In this stunning excerpt of her in-progress novel, Simi Singh shows us that the best writing is not just about storytelling, but instead it is a deconstruction of what came before, an interrogation of one’s artistic inheritance, and a radical re-centering of tradition. Here, Singh places the artistic repertoire of fiction in the service of critique and metacriticism, offering an ambitious treatise on contemporary literature and its discontents. However, unlike most critical texts, which rarely showcase the beauty of language and lived experience, Singh’s novel excerpt is alive with evocative sensory details, incredible lyricism, and deftly crafted scenes. Singh’s debut novel, An Agreement of Wonder, is going to be extraordinary, and she is a necessary voice in international fiction.