The Great Believers

Set against the harrowing backdrop of the 1980s AIDS epidemic in Chicago, "The Great Believers" masterfully weaves two interconnected narratives of love, loss, and resilience. In 1985, Yale Tishman, a development director for a university art gallery, finds his professional life flourishing even as the devastating reality of AIDS begins to decimate his circle of friends in the city's vibrant gay community. As he navigates a world gripped by fear, ignorance, and profound grief, his only solace becomes Fiona, the younger sister of his dearest friend, Nico, who is also battling the mysterious illness. Thirty years later, in 2015, Fiona is in Paris, searching for her estranged daughter and grappling with the enduring trauma of a generation lost to the epidemic. Her journey unexpectedly leads her to an art gallery with a collection that holds a haunting connection to her past, forcing her to confront the ghosts of those she loved and the indelible mark left by the crisis. Makkai's novel is a powerful elegy, exploring how a shared past shapes our present and future.