The term literary fiction feels ambiguous, and prior to immersing myself in online book spaces, I had assumed all fictional books met this criteria. However literary fiction, or litfic as it’s affectionately known, is a genre all of its own.
What exactly is “literary fiction”?
Literary Fiction are character-driven (vs. plot-driven) stories that don’t fit into well-defined genres like science-fiction or fantasy or romance. This category of fiction typically examines the human condition and relationships, includes introspective thoughts, and explores social and political themes. These books are artsy, literature-worthy, and written less for entertainment and more to move the reader or make you think. Sometimes there is no plot at all. I’ve seen it teased that nothing happens in literary fiction books, and frankly, sometimes nothing does. The strength of these books is often solely in their characters or the author’s prose.
This genre has completely enamored me in recent years. Starting with my first literary fiction read, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt back in 2017, through this last year where I read 6 mesmerizing litfic titles everyone should add to their shelves.
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
The Rachel Incident
by Caroline O’DonoGHUE
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 304
My Rating: ★★★★.5
A coming-of-age story in 2010s Ireland about friendship, love, and the (many) mistakes you make in your twenties.
I inhaled this book. It’s smart, witty, messy, and addicting. There’s a little romance, but the friendship is the true love story. The main characters couldn’t be more frustrating and shakeable, so naturally I loved them to pieces. The twisty ending also had my jaw dropping. This is the ultimate novel for the #litfic girlies.
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
Cleopatra & Frankenstein
by Coco Mellors
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 390
My Rating: ★★★★
The book kicks off with a young twenty-something woman falling for a rich, older man, but this is NOT a sweet age-gap romance. It’s a tumultuous, passionate, chaotic story that unfolds through the perspectives of their closest friends.
Eccentric and complex. I loved this addictive book despite its deeply flawed characters – and often – because of them. I laughed and cried along with them right up until the end.
The book explores themes of love, addiction, mental-health, friendship, grief, and desire.
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
The Berry Pickers
by Amanda Pickers
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 320
My Rating: ★★★★★
A story of how one horrific incident that happens to a family create traumatic ripples that affect everyone for years to come.
I checked this one out from my library on a whim with no idea what the premise was, and ended up loving it.
Beautifully woven between two characters POV’s, it’s heartbreaking and mesmerizing. Despite the sadness and struggle that line each chapter, the ending was satisfying and bittersweet.
Bonus that it’s also relatively short at 320 pages.
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Hello Beautiful
by ANN Napolitano
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 400
My Rating: ★★★★
A moving, multi-layered novel about family (& found family) and how we continue to love and find light after grief, trauma, and betrayal. I was ecstatic to discover this was a loose Little Women-retelling. It’s a rich story about four sisters in Chicago that spans 25+ years.
My only criticism is I wanted more. I wanted more from the characters who made (in my opinion) unforgivable choices. I wanted more details in the years the book skips over. I even wanted more at the end, and in the final moments (that didn’t feel quite final to me).
Napolitano has a beautiful prose though. I fall into her books so easily and am attached to her characters quickly. Definitely shed tears more than once reading this one.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
The Wedding People
by Alison Espach
Genre: Humor/Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 384
My Rating: ★★★★★
I assumed from the cover this was a light romance, and wow have I never been more delighted to be wrong.
Divorced, depressed Phoebe checks into a beach hotel the same time as a giant wedding party and the “wedding people” irrevocably change the course of her life.
This is a unique story that handles heavy, hard themes with humor and hope. I was hooked from the very first chapter and the pacing was such a mesmerizing dance right up until the very end.
Check out my more in-depth review here.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Demon Copperhead
by Barbara Kingsolver
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 560
My Rating: ★★★★★
One of those books you finish and you need a minute, or an entire day, to catch your breath.
Narrated by a young boy born to a single mother in poverty in Appalachia, Demon’s heartbreaking story unfolds over the course 10+ years. Though heavy, and at times even difficult to read, Demon’s voice and inner monologue is laugh-out-loud funny. He has a wry humor that makes his horrifying situations somehow lighter.
A modern-day David Copperfield retelling with themes of: Poverty, Grief, Foster Care, Found Family, Addiction, and Love/Lust.
I am still thinking about this book (a year later). My favorite book from 2024.
Although romance and fantasy are my my first picks to help escape reality, my highest rated reads are almost always literary fiction. Moving, emotional, heart-wrenching and heart-warming. Litfic always makes me feel. Writer’s Digest sums it up best:
“Literary fiction can be any genre and should be for the masses, because at the heart of every work of literary fiction is the human experience.”
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