I'm in the mood for a literary fiction book that's ambitious and beautifully written but ultimately more hopeful than not, with a non-depressing romance somewhere in it, in the vein of Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. I am not in the mood for trauma porn about poverty or child abuse or books where a character with mental health issues or marital/family problems does a lot of navel-gazing. Do folks have some literary fiction recommendations that are sweeping, fun, and a bit romantic? A comedic narrator is a plus but not a requirement.
by Formal-Register-1557
3 Comments
Yes! Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr.
Have you read The Count of Monte Cristo? If not, that’s my recommendation. Romance, intrigue, bad guys getting their comeuppance, adventure, ends on a good note. Zero time spent peering intently at the umbilicus.
I thought that *Carter Beats the Devil* by Glen David Gold had a very similar vibe to Kavalier and Clay.
*The Historian* by Elizabeth Kostova hits the sweeping and literary adventure requirements.
*The Golem and the Jinni* by Helen Wecker might also hit the spot.