My wife says that modern “well-written fiction” is almost always “trauma dumps.” Curious to hear thoughts and get recommendations.

So my wife tends to read (but not exclusively) modern fiction stories that read similar to memoirs. Usually first person narratives, prefers things that are not fantasy, sci-fi, or romance. She was telling me today about the last several books she had read that had come highly recommended to her. She described them as beautifully written, but tough to read because of the onslaught of awful things that happen to the characters. I think she is hoping to find some engaging fiction that isn't so grim. I mostly read non-fiction, so my recommendations to her were limited. Listed below are some of the books she has read over the last couple of years for reference. For additional reference, she said that some of her favorites have been numbers 7 and 21.

1. Riot Days by Maria Alyokhina
2. Mother of Strangers by Suad Amiry
3. I hope this finds you well: poems by Kate Baer
4. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
5. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
6. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
7. Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy
8. The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (And Their Parents) by Elizabeth Verdick and Elizabeth Reeve
9. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
10. The Viceroy's Daughters: The Lives of the Curzon Sisters by Anne de Courcy
11. Table for Two: Fictions by Amor Towles
12. The Fire Next Time: My Dungeon Shook by James Baldwin
13. No Name in the Street by James Baldwin
14. Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin
15. The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin
16. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
17. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
18. Anne of the Islands by L.M. Montgomery
19. Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
20. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
21. Habitations by Sheila Sundar
22. Healthy Kids, Happy Kids by Elisa Song
23. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo