As I often do when I need a jump start into a new book I'm writing, I signed up for an online class this summer. My class is good, with writers of varied skills and experiences, all exploring new narrators, characters, plots, and other ideas for their next manuscript.
Our instructor assigned us a well-reviewed contemporary novel to read and analyze during the course: Chemistry by Weike Wang. It's generated a lively discussion, because, well, the narrator isn't lively at all.