One of the assignments in this autumn’s MFA semester is to choose ten “must read” fiction novels and provide a brief note explaining why the novel is important. Naturally, I chose novels that can aid me in the completion of my historical fiction manuscript.
It’s a very difficult task to choose only ten but I approached it not as a “top ten list” but rather ten novels which can help me enrich my story. The second part of the assignment is to choose three of these novels and analyze them in detail throughout the semester.
My natural tendency is to curate a list like this using an established criterion. What occurred however is a blending of lists from different sources. I like the result and may choose to analyze one from each of the three groupings.
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I am a fan of Amor Towles’ writing. In an interview, he named three novels that most impacted his writing. If they make Towles’ top three, they are in my ten essentials.
One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
This novel epitomizes the Latin American magical realism style. Newfoundland has long had its own unique mystical qualities, so I am interested to seek out parallels. Based on my research, I expect it will be a challenging read but one that will open my mind to a different style of writing from a different culture. This novel’s themes of isolation, utopia, fatalism, and entrapment, combined with the story of several generations of a family, are also very intriguing.
War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
As Marquez provides insight into Latin American literature, Tolstoy does the same for Russian writing in this preeminent example of historical fiction. It canvasses the universal themes of family, loyalty, and futility of war and delves into the impact one society can have on another (Napoleonic France on Russia) which is of great interest to historians, sociologists, economists, and of course, writers. The blending of actual historical events with fictional characters’ struggles with romance and life’s challenges also makes it informative and relatable.
Moby Dick – Herman Melville
Melville’s magnum opus is a classic example of American literature and a superb example of “the hero’s journey” narrative structure. It provides a master class on a character’s physical and emotional quest for self discovery, challenge, and obsession. Captain Ahab also serves as an excellent example of a deep-dive character sketch. And as Philip Hoare wrote in the Guardian on July 30, 2019, “The book features gay marriage, hits out at slavery and imperialism and predicts the climate crisis – 200 years after the birth of its author, it has never been more important.”
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The next three novels are recommendations from mentors and historical fiction colleagues.
Lady Chatterley’s Lover – DH Lawrence
Given the fierce debates today about book banning, this “scandalous” book deserves to be analyzed as it pushed boundaries for what was considered acceptable in literature in its day. A reviewer on Goodreads said “The difficulty in discussing Lady Chatterley’s Lover is that it has long since ceased being a mere book. It represents a watershed moment in the movement towards free speech and anticensorship. Today, you are just as likely to read this in law school as in an English literature class.” It is also an early example of a female protagonist breaking social mores and becoming empowered.
Pride & Prejudice – Jane Austen
A Jane Austen novel is a must for my list given my manuscript’s strong female characters. I chose this specific novel as its strong female protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, is such an independent, intelligent, and vibrant character. It was ground-breaking in its day and remains a literary torch bearer for women’s rights to education, free will and equality in their romantic relationships. As women continue to fight for reproductive rights in the US and as we begin to see equality in events such as the Olympics, Pride & Prejudice is worthy of a fresh re-read and analysis.
A Visit from the Goon Squad – Jennifer Egan
This novel stands out on my list as it takes place in modern times. A Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Goon deserves to be analyzed because of its unusual narrative structure – is it a novel or a series of linked short stories? – and its experimental use of platforms such as a section formatted like a PowerPoint presentation. It is also referenced by many as a guidebook on how to write from different points of view as Egan chooses alternating POVs from chapter to chapter.
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The final four novels are classics which keep arising in my reading and research.
The English Patient – Michael Ondaatje
Themes of forbidden love, impact of war, and intrigue, makes this historical fiction novel, by a Canadian author, a stand-out. Its poetic and sensual prose and vivid description of place provides inspiration for a style I expect many writers strive to emulate. The reflection of four very different character POVs, all placed in a foreign setting, also provides excellent material for study.
Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro
This Booker prize winning novel of historical fiction set in early 20th century England addresses universal themes of remorse, loyalty, and sacrifice. Seeking life fulfillment through work is also pondered by the proponent, the butler Stevens, which is something many continue to grapple with in life. Its setting and time in history (after WWII) highlights a change in societal and geo-political dynamics as Great Britain’s fall from, and America’s rise to, prominence upends the lives of even average people such as Stevens.
The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald
Considered by some as the Great American Novel, Gatsby epitomizes the 1920’s Jazz Age in the US and highlights how Victorian England’s reserved style was being replaced by American hedonism and pleasure-seeking. It shines a light on the pitfalls of materialism which keeps this work relevant today. It is also an interesting study of how the readers’ view of the title character, Jay Gatsby, is perceived through the eyes of the storyteller, Nick Carraway, thus giving Gatsby a distant and mystical aura.
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
Like Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre stands out as an early novel featuring a female protagonist displaying strong will and intelligence. The protagonist, Jane Eyre, remains relatable today given her universal quest for inner strength and self-esteem as she seeks independence and love. Themes of race, feminism and social class are canvassed and surprisingly (to me), the novel blends romance and gothic genres. It also is an early example of a coming-of-age story making it an interesting 19th century novel to examine.
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I’d love to hear your thoughts on this list, other novels you would have chosen, and which three I should analyze in detail.
I have no idea how I would pick a top ten.. reading upwards of 100 books a year is a lot of books! I have read and liked all of those on your list but I don’t think any would be in my top ten except maybe Moby Dick. I love The Kite Runner, All the Light We Cannot See, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Stand, and currently reading and loving American Prometheus
Hi Michele. I approached it as less about a “TOP” ten and more about ten novels that can help advance my writing. I enjoyed All the Light We Cannot See too!