Modern & Literary Fiction Books
The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
Order Jodi Picoult's stunning new novel about life, death, and missed opportunities. THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER'A writer the world should be ...
View full detailsListening Still by Anne Griffin
From the bestselling author of When All is Said comes a delicious new novel about a young woman who can hear the dead - a talent which is both a gi...
View full detailsWhen All is Said by Anne Griffin
Five toasts. Five people. One lifetime. THE NUMBER ONE IRISH BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR AWARDSHORTLISTED FOR T...
View full detailsSaltwater by Jessica Andrews
WINNER OF THE PORTICO PRIZE 'A distinctive new voice for fans of 'Fleabag' or Sally Rooney' Independent'Raw, intimate and authentic' The Sunday Tim...
View full detailsPretending by Holly Bourne
WHY BE YOURSELF WHEN YOU CAN BE PERFECT?**As featured on The High Low podcast**'MAGNIFICENT. Brutally honest and righteously angry but still HUGELY...
View full detailsPretending by Holly Bourne
WHY BE YOURSELF WHEN YOU CAN BE PERFECT?**As featured on The High Low podcast**'MAGNIFICENT. Brutally honest and righteously angry but still HUGELY...
View full detailsA Class Act by Gervase Phinn
The third and final novel in the delightful Top of the Dales series from bestselling author Gervase Phinn. 'A worthy successor to James Herriot, ...
View full detailsA Class Act by Gervase Phinn
The third and final novel in the delightful Top of the Dales series from bestselling author Gervase Phinn. 'A worthy successor to James Herriot, ...
View full detailsTales Out of School by Gervase Phinn
'[Gervase Phinn is] a worthy successor to James Herriot, and every bit as endearing.' - bestselling author Alan Titchmarsh'A shining light in our d...
View full detailsThe Sealwoman's Gift by Sally Magnusson
'REMARKABLE' Sarah Perry | 'EXTRAORDINARILY IMMERSIVE' Guardian | 'EPIC' Zoe Ball Book Club | 'A REALLY, REALLY GOOD READ' BBC R2 Book Club' | 'LYR...
View full detailsAn Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
If you came across an absolutely remarkable thing at 3 a.m. in New York City, would you walk away . . . or do the one thing that would change your ...
View full detailsFool for Love: The Selected Short Stories by Deborah Moggach
In one new volume, an irresistible collection of stories from two previous works, SMILE and CHANGING BABIES, with additional stories, previously un...
View full detailsIt Was Always You: a page-turning and uplifting love story you will never forget by Emma Cooper
Would you choose a different life if you had the chance?Two people. One chance to turn back the clock. 'Absolutely magical! So romantic and heart...
View full detailsFinlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
'So much fun to read' 'I couldn't put it down!' 'I can't describe how much I loved this book' Single mum and struggli...
View full detailsThe Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain
'A total triumph', 'Romantic and heartbreaking and uplifting all at once', 'Highly recommended'*The Independent best 'never-too-late' story of 2021...
View full detailsWhat Eden Did Next by Sheila O'Flanagan
A NO. 1 BESTSELLER IN IRELAND - MAY 2022The all-absorbing, life-affirming new novel from the bestselling author of THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL an...
View full detailsThree Weddings and a Proposal by Sheila O'Flanagan
FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE NO. 1 BESTSELLERS THE WOMEN WHO RAN AWAY AND THE MISSING WIFE'A glamorous, empowering read with a glorious spin on the weddi...
View full detailsThe Midwife's Secret by Emily Gunnis
The gripping, heartwrenching story of a girl gone missing and an innocent, accused woman who holds the key to a family secret, from the global best...
View full detailsFleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
'Sharp and wicked, insightful and funny, and then suddenly so touching' DAVID NICHOLLS'It is a Great Novel . . . It has depth, wit, nuance and life...
View full detailsSay No More (The Sacramento Series Book 2) by Karen Rose
**The brand new novel from Karen Rose** Perfect for fans of James Patterson and Karin Slaughter, this is the second gripping instalment of the Sacr...
View full detailsThe Carer by Deborah Moggach
The Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller: 'Moggach is at the height of her powers with this book, which moves from a beautifully observed comedy of midd...
View full detailsThe Emperor's Exile (Eagles of the Empire 19) by Simon Scarrow
The Sunday Times bestseller - a thrilling new adventure in Simon Scarrow's acclaimed Eagles of the Empire series. Perfect for readers of Conn Iggul...
View full detailsThe Best Things by Mel Giedroyc
THE UPLIFTING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER IS A WARM HUG OF A READ FROM THE BELOVED MEL GIEDROYC'I enjoyed it HUGELY. A real treat' MARIAN KEYES'A brill...
View full detailsThe Bad Fire (Bob Skinner series, Book 31) by Quintin Jardine
'Scottish crime-writing at its finest, with a healthy dose of plot twists and turns, bodies and plenty of brutality' SunThe gritty new mystery in Q...
View full detailsThe Beloved Girls by Harriet Evans
'A gorgeous epic . . . Wholly absorbing. I adored it' MARIAN KEYESTwo young girls. One hot, long, sultry summer. And a rambling old English manor h...
View full detailsIt Started with a Secret by Jill Mansell
Jill Mansell's fabulous new novel AND NOW YOU'RE BACK is coming in January 2021. Pre-order now to be one of the first to read it!Snap up your perfe...
View full detailsThe Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz
A search for a missing son... and a toxic mystery that threatens the globe. 'Did a 1981 Dean Koontz thriller predict the coronavirus outbreak?' Dai...
View full detailsNeverwhere: the Illustrated Edition by Neil Gaiman
Discover Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, the extraordinary modern classic from the bestselling author of American Gods, illustrated for the first time by...
View full detailsThe Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
THE New York Times BESTSELLERThe stunning bestseller about a woman who finds her voice and her destiny, from author of The Secret Life of Bees and ...
View full detailsThe Sentence by Louise Erdrich
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2022PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE NIGHT WATCHMAN ---------------------------------------------...
View full detailsLove and Other Thought Experiments by Sophie Ward
Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2020Longlisted for the Desmond Eliot Prize 2020Longlisted for the Polari Prize 2021Featuring on BBC 2's Between the...
View full detailsThe Committed by Viet Thanh Nguyen
'A voice that shakes the walls of the old literary comfort zone' New Yorker 'Goes toe to toe with the original then surpasses it. A masterwork' Ma...
View full detailsThe Committed by Viet Thanh Nguyen
'Call The Committed many things. A white hot literary thriller disguised as a searing novel of ideas. An unflinching look at redemption and damnati...
View full detailsThe Candy House by Jennifer Egan
PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD From one of the most dazzling and iconic writers of our time comes an electrifying, de...
View full detailsSomeone I Used to Know by Paige Toon
A beautiful story of love and second chances, with a remarkable family at its heart, from the Sunday Times bestselling author. So much can change...
View full detailsMagic Lessons: A Prequel to Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
The extraordinary and enchanting novel tracing a centuries-old curse back to its beginning from the author of PRACTICAL MAGIC and THE DOVEKEEPERS F...
View full detailsAn Italian Girl in Brooklyn by Santa Montefiore
Dark secrets and hidden sorrows abound in Santa Montefiore's spellbinding new novel set in war-torn Italy and the streets of New York. 'Nobody d...
View full detailsMasked Prey: Lucas Davenport 29 by John Sandford
**Don't miss John Sandford's brand-new thriller Ocean Prey - out now**Lucas Davenport investigates an anonymous threat to the children of US politi...
View full detailsUnderneath the Christmas Tree by Heidi Swain
***The sparkling new Christmas novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author Heidi Swain!*** Wynter's Trees is the home of Christmas. For the peop...
View full detailsA Taste of Home by Heidi Swain
The delicious new novel from Sunday Times bestseller Heidi Swain: 'Heidi's known for her feel-good factor and this story is a delight' New! Magazin...
View full detailsDreamland: An Evening Standard 'Best New Book' of 2021 by Rosa Rankin-Gee
For fans of Children of Men, Years and Years & Station Eleven, a postcard from a future Britain that's closer than we think. 'A beautiful bo...
View full detailsThe Smallest Man by Frances Quinn
'I want you to remember something, Nat. You're small on the outside. But inside you're as big as everyone else. You show people that and you won't ...
View full detailsHere We Are by Graham Swift
'A quietly, devastating, magical novel' Daily Telegraph'Beautiful, gentle, intricate... Here We Are smuggles within the pages of a seemingly commo...
View full detailsHere We Are by Graham Swift
It is Brighton, 1959, and the theatre at the end of the pier is having its best summer season in years. Ronnie, a brilliant young magician, and Evi...
View full detailsOne Moonlit Night by Rachel Hore
Loyalty and betrayal, hope and despair, One Moonlit Night tells the captivating story of a husband and wife separated by secrets as well as by war....
View full detailsThe Secret Seaside Escape by Heidi Swain
***THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR*** Escape to the seaside with the brand new novel from Heidi Swain, the Sunday Times bestselling author of ...
View full detailsThe Last Chairlift by John Irving
John Irving, one of the world's greatest novelists, returns with his first novel in seven years - a ghost story, a love story, and a lifetime of se...
