Train Dreams ending explained as Robert Grainier’s grief collides with the mystery of the wolf girl. Is she really Katie or just a vision?

Also: the galloping Americana of Ryan Davis, Michael Urie’s tragic “Richard II,” a holiday roundup, Inkoo Kang’s TV picks, and more.

Here is the standout fiction and nonfiction of the year, selected by the staff of The New York Times Book Review.

Kate King covers New York City real estate for The Wall Street Journal and writes frequently about how remote work affects the city's office districts, businesses and neighborhoods. She also writes ...