship creates a world that feels wholly original.

The characters, from a radio-obsessed woman to a memory-haunted cockroach, are strangely endearing despite their surreal circumstances. This book promises to challenge expectations about love and humanity in collapse.