looking for a book mostly about human relationships set in a modern world with a simple, subtle writing style, slice-of-life feel and a melancholy undertone (or something like that)

first of all, i am a big fan of haruki murakami. i loved every book of his that i've read, with wind-up bird chronicle probably being my favorite book. i really enjoy the way he writes, his books just flow naturally and always invoke the comforting feeling of light sadness, focusing more on characters' inner monologues and interactions between each other rather than plot development.

other books that i enjoyed a lot:

kazuo ishiguro – never let me go. i loved how pronounced the characters are and the sense of real, complicated relationships between them. also, this book does a great job at being subtle in terms of it's plot, never screaming anything in your face. the writing style is very simple but touching. couldn't put this one down. ishiguro's remains of the day is also amazing and checks all the boxes, but one thing that didn't let me enjoy it as much as i potentially could is the fact that its' events are happening in 1920s.

john williams – stoner. also a very subtle book, so sad yet hopeful in a way. i remember really resonating with it because it's very grounded and realistic. but again, i think i'd rather read something more modern in terms of setting.

hanya yanagihara – a little life. i really like books that tell a story about a group of friends, and this one is perfect in that regard. heartbreaking and very nuanced. i saw people recommending donna tartt's the secret history as a tale about a friend group and tried to pick it up, but after 200 pages it didn't do much for me. john boyne's the heart's invisible furies is another one in a similar vein that i enjoyed, though.

joanne greenberg – i never promised you a rose garden. this one is a bit fancier in terms of writing style, didn't feel as easy to go through as the previous ones, but the overall atmostphere and the deep dive into the way human mind can work sometimes kept me hooked.

if you have anything in mind that you think might click with me, i'd be thankful for the recommendation! 🙂