View full detailsThe Secret Hours by Santa Montefiore
The enchanting novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Santa MontefioreMy curiosity is aroused. I realise, to my shame, that I know nothing abou...
View full detailsCreative, formula-bending, genre-defying, character-focused, and most importantly, a literary exploration of the human condition—contemporary & modern literary fiction is arguably the most experimental genre within literature.
The landscape of literary fiction is constantly being revolutionised by literary fiction authors; that are known to constantly push the boundaries of genre fiction and blur the lines of distinction between literary fiction and other genres of literature.
Given the creative ambiguity of contemporary literary fiction; the genre witnesses a dazzling lineup of highly acclaimed debuts and fresh progressive voices each year. From trailblazing memoirs to the cultural history of humanity—no other genre captures the exactness of our collective life experience more creatively than literary fiction.
The list of bestselling literary fiction is an exciting mix of very distinct literary techniques and contrasting voices. Precisely why, we at Books2Door bring you and a carefully curated collection of the best literary fiction books of all time whilst also helping you gain an acute understanding of what qualifies as modern & literary fiction.
Formula-bending, genre-defying, and experimental
Modern and Contemporary Literary Fiction or experimental fiction is possibly the literature’s most rebellious genre. It doesn’t follow any literary formulas, nor does it adhere to any rules. In that, literary fiction authors are free to build an unpredictable narrative. Anything can transpire; exciting or unnerving. In literary fiction, any established literary theme can be turned on its head. For instance, literary fiction authors have challenged the good-triumphs-over-evil theme; so common otherwise in genre fiction books.
George Orwell’s social satire Nineteen Eighty-Four is one example. A book best categorised as dystopian literature; (remember the recently trending hashtag #makeorwellfictionagain ?) Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four not only challenged the good vs evil theme but also blurred the lines of distinction between genre fiction and classic literary fiction.
Employees creative storytelling
Considering literary fiction doesn’t adhere to any rules of genre or sub-genre; every literary fiction author is free to be creative and create his own rules. This makes the storyline an adventure, that can take its readers by surprise.
Devoid of any rules, the literary fiction writer is free to break convention and employ his creativity. This practice has birthed some extraordinary literary works. For example, Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife where Niffenegger’s uses dual narrators from the first person point of view, in the present tense.
Thought-provoking and introspective
Like we said earlier, no other genre captures the exactness of the human condition and our collective life experience more creatively than literary fiction. Whilst most genres are designed to entertain the readers, literary fiction is meant to do more than that. Literary fiction seeks to make sense of the world. It is meant to be thought-provoking, and introspective and is meant to push the reader to think critically of the human condition.
Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, for instance, explores the mind of a depressed, anxious, and neurotic young woman. Whilst the book has a coming-of-age plot line; it is the inner dialogue of this character that truly makes it a memorable book. This strong character study is what makes literary fiction a character-focused and introspective genre.
Explores the human condition
Stories in literary fiction do not shy away from dealing with difficult subjects and the realities of the human condition with artistic honesty. Literary fiction, therefore, is not always designed to help the reader escape. It can make the reader uncomfortable and push them to think about issues.
Literary fiction however is not non-fiction; so it doesn’t just report the truth. Instead, it relies on creative techniques and artsy symbolism to convey a deeper meaning. Literary fiction relies on metaphors and creative storytelling to convey meaningful messages. As a result, the takeaway from these stories is more than just the story, the takeaway is the experience, the message, and at times the characters.
Literary fiction is character-driven
Whilst genre fiction is focused on the story, plotlines, and on being an engaging read; literary fiction is more stressed on the characters or on conveying a meaningful message or idea. At times, it is focused on both. The characters in literary fiction can have layers, the depth of a character's actions and psyche are explored to forward the plot. Literary fiction doesn’t just show a character’s story, it shows how their actions and circumstances change the character.
Literary fiction can be as absurd and ambiguous as life itself
Literary fiction is experimental in nature much like absurd art, which means it doesn’t have to have a happy ending or an ending at all. Art movements like absurdism, dadaism and surrealism, are all, artsy cousins of experimental prose.
Literary fiction gives writers the liberty to let a story end abruptly or for the entire plot to be absurd. Stories in this genre don’t necessarily have to resolve but they have to have meaning. The meaning however is left to the reader’s interpretation.
Literary fiction is good for the reader
Because literary fiction pushes boundaries, employs a unique perspective, searches for meaning, and is designed for intellectual and emotional stimulus--it is much like the art you see hanging in galleries and the movies that bring meaningful conversations alive. Just like artsy movies and art itself, the creative genius of literary fiction is largely open to criticism. Some of the best contemporary literary fiction books have won critical acclaim and awards but missed out on winning the masses.
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