Mind-blowing books.....?

[CakeBeTheFoodOfLove]

I'm looking for a book that will grip me from the start, be hard to put down and when I've finished I want to think....... 'wow!' I know this is a big ask but I'm bored of reading books that are just ok. Any ideas?

The Stone Man - Luke Smitherd

I third the hearts invisible furies, masterpiece

I’m reading the Game of Thrones books by George R Martin, haven’t watched the TV show, really got into them, currently on book 3. Takes you into another world.

Small Island by Andrea Levy - about the experience of Jamaicans in WW2 and as immigrants to London after the war. One of the few books I've read twice.

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber - long (800 pages) and written in a faux-Victorian style which can be a bit heavy, but a brilliant exploration of the splitting of women into Madonna/whore types. Set in 19th century London, the physical experience of the prostitute Sugar is described so vividly and viscerally you feel you know exactly what is it like to inhabit her body.

A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore - the story of an intense relationship between a brother and sister in the early 20th century. Again, the description of the bodily reality of the main character is astounding. Does include some disturbing themes, without giving too much away.

How about Wild Swans by Jung Chang? Absolutely gripping, and true!

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng - loved it!

Ive just finished ‘And the mountains echoed’ by Khaled Hosseini. Absolutely amazing. Check out his other stuff if you haven’t already.

Life after Life by Kate Atkinson was also unforgettable.

Some great recommendations here!

I agree, some excellent recommendations. I've actually got life after life in my box full of charity shop books - might start with that.

@Ymamiss

Have you read A Thousand Splendid Suns? It's one of his earlier ones that I've recommended on this thread and I'm thinking of buying And The Mountains Echoed. If you've read them both, how do you think they compare?

@PizzaAndChips I’ve read all of his books and A Thousand Splendid Suns is my favourite, closely followed by And The Mountains Echoed. The latter is slightly different in that it is partly set outside of Afghanistan and in the present day so gives another view and insight again. I would definitely recommend it too.

@Welshcake77

Right, that confirms it. I'm going to treat myself. Thank you for the recommendation

Good stuff @PizzaAndChips! I hope you enjoy it too

I thought Roberto Bolano's 2666 was a stunning book, although it took me a while to get into. I love the way the style varies from section to section, incorporating so many genres and voices, and the way he deals with the murders of women in Juarez was really unusual. I haven't read anything as impressive since.

I've just read What's Left Unsaid by Deborah Stone and I couldn't put it down. Loved it!

Funny though isn't it how some books are mind blowing to some but mind numbing to others.

There's a few books listed here that I'd rather watch paint dry than read again!!

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Kreuger was the last book I read that I couldn't put down.

I finished Vanity Fair about a month ago now and wow is an understatement to my reaction to it. Since finishing it I've read maybe 10 books, including this year's Pulitzer Prize winner (Less) and the Walter Scott Prize (The Gallows Pole) and none of them have even come close to sheer brilliance of the writing, plot, characters and social observations in Vanity Fair. All that and it's funny, real laugh out loud moments, and the set pieces! OMG there are some scenes in that novel that you could read over and over again and still get pleasure from them. Plus it contains one of the most important characters in all of literary fiction.
I would recommend it to everybody. Blew me away. Seriously toying with the idea of when I finish my current reads starting it again, book reading challenge be damned.

His Bloody Project by Graham Macrae Burnet is very good.

I loved Life of Pi.

So many added to my wishlist!

stripysocks I couldn't agree more.

Some of those listed I couldn't get past the first few chapters. And I am always disappointed when I see them recommended. I want to love them but never do.

Kate Atkinson is usually recommended on these threads. I find her stuff well written and interesting storytelling. But never really gripping.

The same with Margaret Atwood. It probably says more about me than the books. I never know whether to be disappointed with me or the author.

I second “The Goldfinch “ by Donna Tartt and also “The Secret History” by the same author.
“Midnight’s Children” by Salman Rushdi.
“Wild Swans” June Chang.
“The Crimson Petal and the White” Michael Faber.

Apart from Heart's Invisible Furies I also found these books wonderful:

Star of the Sea Joseph O'Connor
Middlesex Jeffrey Eugenides
The Goldfinch Donna Tart
The Crimson Petal and the White Michel Faber
Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver
The Blind Assassin and Alias Grace Margaret Atwood
The Quincunx Charles Palliser
Life After Life Kate Atkinson
Asta's Book Barbar Vine