What shall I read next

[lastqueenofscotland]

I’ve read a lot of very dry non fiction recently and am at a real reading rut for the first time in many years.
I did read The Dust That Falls From Dreams recently and enjoyed that.
Otherwise I like:
All of Margaret Atwood, oryx and crake is my favourite.
Enjoyed both of Celeste Ngs books
I like books that are pretty miserable, really enjoyed A Little Life and In Preparation For The Next Life.

My favourite book of all time is Brideshead Revisited.

Please help me find something I don’t want to give up on!

Have you read 'Brighton Rock'? I tend to see it alongside 'Brideshead' because they both have Catholicism as a central idea. It also fits into your desire for misery!

A Passage to India.

I re-read Passage last year (or maybe the year before) after loving it as a teen. This time, it bored me senseless.

I have read Brighton Rock and loved it too!
and I think you’ve hit the nail on the head RE desire for misery

Vox

If you like miserable books, Charles Palliser’s Quincunx is the book for you. It’s a kind of fabulous Victorian pastiche, but I don’t think I’ve ever read a more miserable book.

Have you read A Fine Balance and/or A Prayer for Owen Meaney?

Both ended up annoying me but they are certainly page turners and have enough misery to keep you going for a fair few hours between them.

All The Light We Cannot See
The Shock of the Fall
The Sealwomans Gift

Circe is an amazing book. I also loved loved loved Where The Crawdads Sing.

How about the Edward St Aubyn series - a lovely mix of sublime prose and abject misery!

Neither are especially miserable though! I would have suggested A Little Life but you’ve done that

Oh..Just thought of an amazing but apparently miserable one- Mend The Living!

The Quincunx was fabulous! Also, it's really long so should keep you going for a while.

Also, The Crimson Petal and The White by Michel Fabre is quite miserable in places.

Enjoy!

If you're looking for a miserable book, try Stoner by John Williams

Both non fiction (sorry) but Educated by Tara Westover was brilliant. Not a misery memoir but could have so easily been, but her story and style of writing is great.

Chernobyl Prayer which reminds me of Nothing to Envy

Fiction wise I've enjoyed the new (not Jean Rhys) Good morning, Midnight and Manhatten Beach