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The Best Literary Fiction Books and Novels

Often described as "serious" literature (think the Great American Novel), literary fiction often doesn't fit neatly into the parameters of other genres, and is usually more character-driven than plot-driven. But don't let that lofty definition put you off—plenty of literary fiction is accessible, fascinating, and all the more interesting for its fully fleshed-out characters. In fact, some of the most popular books of all time are literary fiction.

At the same time, a literary fiction label doesn’t mean a novel can’t have elements of other genres—there’s plenty of books shelved as literary suspense, literary romance, or even literary fabulism. You can expect these kinds of novels to still have those genre traits, but with elevated writing styles and more character development.

Another hallmark of literary fiction is the prizes. From Booker Prize winners to National Book Award winners to Pulitzer Prize winners, literary fiction features the kind of writing that deserves all the accolades.

Intrigued? Dive into our lists of recommended literary fiction books below.

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My Brilliant Friend
My Brilliant Friend
by Elena Ferrante, Ann Goldstein
Euphoria
Euphoria
by Lily King
I, Judas
I, Judas
by Taylor Caldwell, Jess Stearn
In Love & Trouble
In Love & Trouble
by Alice Walker
Moon Tiger
Moon Tiger
by Penelope Lively
Miss Jane
Miss Jane
by Brad Watson
Brown Dog
Brown Dog
by Jim Harrison
Survivor
Survivor
by Chuck Palahniuk
A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange
by Anthony Burgess
A River Runs through It and Other Stories
A River Runs through It and Other Stories
by Norman MacLean, Robert Redford
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The War of the End of the World
The War of the End of the World
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Helen R. Lane
The Hearth and Eagle
The Hearth and Eagle
by Anya Seton
The Love Object
The Love Object
by Edna O'Brien
Jane and Prudence
Jane and Prudence
by Barbara Pym
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The Enchanted April
The Enchanted April
by Elizabeth von Arnim
The Painted Bird
The Painted Bird
by Jerzy Kosinski
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Vile Bodies
Vile Bodies
by Evelyn Waugh
Persuasion
Persuasion
by Jane Austen
Imperial Woman
Imperial Woman
by Pearl S. Buck
The Breaking Point
The Breaking Point
by Daphne Du Maurier
Behind the Scenes at the Museum
Behind the Scenes at the Museum
by Kate Atkinson
Clock Without Hands
Clock Without Hands
by Carson McCullers
Baudolino
Baudolino
by Umberto Eco
A Sport and a Pastime
A Sport and a Pastime
by James Salter
Our Man in Havana
Our Man in Havana
by Graham Greene
Echoes of Our Ancestors
Echoes of Our Ancestors
by Brenda Vicars
We the Animals
We the Animals
by Justin Torres
The Thief of Time
The Thief of Time
by John Boyne
Desert of the Heart
Desert of the Heart
by Jane Rule
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Beneficence
Beneficence
by Meredith Hall
Walk the Blue Fields
Walk the Blue Fields
by Claire Keegan
Fly Away Home
Fly Away Home
by Marge Piercy
Earthlings
Earthlings
by Sayaka Murata
Kitchen
Kitchen
by Banana Yoshimoto
Comanche Moon
Comanche Moon
by Larry McMurtry
Italian Shoes
Italian Shoes
by Henning Mankell
The Cement Garden
The Cement Garden
by Ian McEwan
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The Group
The Group
by Mary McCarthy
Indian Horse
Indian Horse
by Richard Wagamese
Three Men in a Boat
Three Men in a Boat
by Jerome K. Jerome
White Nights
White Nights
by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Monkey Wrench Gang
The Monkey Wrench Gang
by Edward Abbey
Last Exit to Brooklyn
Last Exit to Brooklyn
by Hubert Selby Jr.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
by Muriel Barbery, Alison Anderson
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
by Peter Hedges
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love
by Oscar Hijuelos
Teach Us to Outgrow Our Madness
Teach Us to Outgrow Our Madness
by Kenzaburo Oe, John Nathan
Offshore
Offshore
by Penelope Fitzgerald
Women in Love
Women in Love
by D.H. Lawrence
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Literary fiction is a genre that focuses on style, theme, and character rather than plot. Literary fiction books are often an exploration of the human condition or social and political issues. Classics like To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, and A Tale of Two Cities are examples of literary fiction. 

This can be a difficult distinction because they have some overlap. But generally, literary fiction is character-driven, and focuses on character building, themes, and literary devices, while genre fiction is plot-driven, and focuses on tropes, plot structures, and archetypes. Additionally, genre fiction can be broken down into other sub-genres, while literary fiction cannot.