I just finished The Secret History after continually seeing Donna Tartt recommended here. I didn't know anything about the plot going in, which was a mistake since I'm really not into psychological thrillers or anything adjacent. Embarrassingly, the book has given me nightmares for the past 4 days I've been reading it and generally put me into a black and anxious mood.
What are other books that are excellent pieces of fiction/prose but aren't so depressing, nail-biting, morally dark, etc? My favorite genres are contemporary literary fiction and magical realism. I don't like fantasy/sci fi as much. Looking for something with depth but that has an underlying positive message. A good example of this is Deacon King Kong which I loved. I think The Correspondent would also be up my alley, so I have reserved it at the library.
Even better if it's a book/author that's not as often mentioned here or that you think deserves more attention than it gets.
by Cool_Card1137