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Modern & Literary Fiction Books

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    The Power by Naomi Alderman

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    WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTIONONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S BEST BOOKS OF 2017'Electrifying' Margaret Atwood'A big, page-turning, thought-provokin...

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    Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney

    Only 5 left!

    Beautiful World, Where Are You is Rooney's best novel.' THE TIMES *The Sunday Times and Global number one bestseller**Winner of Novel of the Year a...

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    Boys Don't Cry by Fiona Scarlett

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    I can't remember ever reading anything so moving . . . It's so beautiful.' MARIAN KEYESThey say boys don't cry. But Finn's seen his Da do it when h...

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    Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

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    *The #1 Sunday Times Bestseller**Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2021**A Barack Obama Summer Reading Pick*'A delicate, haunting story' The Washingt...

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    This One Sky Day by Leone Ross

    Only 5 left!

    LONGLISTED FOR THE ONDAATJE PRIZE'Dazzling' Cosmopolitan'Stunning' Kei Miller'Gorgeous' Financial Times'Haunting' Independent'Wonderfully fearless'...

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    Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud

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    *WINNER OF THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD 2020**LONGLISTED FOR THE OCM BOCAS PRIZE*AS SEEN ON BBC'S BETWEEN THE COVERSONE OF STYLIST'S BEST NEW BOOKS ...

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    Outline: A Novel by Rachel Cusk

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    Author of the Booker-longlisted novel Second PlaceOutline is a novel in ten conversations. Spare and lucid, it follows a novelist teaching a course...

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    Milkman by Anna Burns

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    Blazing.' Daily Telegraph'Outstanding.' New Statesman'A triumph.' Guardian'Utterly compelling.' Irish Times'The best Booker winner in years.' Metro...

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    Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford

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    **Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2021**** From the author of Golden Hill **'My god he can write.' Richard Osman'Glorious.' Evening Standard'Exhila...

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    Normal People by Sally Rooney

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    'The best young novelist - indeed one of the best novelists - I've read in years.' Olivia Laing'Superb . . . a tremendous read, full of insight and...

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    Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

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    ***READ THE NOVEL IN TIME FOR THE BBC THREE DRAMA, PREMIERING IN MAY 2022***'This book. This book. I read it in one day. I hear I'm not alone.' - S...

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    Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter

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    A SUNDAY TIMES TOP 100 NOVEL OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURYWinner of the 2016 International Dylan Thomas Prize and the Sunday Times/Peter, Fraser + Du...

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    The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

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    *Kazuo Ishiguro's new novel Klara and the Sun is now available*The Romans have long since departed, and Britain is steadily declining into ruin. Th...

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    Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan

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    Winner of the Christopher Isherwood PrizeShortlisted for the Portico PrizeA Guardian, Spectator, Sunday Times, Financial Times and Evening Standard...

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    Tokyo Redux by David Peace

    Only 4 left!

    A powerful, stirring read.' The Times'Typically brilliant . I loved it.' Adrian McKinty'The most stone-cold crime novel of 2021.' CrimeReadsTokyo, ...

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    The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

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    A cult figure.' Guardian'A dark and brilliant achievement.' Ian McEwan'Shamelessly clever ... Exhilaratingly subversive and funny.' Independent'A m...

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    The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

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    A modern classic.' Guardian'A near-perfect work of art.' Joyce Carol OatesSylvia Plath is a major cultural icon who continues to inspire new genera...

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    Miss Benson's Beetle: An uplifting story of female friendship against the odds by Rachel Joyce

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    WINNER OF THE WILBUR SMITH ADVENTURE WRITING PRIZE | BEST PUBLISHED NOVELWOMAN & HOME BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR and A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER'Th...

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    A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson

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    WINNER OF THE 2015 COSTA NOVEL AWARD AND BESTSELLING LITERARY PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR'Atkinson's finest work, and confirmation that her genre-defying...

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    Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

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    The PRIZE-WINNING BESTSELLER, now a major BBC1 DRAMA SERIES starring Thomasin McKenzie, Sian Clifford and James McArdle, directed by BAFTA award-wi...

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    You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat

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    Deeply compelling... sexy.' Roxane Gay'Takes you on a dizzying tour of love addiction, rehab, homophobia, betrayal, obsession and the aching need f...

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    The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

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    THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP BESTSELLER#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZELONGLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE'An utterly mesmerising ...

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    Less by Andrew Sean Greer

    Only 18 left!

    WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION 2018 'You will sob little tears of joy' Nell Zink'I recommend it with my whole heart' Ann Patchett'This bo...

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    The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

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    THE GLOBAL BESTSELLER Sitting quietly in his room in an old people's home, Allan Karlsson is waiting for a party he doesn't want to begin. His one-...

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    The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

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    Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2014 Aged thirteen, Theo Decker, son of a devoted mother and a reckless, largely absent father, survives a...

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    Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

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    A literary masterpiece . . . at once erudite and intimate, reflective and funny . . . it has the grit and pace of a thriller' Daily TelegraphA nove...

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    Sankofa by Chibundu Onuzo

    Only 16 left!

    A REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK * A BBC 2 BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK * SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION FUTURES PRIZE * AN A...

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    The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes

    Only 10 left!

    The 2005 novel The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes, the bestselling author of Me Before You and two-time winner of the RNA Novel of the Year award. Au...

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    Night Music by Jojo Moyes

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    A new edition of the 2008 novel Night Music by Jojo Moyes, the bestselling author of Me Before You and The Giver of StarsIsabel Delancey has always...

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    Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes

    Only 11 left!

    The 2007 novel Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes, the bestselling author of Me Before You and two-time winner of the RNA Novel of the Year award. Liza McCul...

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    The Searcher by Tana French

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    Terrific - terrifying, amazing' STEPHEN KING 'Completely, indescribably magnificent' MARIAN KEYES -------------------------------------------------...

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    One Night on the Island by Josie Silver

    Only 2 left!

    ONE COTTAGE. TWO STRANGERS. EVERY GREAT LOVE STORY STARTS SOMEWHERE . . . 'No waiting for it to kick off and absolutely no filler' READER *****'The...

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    Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

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    A 21ST CENTURY LOVE STORY AND TOP 10 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Utter BRILLIANCE . . . I absolutely LOVED it!' Marian Keyes, bestselling author of GR...

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    Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

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    SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2021**From the bestselling author of Homegoing**______________________________________________As a ch...

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    The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

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    Smart, compassionate, warm, moving and so VERY funny' Marian Keyes 'So smart and funny. Deplorably good' Ian Rankin'Thrilling, moving, laugh-out-lo...

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    Agent Running in the Field by John le Carre

    Only 8 left!

    The British spy thriller at its unputdownable best' ObserverSELECTED FOR BBC 2 BETWEEN THE COVERS________________________________Nat, a veteran of ...

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    10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafak

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    SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2019 'Expect vibrant, vivid and eye-opening descriptions of Middle Eastern life propelled by a tender storyline, a...

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    Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

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    A BBC Top 100 Novels that Shaped Our WorldEffia and Esi: two sisters with two very different destinies. One sold into slavery; one a slave trader's...

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    Spring: 'A dazzling hymn to hope' Observer by Ali Smith

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    SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER A once-in-a-generation series, Ali Smith's Seasonal Quartet is a tour-de-force about love, time, art, politics, ...

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    Autumn by Ali Smith

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    SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2017A once-in-a-generation series, Ali Smith's Seasonal quartet is a tour-de-force ...

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    One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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    ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS BOOKS AND WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE_______________________________'Many years later, as he faced the ...

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    Anybody Out There by Marian Keyes

    Only 9 left!

    Discover the warm, witty and compelling story of a woman trying to get her life back on track, from the No. 1 bestselling author of Grown Ups'Seari...

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    Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes

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    A MUST-READ FOR FANS OLD AND NEW, THIS STUNNING 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION IS THE PERFECT WAY TO REDISCOVER THE 1.5 MILLION COPY, NO. 1 BESTSELLING P...

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    The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

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    If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how...

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    Companion piece by Ali Smith

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    THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERThe unmissable new work from Ali Smith, following the dazzling Man Booker-shortlisted Seasonal quartet'A story is never ...

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    Berlin Game by Len Deighton

    Only 14 left!

    Masterly ... dazzlingly intelligent and subtle' Sunday Times'Deighton's best novel to date - sharp, witty and sour, like Raymond Chandler adapted t...

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    Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller

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    WINNER OF THE COSTA NOVEL AWARD 2021SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE 2021'Her strongest yet... a powerful, beautiful novel that shows us our land ...

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    One Day I Shall Astonish the World by Nina Stibbe

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    From the prize-winning author of Reasons to be Cheerful comes a story about the ebb and flow of female friendship over half a lifetime'A true gift ...

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Creative, 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.