I have come to the conclusion that I don't like quite a lot of female writers

[OrmIrian]

Nicole Krauss - History of love. Yaaaaaawnn!
Someobody Niffeneagger? 'Time Travellers Wife' made me so cross I wanted to burn the f*ing book!
Even struggled with Zadie Smith.

OK I've had too much soave and I can't think of any more examples but I have come to the conclusion that I don't want endless analysis of emotions, angsting over love affairs. I want interest, something actually happening, description, intellectual analysis. Not who fed who and who didn't and what is the emotional mess that results. If someone behaves badly and irrationally, I want to kow why*, not just put it down to past traumas and say 'of that's OK then'.

Does that make me a bad sister? Or just a man manque?

I love Terry Prathcett. I suspect that indicates serious emotional embolism. But wtf.

OrmIrian, if you are still here, hadn't read the whole thread so sorry about that . If you want to give Walters a go I'd second Affinity and also The Night Watch - two of the best novels of recent years. I also like Margaret Forster - recently read 'Diary of an Ordinary Woman', a fictional diary spanning the C20th, very interesting and incredibly well researched.

ggirl - love the literature map, really useful!

That was weird. I tried it and got a whole host of unlikely writers. I wonder how they work it out.

It's funny - some writers have lots of names appearing around them while others just have names around the edges of the screen.

Louis Sacher looks quite lonely while Zadie Smith is Miss Popularity.

Hilary Mantel- can't go wrong with her.
Try Clare Morrall
Anita Diamant- Last Days of Dogtown
Catherine O'Flynn- What was Lost
Carolyn Parkhurst- Lorelei's Secret

ggirl, that map is marvellous (if a bit bonkers ... why do all the names sort of shimmer about - is it to keep you interested)?

I tried Shakespeare. It gave me a single authorly-soulmate, which was Jane Austen

Eight Months on Ghazzah Street and An Experiment in Love are two of my favourite Hilary Mantel novels. Fludd was the one I struggled with. Giving Up the Ghost is brilliant, even better than Bad Blood imo
Second recommendations for Helen Simpson and Sarah Waters.
You could try some of the vintage fiction from Persephone Press. Elizabeth Berridge's Tell it to a stranger, for example?

I loved Fludd.

Also love Angela Carter, Fay Weldon (can never understand why she is so badly underrated by just about everyone), Ali Smith, and lots of others I can't think of just now.

Could never get on with Anita Brookner though. Her heroines always seem to want a good shaking.

OrmIrian - haven't read the whole thread but am with you on those you listed first, especially Kate Mosse's Labyrinth. I was going along quite well with it until the dozy bint of a heroine LEFT HER BLOODY BAG BEHIND IN THE ENEMY'S HOUSE- then it all went "oh fgs, what a totally contrived plot point, what a load of shite bollox" and struggled to finish it.

Mind you, I didn't mind Time Traveller's Wife that much and I LOVE Terry Pratchett.

I don't generally read bestsellers.

Alice Munro is very good too. And Anne Tyler.

Pat Barker and Anne Tyler are both great writers.

You are very lovely people and have made me very happy. I feel quite asamed that so many of the names you mention I have heard of but never got round to reading. Stuck in a rut. I suspect DH goes to Waterstones, sees a likely looking book in the 3 for 2 section and that's what I get in my stocking or as an extra b'day pressie. I shall beg him to stop.

I worry that I don't like enough stuff written by men!

I'm stuck in a bit of a young adult rut at the moment, so I'm going to suggest Eva Ibbotson, Curtis Sittenfeld and Meg Rosoff.

(Curtis is a girl, honestly)

Right. Next stop Amazon.

I LOVED Time Travellers Wife

BTW, I want to like Margaret Atwood, and a few I actually do, but I find them very forgettable, and most just too hard to get into, and not worth the effort.

Hi all, also haven't read all the thread but wanted to stick up for Time Traveller's Wife.

Love the Literature Map - though it is a bit bonkers.

Anyone read Ann-Marie Macdonald? I think she is mind-blowingly good. Quite hard work to get into but once you're in, you can't let go and it's an incredibly rewarding, moving read. Fall On Your Knees and The Way The Crow Flies.

Anne Tyler is a lovely writer.

i love zadie smith, though not white teeth-the Autograph man is my fave
Pat Barker's Regeneration Trilogy is fantastic

Hilary Mantel, RoseTremain, Penelope Lively, Kate Atkinson, Helen Dunmore all v. good
agree with whoever mention Scarlett thomas (though i reckon her endings are not always the best...can leave me a bit bemused)

um, Kate Grenville-Blood River was excellent too

cjcregg- i love Anne-Marie Macdonald.The way the crow flies was brilliant.

I tried Ann Marie Macdonald after raves on this site and was bitterly disappointed, found Fall on Your Knees contrived and melodramatic

Others obv feel differently

I loved Time Traveller's Wife

And Anne Tyler is a great writer. But I think most contemporary writers of modern fiction write what my husband and I call faux lit - bog standard stuff dressed up to seem important and intellectual.

I am really looking forward to having a good laugh at reading the new Rachel Cusk. She is so mindbogglingly pretentious, I find her unintentionally hilarious. Theearly reviews I've read hint her latest book will be a classic.

Oh, you're badmouthing so many books I love.

The Time Traveller's Wife (Audrey Nifenegger) just mesmerising. We Need to Talk About Kevin (Lionel Shriver) I enjoyed (if enjoyed is the right word)

Siri Hustvedt - What I Loved was a bit contrived for me (sounds strange to say that when compared especially to Time Traveller's Wife - I found it hard to warm to the story whilst still appreciating its literary qualities.
Enjoyed Fingersmith too.

Also like Margaret Attwood (but not the sci-fi ones), Anne Tyler,

HAve you tried Carol Shields, Donna Tartt, Michele Roberts, Helen Dunmore (bit of a long shot the last one but trying to get what you like and dislike)?

Also Andrea Levy - Small Island

You must read the Regeneration trilogy by Pat Barker. Fabulous stuff.

Sarah Waters is dreadful. That Fingersmith was just laughable. I don't understand why she's so popular. Her writing is crud.

But so many great women writers out there.

I love Antonia Fraser and Kate Atkinson (bit mad at times) too. Marjane Satrapi who wrote Persepolis and Embroderies is fascinating too.

I liked "The Time Traveller's Wife"!

Then again there are plenty on here that I've hated -

Margaret Atwood - except "The Handmaid's Tale" which is fab.

Sarah Waters - yawn

Kate Mosse - over-written, boring drivel

Claire Morral - yawn

The Icarus Girl - Helen Oyeyemi

However, Jane Austen is female - so if no female (or male) ever wrote another book again, ever, I could live happily just on re-reads!