“I think books are like people, in the sense that they’ll turn up in your life when you most need them.” – Emma Thompson. Maithili Bachani reviews 5 contemporary fiction books that you should definitely add to your TBR, some profound pieces of the genre await you!
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones and the Six is a book based in the sixties about a fictional Rock & Roll band Daisy Jones and the Six who were absolute musical mavericks and owned the industry, until they suddenly broke and no one knew why until now! The book explores themes of music, raw emotions, portrayal of fame, love and addiction in the most beautifully tragic way possible. The entire book is written in dialogue format which makes it so unique; Taylor crafts a story that feels real, chaotic and magical
Anxious People by Fredrick Backman
Anxious People by Fredrick Backamn is one of the finest pieces of literature when it comes to describing the human psyche in the most unaffected manner. A crime that never took place and a possible bank robber who is nowhere to be found; 8 anxious people are questioned and find out they have more in common than they knew. Frederick has created the perfect balance of humour, depth and wholesomeness wrapped in a hardbound, it is a story that will make you feel complete.
Yellowface by R.F Kuang
Yellowface is a book with a nuanced take on the ethnic ambiguity and the dark world of publishing. June Hayward meets up with her college friend Athena Liu who happens to be a very successful author, but by some twist of fate she dies and the book follows what happens when June steals her manuscript and sells it as her own. R.F Kuang beautifully explores race, privilege and identity all through an unreliable narrator.
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
My Year of Rest and Relaxation is one of the books that blew up on TikTok regardless of the not- so digestible themes of the story. The book follows an unnamed main character who battles severe mental health issues (that are not explicitly mentioned) and tries to sleep for an entire year, assuming she would feel rested and gain the will to live again. Ottessa unraveled this very twisted story with ambiguity and seemingly no solid conclusions, she discovers facets of an unlikable character and leaves the crux of the book open to subjective interpretation.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Normal People is a new gen contemporary romance novel that explores the subtleties of being and in love, being friends and everything else in between. You follow two main characters Connell and Marianne from high school to their adulthood, and their relationship progression. Sally writes books without quotation marks, which is a distinctive style that benefits her storytelling. There is stark emotional clarity probed with restraint that explains the tangled lives of young people, the unspoken silences and the impending doom of knowing oneself.