Books That Take Place in Another Country [Top 10 Tuesday]

This week’s topic is a freebie, so I chose a topic from a few weeks ago that I liked but didn’t have time to do. Books that take place in another country was the TTT on March 23. I ‘ve chosen books where the setting plays an integral role, excluding non-fiction. I decided not to repeat countries (otherwise this list would be heavily weighted with Japanese and British fiction!). I rated all these books either 4 or 5 stars on Goodreads.  Links to my reviews where applicable.

1. White is for Witching (England) – One of my all-time favourite books, a Gothic tale set around Dover and Cambridge University. The story grapples with British colonization and racism.
2. Kafka on the Shore (Japan) – Set in Shikoku, not too far from where I lived!
3. The Thief Lord (Italy) – A favourite from middle school, the book introduced me to Venice.
4. Burial Rites (Iceland) – A striking tale set in a striking landscape!
5. Akata Witch (Nigeria) – Middle grade speculative fiction, but grounded in real-world Nigeria.
6. The Witches of New York (America) – Turn of the century New York makes for a stunning character in one of my newest favourite books.
7. Artemis Fowl (Ireland) – Another favourite from my middle school years, steeped in Irish folklore with a modern spin.
8. The Sight (Romania) – Op, this is the last one from my middle school days. Speculative fiction about wolves in Transylvania. I love reading this book when I’m in the mountains.
9. The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (Botswana) – Possibly the only cozy mystery I’ll ever read, I enjoyed reading this series when I was an undergrad.
10. Music of the Ghosts (Cambodia) – A deeply moving and lyrically written story that explores what life is like in Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge.

Scrolling through my ‘read’ shelf, I was a bit surprised to realize how many books are set in America. I thought I was doing an okay job at diversifying my reading but looking through the shelf made me realize how much of that diversity remains contained in America and Canada. Also, I read a lot of fantasy so that rules out many books 😛 What are some of your favourite books that take place in a different country from your home?