CYCLOPEDIA EXOTICA SC

Aminder Dhaliwal’s debut Woman World made our Best Of list in 2018, and her much anticipated follow-up is similarly brilliant. Set in a world where cyclops are marginalised and the otherness of their bodies discriminated against, Cyclopedia Exotica follows a cast of ten cyclops as they navigate relationships, careers, fame, art, and beauty — and the industries that exploit them all. Dhaliwal juggles these characters masterfully, as they all feel fully rounded; each of them could easily star in their own book. Dhaliwal’s wit is cutting in its accuracy, equal parts frustrating and frightening. For all Cyclopedia is heavy-hitting in its satire, it’s also often laugh-out-loud funny. A book that will make you laugh, cry, and scream at the injustice of the world.