I’ve watched dark comedies but I don’t know of any books in that genre. I’d rather not waste my time trawling through a series of bad books until I get what I want, so can anyone recommend anything they enjoyed?
I don’t read much comedy in general so cannot give much clue about my tastes, but I’m not sensitive and so don’t mind something a bit messed up.
I liked American Psycho (though the lengthy monologuing about nonsense did wear a little bit). I’m English and that traditional dry humour is also something I enjoy. I watched Saltburn recently and enjoyed that, so anything a bit trashy is also fine!
I just really want something dark, witty and well-written.
by StarFire24601
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You might take a look at some of Carl Hiaasen’s adult novels. He’s a former newspaper writer and his adult fiction (he also writes for younger audiences) generally satirizes some of the more ridiculous aspects of unrepentant corruption with a decidedly Floridian taste. For example, the opening premise of Squeeze Me is that an elderly socialite is carried off and eaten by a rogue Burmese python from a charity event at a stand-in for Mar-a-Lago. I will say that I find Hiaasen occasionally gets too broad but if you enjoy seeing the ridiculous being skewered mercilessly (but oh so deservedly) you might like him.
M. Amis, Dead babies
Professor Dowell’s Head by Alexander Belyaev, about a crazy surgeon and his laboratory of talking heads.
1. “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller is a classic dark comedy that follows Yossarian, a bombardier in World War II who tries to avoid combat by declaring himself insane. It’s a satirical look at war and bureaucracy, and it’s full of absurd humor.
2. “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole is a hilarious and heartwarming story about Ignatius Reilly, a lazy and eccentric man who lives with his mother in New Orleans. Ignatius is constantly getting into trouble, but he always manages to find a way to make you laugh.
3. “Eternal Gods Die Too Soon” by Beka Modrekiladze explores profound questions of existence and reality through the journey of a protagonist who uncovers the simulated nature of his existence. It’s a thought-provoking and entertaining blend of science, philosophy, and dark humor.