C Pam Zhang's Land of Milk and Honey (2023) references Israel, which has been historically called the "land of milk and honey." Zhang's novel is set in a dystopian world in which a deadly, thick smog has appeared, food crops are disappearing, and people are dying at remarkably fast rates. One day, a chef from a dying city who has become disillusioned with her life takes a job at a mountaintop colony that doesn't appear to be suffering the same fate as the rest of the world. There, things prosper; however, the young chef quickly discovers the dark and oftentimes violent underbelly of the otherwise picturesque city. With the help of her job and after several revelations, her view of the world is shaped rather dramatically.
Reviews for Zhang's novel have invariably been positive. Publisher's Weekly opined that the novel was a "masterpiece" and said that it is "Emotionally captivating and raw" and "will be enjoyed to the last bite." Kirkus Reviews gave the novel another incredibly positive review, calling it "Mournful and luscious" and writing that it is "a gothic novel for the twilight of the Anthropocene Era." Finally, many critics think the novel could be a major contender for important literary prizes.
