If you have a recommendation that can be classified as both, even better.
By **”of-manners”,** books I mean novels/novellas that put the minutiae of human social interactions at or near the center of the story. Popular examples of this would be most of **Jane Austen’s works** (which are classed as *comedies of manner*), Mervyn Peake’s **Gormenghast trilogy** (which are classed as *fantasies of manner*), and James Clavell’s **Shogun** (which I consider to a *historical fiction/period fiction of manners*). If there is another, better, name for this subgenre, I would appreciate you enlightening me.
I don’t think I need to define **dark fantasy,** for I am sure pretty much everyone knows what it is. I would like books with adult themes and adult protagonists.
by AMF786
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Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell
The fairies are coming back to Regency England
Christopher Moore writes dark comedy and he has a series starting with Fool that is inspired by Shakespeare. That’s probably as close to fitting everything you asked for.
As far as favorites, my favorite may be ***A Civil Campaign: A Comedy of Biology and Manners***[^([a])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Civil_Campaign#cite_note-4) , a science fiction novel by American writer [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_McMaster_Bujold), but it is in the middle of a long series.
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal.
A College of Magics by Caroline Stevermer.
Daughter of Mystery by Heather Rose Jones.
This isn’t one of my favorites, but it might fit both your requirements? Tooth and Claw is a take on Pride and Prejudice with dragons.