I’m looking for an adult fiction book (or series) with a realistic setting (not 100% necessary) that has truly great characters. I prefer stories that are based in reality but will delve into more fantastical stories if the character work is exceptionally good.
If you could list off the books which had the characters you were the most invested in, that would be great.
Thanks!
by Unusual-Historian360
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Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Nobody’s Fool by Richard Russo
Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey
**The End of Loneliness by Benedict Wells**
If you read one book from this list, make it this one. The character work is seriously amazing and the book handles topics such as grief, belonging, trauma, loneliness and love in such a beautiful way. In all seriousness, I felt like the characters were people who could easily exist in the real world. There’s a chance you will need tissues.
**A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman**
In my opinion, the only book that can measure up to the previous one. It’s filled with such humanity and tenderness, it’s guaranteed to make you feel warm around your heart. It will make you smile, cry and believe in humanity. And don’t let the grumpy main character discourage you. His emotional journey is what makes the book such a wonderful read.
**The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid**
Read this one if you are in the mood for drama. Great, complex, morally gray characters and a gripping plot. There’s a reason why this one got so popular in the recent years.
**The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman**
This is a wonderful example of how the plot can be forwarded through the emotional and moral struggles of characters. It deals with questions of ethics, as well as marriage and the meaning of true love, especially when faced with challenging decisions. The movie is also great, especially if you know the backstory regarding the actors 🙂
**The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein**
This one also follows a character navigating the ups and downs of life, but this time with a dog and also race cars! It is a gentle look into the ambitions, family life and emotional turmoil of a professional race car driver. Like the previous one, this book also delves into the topics of life, love and fatherhood. It has a movie adaptation as well, which I can also recommend.
Do be encouraged to research each of the books mentioned, and see for yourself if any of them are up your alley. As someone who likes plot driven books, but finds the characters to be the most important thing in a story, these books really stood out to me. I hope you will give them a try. Happy reading!
The Space Adventures Of Commander Laine. You will love the characters.
Anxious People by Fredrick Backman. I missed them when it was over. Enough that I then watched the mini series, which is good but it wasn’t the people I had just spent so long with.
Master and Commander series with Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin