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Original poster

Looking for a substantial literary novel to get lost in

205 replies

amoamas · 28/04/2026 12:17

I have a very rare week to myself coming up, and I'd be grateful for recommendations for a nice thick book to take with me. I don't mind if it's a classic or contemporary fiction, maybe 400 pages or more so I can really get into it.

I have enjoyed: There are rivers in the sky by Elif Shafak, The safekeep by Yael van der Wouden, The hare with amber eyes by Edmund de Waal, Wolf Hall trilogy by Hilary Mantel, the Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante, the Gormenghast series by Mervyn Peake, the Boudica series by Manda Scott, Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart, Orlando by Virginia Wolf. I've read most of the main classics but happy to explore some of the more unusual ones.

I don't enjoy: sci fi, "just" romance, very sad stories or anything that's unrelentingly grim, "light" reading (I want something to get lost in), politics.

Any recommendations gratefully received, TIA.

OP posts:
Angelil · 29/04/2026 21:02

So many good recommendations here (the only one I can't bear is John Irving...he's sex-obsessed and his novels are all the same. The only one I liked was The Fourth Hand. I kept trying with his other novels in case they got better...but no.).

My recommendation would be The Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick. Utterly amazing, absorbing piece of work. And then read Moby Dick before/after.

marchduck · 29/04/2026 20:54

I’m enjoying all these suggestions
Two long and satisfying books with multiple narrative strands
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
2666 by Roberto Bolano

mamaduckbone · 29/04/2026 20:42

I was totally coming on to recommend Barbara Kingsolver but I see that one was covered in the first few posts! Demon Copperhead or The Poisonwood Bible are both incredible.

OnlyHereForTheChristmasBoard · 29/04/2026 20:37

Another vote for Anna Karenina. Would also second Vanity Fair.

The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann - huge, mad, brilliant.

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray is great (but the ending, omfg).

StormySea23 · 29/04/2026 20:33

BABEL by RF Kuang is a chunk of book and absolutely fascinating. Such a richly created world and really innovative idea. Similarities to His Dark Materials in some ways but very much for grown ups!

NicolaJM · 29/04/2026 20:23

Anything by Kristen Hannah - great books! The Women for example.
Educated by Tara Westover
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Enjoy!

Cielovista · 29/04/2026 20:14

anything by Murakami - contemporary Japanese writer. Or Butter or Hooked by (can’t remember but another Japanese writer)

Cielovista · 29/04/2026 20:11

Don’t read this - it will really upset you as it did me

MadMadaMim · 29/04/2026 20:10

I'm on the last chapter of the final book in The Cairo Trilogy by Naguib Mahfouz

Story of a family over 30 years ar the beginning of the 20 century. Beautiful books

Naguib Mahfouz - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naguib_Mahfouz

ThePoliteLion · 29/04/2026 20:01

You’ve had some brilliant recommendations especially Middlemarch. I’m never short of book inspiration these days because I listen to an outstandingly good podcast called Tea or Books. Each episode is like sitting in a friendly bar with your two most bookish, fun friends. I’m always noting up their recommendations on my TBR list. Their taste may not be everyone’s (they have a penchant for Persephone publications) but it’s eclectic spread of writers. Mostly women novelists.

WalkTalk · 29/04/2026 19:38

Vanity Fair

JuniperKeats · 29/04/2026 19:37

The Secret History, by Donna Tartt.
its one of my favourites, don’t understand why it hasn’t been filmed or serialised.
so well written and so gripping.

Dappy777 · 29/04/2026 19:26

Ford Maddox Ford: Parade’s End
Anthony Powell: A Dance to the Music of Time
Aldous Huxley: Point Counter Point
Joseph Conrad: Nostromo
D H Lawrence: Women in Love

dcthatsme · 29/04/2026 19:25

I have to second (or third) 'The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny' by Kiran Desai
The Corrections though I read it years ago has stayed with me
I loved 'The Moonstone'
This is such a great thread! Thanks for starting it :-) I have many new recommendations.

Catterbat · 29/04/2026 19:16

LoveYouPickle · 28/04/2026 16:34

Lonesome Dove of course!!!!

a little life is one long layer of misery with several more layers of misery thrown in for good measure 😂

Greatest novel ever written!

Askingforafriendtoday · 29/04/2026 19:09

An Equal Music by Vikram Seth

Anything written by Rachel Joyce

Hameth · 29/04/2026 18:57

Middlemarch or Bleak House

Pitstopperils · 29/04/2026 18:57

Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier
Anything from the Richard Hannay series by John Buchan (The 39 Steps is his most well known book)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Anything by Alexandre Dumas, eg The Count of Monte Cristo or The Three Musketeers, not too heavy going & a great way to get into classic novels.

Chaotica · 29/04/2026 18:46

Some great suggestions on here which I won't repeat.

Orhan Pamuk's My Name is Red, or Snow. (The first has broader appeal, I think but I loved both of them.)

Olga Tokarczuk - Drive your plow over the bones of the dead.

Elias Canetti - Auto de Fé

The last two are both rather strange.

Ahwig · 29/04/2026 18:31

I’m an avid reader both novels and biographies. The most un putable ( think I’ve made up a new word) down book I’ve read in a few years was perfect people by Peter James. Not my usual genre but I was absolutely riveted.

Ilovegrantnicholas · 29/04/2026 18:27

StrangewaysHereWeCome · 28/04/2026 12:57

The Secret History by Donna Tart
The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë
Middlemarch by George Eliot
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,
Restoration by Rose Tremain
Music and Silence by Rose Tremain
Cuddy by Benjamin Myers

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is my favourite book ever!

FranklyIgiveadamn · 29/04/2026 18:27

Notabarbie · 29/04/2026 18:21

Absolutely not. It's beyond harrowing.

Show quote history

I concur! Not a chill out book at all 😬

FranklyIgiveadamn · 29/04/2026 18:25

I would recommend Long Summer Day by RF Delderfield. First in the Horseman Riding By trilogy. An epic saga following the fortunes of a village in Devon over the years from the beginning of the 19th century.

And Fall of Giants by Ken Follett, again the first of a trilogy following families in UK, Russia, Germany and US through 1st, 2nd and Cold Wars. Another epic saga which for me was very informative historically.

Susgor · 29/04/2026 18:22

An Equal Music, by Vikram Seth

The Transylvanian Trilogy, by Miklos Banffy

Notabarbie · 29/04/2026 18:21

eyespartyparty · 28/04/2026 12:43

This Little Life.
It’ll stay with you a long time! It’s worth it but you’ll totally get lost in it and a week is perfect.

Absolutely not. It's beyond harrowing.