Recent literary fiction worth reading
Novels from roughly the last five years that reward the attention — the ones worth reading rather than the ones that merely got reviewed. Each entry says what it's doing and who it's for.
10 ideas
Crooked Plow
Itamar Vieira Junior's award-winning novel, translated from Portuguese by Johnny Lorenz, tells the compelling story of two Afro-Brazilian sisters in Bahia whose lives are profoundly altered by a childhood incident, available in print, ebook, and audiobook.
novel · literary fiction · recent
The Fraud
Zadie Smith's historical novel, set against the backdrop of Victorian England's legal trials, explores themes of truth and storytelling through the eyes of Mrs. Eliza Touchet and Andrew Bogle, and is accessible as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.
novel · literary fiction · recent
Parade
Rachel Cusk's latest novel, winner of the 2024 Goldsmiths Prize, presents an unnamed narrator exploring European art exhibitions and contemplating various artists, and can be found in print, ebook, and as an audiobook.
novel · literary fiction · recent
Country People
Daniel Mason's newest work invites readers into the wild landscapes of Vermont as a family becomes entangled in a unique local legend, widely available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.
novel · literary fiction · recent
Sophie, Standing There
This novel by Meg Mason follows Sophie, an avid reader who becomes deeply engrossed in the works of a particular author, and it should be available in print and ebook forms.
novel · literary fiction · recent
Kairos
Jenny Erpenbeck crafts a dramatic love story set against the backdrop of East Berlin in the late 1980s as the GDR crumbles.
novel · literary fiction · recent
Absolution
Alice McDermott examines the lives of American women in 1960s Saigon, exploring folly, grace, and the quest for absolution amidst the Vietnam War.
novel · literary fiction · recent
Appraisals
Claire Boyles explores the struggles of an Eastern Colorado family farm and the dire state of water resources in this poignant novel.
novel · literary fiction · recent
Etna
Paul Yoon delivers an unforgettable story following a former military dog named Etna as he navigates a broken land among haunted people and animals.
novel · literary fiction · recent
Life of M
Sheila Heti’s newest work delves into the themes of fame, power, beauty, and truth through the lens of a movie star whose image is everywhere.
novel · literary fiction · recent
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