Books on the literary end of the scale...

[DoItTooJulia]

I'm after books to read that are more literary than chick lit.

I don't mind popular, I like a bloody good story, don't mind historical. I don't actually know if I am describing my tastes well (I don't need 'showy' books iyswim, but I just don't want to read trash).

I find working through things like booker long lists too hit and miss.

I've recently read: Sebastian Faulks where my heart used to beat it was ok. I enjoyed Bel Canto and liked Paula McClains the rising sun. I've got The surgeon of crowthorne lined up and Wilkie Collins Woman in White but after that I'm stuck.

Any ideas?

[DoItTooJulia]

Yay-someone gets my subversive name! I've never been comfy in a different one.

I'm putting all of these in my newly created books wish list, I'm going to enjoy getting and reading these.

[totalturmoil]

Tracy Chevalier - what do you think of her? Her latest book is about to come out in paperback, called At the Edge of the Orchard. Anyone remember Girl with a Pearl Earring??

[ConstanceAndTheElephant]

Definitely agree with Donna Tartt and Curtis Sittenfeld. Lionel Shriver's The Mandibles. Alias Hrace by Margaret Atwood. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber. Do yourself a favour and give The Girl on the Train a miss.

[Soupswoop]

Great thread! I have also been reading the Shakespeare retold books - loved the Gap of Time, haven't got to Hagseed yet. Do you like Ali Smith? Very much an acquired taste but if so try the new one, Autumn, or my favourite, How to Be Both. An easy page-turner but definitely not chick lit is Sweet Caress (William Boyd) - it's a fictional biography but it feels real, there are even real photos in it. For historical fiction have you read any Sarah Moss, not new but I have only recently discovered her, and for slightly magical stories how about Eowyn Ivey (her parents named her after a character in Lord of the Rings) the Snow Child or To the Bright Edge of the World, both set in Alaska.

[DoItTooJulia]

total i have read some chevalier. It was ok-a good read from what I remember. I'll check out the new one, thanks.

Constance I really enjoyed the Crimson Petal and The Girl on the Train is a hand me down, it didn't look like my cup of tea, but I've hung onto it, because you just never know when some easy reading might come in handy. It's going to the bottom of the pile.


And Soup I really enjoyed The Snow Child and didn't know she's written another. Off to put it in my basket! Cheers!

[user1471503992]

I enjoyed Maddaddam without rereading Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood, which I only got to read once as had borrowed it from a friend. They don't follow all the same people so it's safe enough to read it - and very good! Do you like David Mitchell? The Bone Clocks and Slade House are awesome. Also, try Jenni Fagan's The Panopticon - brilliant, creepy, gripping. Her new one is good too but not as good. The Power by Naomi Alderman is great, Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi too, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.

[user1471503992]

I didn't find Hagseed as good as the usual Margaret Atwoods, but I liked The Gap of Time. The Girl on the Train got slated by people at work so I'm giving that one a miss. I second the Ali Smith recommendation! Have you read The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan? That's next on my list.

[sooperdooper]

The girl on the train was an easy read, I picked it up on holiday, kept me entertained but nothing earth shattering

I've now got about a million books on my to read list!

Has anyone else read A brief history of seven killings? I'm struggling with it at the minute but it's got such good reviews, is it worth persevering?

[PhoenixRisingSlowly]

Thanks so much for this thread OP, we have really similar tastes so it's seen v helpful . I've added loads to my Amazon saved for later basket.

I'd echo recommendations for Maggie O'Farrell, Kate Atkinson, Sarah Waters and A Little Life. I also read The Paying Guests as my first Sarah Waters novel and while I liked it, in my opinion it's not her best work. I much preferred Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith, and even The Night Watch was very good compare to it. The Paying Guests still worth a read though.

[Allalonenow]

Just thought I'd mention a couple more of my long time favourites,

Clara by Janice Galloway

Anything from Nial Williams but especially Four Letters of Love, and As It Is In Heaven.

[Allalonenow]

Not forgetting.....

"At swim,two boys" by Jamie O'Neill

And anything from Michael Curtin, especially "The plastic tomato cutter".

[pieceofpurplesky]

Have you read the Shadow of the Wind books by Carlos Ruiz Zafon? I loved those.

How about The Magic Toy Shop by Angela Carter?

Anything by Amy Tan.

Doris Lessing Mara and Dan of you enjoyed Atwood

The Girl With all the Gifts and Fellside by M Carey have been my most recent favourites

[Allalonenow]

Oh yes The Magic Toy Shop is totally captivating!
I have read the Zafon and liked it in parts, but it was a bit too "woo" for me.
Amy Tan is wonderfully readable I think, very believable characters.

I've met Angela Carter and Doris Lessing .

All this has reminded me to mention Winter in Madrid by C. J. Sansom.

[traviata]

I was skimming this thread desperately to see if anyone mentioned The Essex Serpent and only Remus did.

OP, based on your preferences so far, you would love The Essex Serpent (by Sarah Perry).

May I also say that I loved The Goldfinch, and totally missed all the HP references (but would have been quite happy to see them). So far as I am concerned it was a rollicking, quasi-Dickensian yarn, with regular passages of quite beautiful descriptive writing, and I wanted to carry on reading it.

[SatsukiKusakabe]

traviata I recommended the Essex Serpent at the beginning, so that's 3 votes I loved it (though was ambivalent to the Goldfinch!)

[traviata]

oops sorry Satsuki

[traviata]

what did you think of His Bloody Project?

[SatsukiKusakabe]

I liked HBP thought it was quite powerful and unexpected.

[EmGee]

OP, you could also try some Haruf Kent - I have only read Our Souls at Night but Plainsong is supposed to be wonderful.
Or Colm Toibin - I loved Nora Webster and Brooklyn. Just beautifully written like Haruf Kent.

[tormentil]

Sharon Maas - Of Marriageable Age

[HappydaysArehere]

Just finishing The Way To Winter by Patrick Gale. I saw this recommended on another thread and I have really enjoyed it. Also agree with All The Light...and his Bloody Project.

[DoItTooJulia]

Just finished Life After Life-brilliant! I really enjoyed it, great recommendation.

I misplaced The Surgeon of Crowthorne but I wasn't enamoured with it, so I might put it back in the to read pile.

It's a question of what to read next really. Do I go straight for A God in Ruins?