To ask for recommendations for a really long amazing book?

[theotherfossilsister]

Something I can immerse myself in. I like historical fiction (Wolf Hall and BUTB, The Crimson Petal and the White, All the Light We Cannot See) but open to anything big and brilliant and immersive.

Oh I also love The Cazalet Chronicles which were recommended on here, and really enjoyed I Claudius despite thinking it would be dry (it wasn't dry.)

Any recommendations please?

Assume over 500 pages minimum. Agree with A Suitable Boy, absolutely loved that when I read it back in the 90s. Also Margaret Atwood is good for a chunky book, my favourites are Alias Grace and The Blind Assassin. And Donna Tartt's The Secret History and all of Sarah Waters books.

Non-fiction but Testament of Youth is very immersive.

Also: Possession by AS Byatt, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Suzanna Clarke, The Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif are long books I've loved.

It's an obvious suggestion but War and Peace is fabulous. Other good classics depending on your preferences: Tom Jones by Henry Fielding, any of the big 4 by Wilkie Collins (read Woman in White before you read Sarah Waters, one of her books borrows heavily from it), Vanity Fair by Thackeray, and The Way we Live Now by Anthony Trollope. And DH loves Dumas but I've not read any so can't comment!

Ducks Newburyport if you want a challenge. Not like anything you will have read before.

The Baroque Cycle, a trilogy, if you want a sparkling historical romp through the Enlightenment, written by a historian/linguist/novelist/computer scientist. Lots of fun.

I read The Night Circus for book club and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I also loved The Poisonwood Bible but ... you really really should also read A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara ...it will consume you in a way novels rarely do and will haunt you evermore. Unputdownable. Unforgettable.

I absolutely love Natasha Pulley particularly The Watchmaker of Filigree Street though I'm not sure it qualifies as particularly long. The first book I read of hers was Bedlam Stacks and was really sad when I finished it.

The Books of Jacob, by Olga Tokarczuk - an epic historical novel!

If you've read and enjoyed Dickens, I'd highly recommend Dombey and Son as a slightly more obscure option.

Another vote for A Suitable Boy, wonderful book (as is An Equal Music by the same author). I Am Pilgrim was one of the worst books I’ve ever read - I was hate-reading it by the end 😆

This Thing of Darkness
A Fine Balance

both are amazing

Another vote for Dickens, I love a couple of hours reading a good chunk of one of his.

A Fine Balance is also excellent, as is his Family Matters.

One of my favourite long novels is A House for Mr Biswas.

I much prefer Anna Karenin to War and Peace.

Oh another thought, the Kingmaker series by Toby Clements is absolutely fantastic. Set from 1460 onwards and covering the war of the roses.

I love this thread. Lots of goodies that I haven't read. Thanks for starting it OP.

The Stand. Highbrow it’s not but he’s a master storyteller and it pulls you right in from the first page.

The Deptford Trilogy is amazing

My 3 favourite fat books....

Labryinth - Kate Mosse
Dr Zhivago - Boris Pasternak
Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

I've never seen anyone recommend these before. I love Wurts, I am so excited for the last book. I messaged her at the end of the 11th one as I was so upset with her and she promised me everything would be OK!

www.mumsnet.com/talk/what_were_reading/4193181-Can-somebody-recommend-me-an-epic

I don't know if this link will work but I started a similar thread during lockdown and got some great suggestions.

Have you read The Mirror and the Light,3rd in the Wolf Hall trilogy
and another vote for Vanity Fair

I agree with War and Peace, Possession, Middlemarch, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, I Am Pilgrim, and the Wurts series (she should be better known).

I recommend:

• The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon


• Jerusalem by Simon Sebag Montefiore

Yes, I second this. Great book.

I'm going to add to love of The Poisonwood Bible. One of my all time favourite books

I have loved: The Hearts Invisible Furies by John Boyne, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts and A Suitable Boy by Vickram Seth, all slightly longer books

Cathedral by Ben Hopkins, long and historical.

the Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Just coming on to mention Edward Rutherfurd. Chunky great books. 'London' was nearly 1000 pages. The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett is good too if a romp through the 20th century in your thing.