I'm looking for novels with a cast of characters where each character is spiraling/falling apart/miserably struggling with their own individual problems. I'd especially love if it's about a family, like a bunch of siblings.
And MAJOR bonus points if only ONE of the characters is a POV character/narrator. I'd prefer just one narrating character observing everyone (including themself if they too are spiraling) breaking down rather than jumping between each character's POV.
I prefer contemporary (anywhere in the 20th – 21st century I guess) realism.
Super specific, I know… if you have a recommendation that you think fits even a little, please share! Thank you in advance!
by jessicajo
28 Comments
It’s not about a family — it’s about different people that live in a luxury apartment building — but “77 Shadow Street” by Dean Koontz has the distressed multi-POV-one-overall-narrator thing you’re looking for if you don’t mind horror!
No bonus points, but *Little Fires Everywhere* by Celeste Ng hits the main point.
Maybe [The Makioka Sisters](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34449.The_Makioka_Sisters)?
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone
{{L.A. Weather by María Amparo Escandón}} It’s in third person POV if I remember correctly and does jump around, but centers around a modern-day, Mexican-American family living in LA. Each character has their own problems and interpersonal issues abound. There are three generations involved, although the oldest in the grandkid generation is a teen, though they have their own struggles too. Very well done and true to life, I felt.
*Little Cruelties* by Liz Nugent
The Corrections
[The Corrections](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3805.The_Corrections?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=yelILx8Z9w&rank=1), by Jonathan Franzen
[The Bee Sting](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62039166-the-bee-sting?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Y94cBFutBl&rank=1), by Paul Murray
This is a weird one and may not scratch your itch but I’m gonna mention it anyway: [Luckenbooth](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41826984-luckenbooth?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=2RDOx1d3Ma&rank=1), by Jenni Fagan. You’ll either read it and think “YES, this is what I wanted even though it’s not quite what I described!” or you’ll read it and think “What WAS she thinking about? This is too bonkers.”
The Secret History by Donna Tartt – more about found family than family but they spiral in rather spectacular fashion, it is a POV narrator/character
You might also like How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents – it ticks the boxes with siblings dealing with their own issues but it’s not a misery-fest either, just real
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray for sure
So these ARE multiple-narrator books but otherwise, I would recommend Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful and Within Arm’s Reach. As I remember it there was more widespread spiraling in the former and the latter may have been fewer characters but with lots of drama involvement from the others. It has been a minute.
The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver
We Were the Mulvaneys maybe?
A Spot of Bother by mark haddon
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Here are some spiraling novels:
I Hope This Finds You Well – miserable girl spiraling seeing other people spiral through sneaky spying, single narrator. Contemporary, real office setting. I thought this book was going to be mid, but I find myself thinking about it a year after I read it.
Berry Pickers. Doesn’t satisfy single POV, but it’s not far off. And, it follows two separate families, conjoined – but only kind, spiraling individually.
Second vote for *Hello Beautiful* that I see recommended. It would scratch this itch.
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason might fit, and it’s an EXCELLENT read
Pineapple street might be a good one.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver pretty well fits the bill.
Blue Sisters (no bonus points but great book)
So this is somewhat humorous and there are two main POVs, but it works because they’re fraternal twins, but I really loved *Greta and Valdin*, by Rebecca K. Reilly about fraternal twins in a Russian-Māori family in NZ. Each of the characters has some drama going on and is dealing with it separately and sometimes together.
The Most Fun we Ever Had and Same As it Ever Was by Claire Lombardo – Same As it Ever Was is for sure only one POV, I think Most Fun We Ever Had is multiple – and Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano (also multiple POV)
As I lay Dying by Faulkner
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
A couple released within the last few years that I’ve read recently: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray and The Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner.
the world after alice – lauren green, the corrections – franzen, and also crossroads by franzen, the nest by cynthia d’aprix sweeney
The Long Island Compromise
Mix POVs but the author indicates who is narrating.
Edit: added more context
I don’t know about a book unfortunately, but maybe you’d like the musical Next To Normal? Definitely check trigger warnings tho