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Best Contemporary Literary Fiction (Around the Last 30 Years)

Members: 109 participating members (show all)

All members' list: [1] 2 3Sort: Score | Title | Author | Date
1
The Handmaid's Tale
by Margaret Atwood
30,926 members, 871 reviews
4.11 stars (4.11 stars)

Lists: TeriAndersonNeedham (1), neicybee (1), eradbooks (1), manderson113 (1), Twixi (1), oldkid1943 (1), worcester (1), booksinbed (1), wlindboe (1), Storeetllr (1), Jonri (1) — 19 more, rozymary (1), JWhitsitt (1), ahef1963 (1), koalakt (1), generalkala (1), lahochstetler (1), sturlington (2), paulkinder (2), ho-mer (2), chilkatlady (2), Bretzky1 (2), birder4106 (4), LisaMaria_C (4), SqueakyChu (5), 1morechapter (6), cej1027 (9), kara.shamy (16), grammabren (27), thecoroner (37)

Thumbs down: aulsmith, ValLloyd

Score: 99.39

Explanations:

aulsmith (0): Allegories seldom make my "best" list. Generally they are too preachy.

ValLloyd (0): it could be the best book ever and I still wouldn't finish it. this book isn't just depressing it's at the bottom of an abyss with sleet and sunburns

2
The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini
44,413 members, 1,162 reviews
4.2 stars (4.2 stars)

Lists: cindyi1218 (1), paulkinder (1), littwit (1), dottieph (1), Roro8 (1), griffinas (1), susiesharp (1), TeriAndersonNeedham (2), neicybee (2), manderson113 (2), Twixi (2) — 16 more, oldkid1943 (2), booksinbed (2), bugeon (2), rozymary (2), ahef1963 (2), mmignano11 (2), sipthereader (3), chilkatlady (3), lyndabriggs (3), SqueakyChu (3), birder4106 (5), grammabren (8), LisaMaria_C (8), Peace2 (11), kara.shamy (17), 1morechapter (31)

Thumbs down: FlorenceArt, JWhitsitt, Himalmitra, Tombleweed, eromsted

Score: 77.09

3
The Name of the Rose
by Umberto Eco
15,816 members, 243 reviews
4.2 stars (4.2 stars)

Lists: MrsIsIn (1), juanakennedy (1), crookedcat (1), bjmiles (1), bugeon (1), mazzy7 (1), roby72 (1), chilkatlady (1), MaskedMumbler (1), mmignano11 (1), SilentInAWay (1) — 11 more, Edward (1), wlindboe (2), JWhitsitt (2), Twixi (3), birder4106 (3), inge87 (4), peterveen (5), LisaMaria_C (5), grammabren (7), thorold (10), thecoroner (11)

Thumbs down: sturlington, ahef1963, Peace2, aulsmith, Diane-bpcb

Score: 65.89

Explanations:

aulsmith (0): I don't think you have to be boring and obscure to be "best".

4
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
by Milan Kundera
18,571 members, 216 reviews
4.03 stars (4.03 stars)

Lists: pbw0064 (1), Myrrha (1), missesK (1), MrsIsIn (2), bjmiles (2), alisonday69 (2), jaromdl (2), Himalmitra (2), LisaMaria_C (2), neicybee (3), manderson113 (3) — 10 more, peterveen (3), littwit (3), mspixieears (3), Twixi (4), grammabren (5), paulkinder (5), 2lindamar (10), roby72 (13), thecoroner (16), chilkatlady (24)

Thumbs down: sturlington

Score: 61.72

5
Possession: A Romance
by A. S. Byatt
11,132 members, 245 reviews
4.02 stars (4.02 stars)

Lists: TB2468 (1), lilywren (1), ValLloyd (1), littwit (2), MrsIsIn (3), booksinbed (3), paulkinder (3), rozymary (3), kara.shamy (4), peterveen (4), SilentInAWay (4) — 10 more, Twixi (5), JWhitsitt (5), ahef1963 (5), grammabren (6), LisaMaria_C (6), macha (8), chilkatlady (8), thorold (9), thecoroner (15), roby72 (16)

Thumbs down: sturlington

Score: 58.24

6
Midnight's Children
by Salman Rushdie
11,375 members, 210 reviews
4.06 stars (4.06 stars)

Lists: mspixieears (1), jaromdl (1), Himalmitra (1), JGKC (1), roby72 (2), SilentInAWay (2), JWhitsitt (3), thorold (3), MrsIsIn (4), booksinbed (4), paulkinder (4) — 6 more, thecoroner (4), Twixi (6), lilywren (10), ahef1963 (10), kara.shamy (18), LisaMaria_C (43)

Thumbs down: inti-0462

Score: 48.68

7
The Time Traveler's Wife
by Audrey Niffenegger
34,745 members, 1,170 reviews
4.11 stars (4.11 stars)

Lists: Volkertvos (1), howdydomaam (1), Her_Royal_Orangeness (1), cindyi1218 (2), generalkala (2), grammabren (3), ahef1963 (3), LisaMaria_C (3), lilywren (4), mmignano11 (4), KimarieBee (5) — 7 more, SqueakyChu (6), Peace2 (6), ValLloyd (6), chilkatlady (6), Twixi (9), rozymary (12), sturlington (27)

Thumbs down: paulkinder, birder4106, susiesharp

Score: 46.61

8
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
by Patrick Süskind
14,804 members, 359 reviews
3.94 stars (3.94 stars)

Lists: alisonday69 (1), ho-mer (1), lyharian (1), bplas (1), mspixieears (2), TeriAndersonNeedham (3), bugeon (3), grammabren (4), MrsIsIn (5), rozymary (5), generalkala (5) — 7 more, birder4106 (7), ibinu (8), Twixi (8), ahef1963 (8), KimarieBee (9), chilkatlady (12), LisaMaria_C (37)

Thumbs down: sturlington, FlorenceArt, thorold

Score: 45.97

9
A Thousand Splendid Suns
by Khaled Hosseini
24,739 members, 793 reviews
4.27 stars (4.27 stars)

Lists: grammabren (1), lilywren (2), cindyi1218 (3), dottieph (3), Roro8 (3), 2lindamar (4), lyndabriggs (4), MrsIsIn (6), Twixi (7), rozymary (7), paulkinder (7) — 6 more, Peace2 (9), 1morechapter (10), booksinbed (12), ahef1963 (14), chilkatlady (16), kara.shamy (33)

Score: 44.52

10
A Prayer for Owen Meany
by John Irving
15,650 members, 290 reviews
4.26 stars (4.26 stars)

Lists: sipthereader (1), birder4106 (1), grammabren (2), koalakt (2), griffinas (2), TeriAndersonNeedham (4), Estramir (4), bugeon (4), JWhitsitt (4), chilkatlady (4), mmignano11 (5) — 4 more, booksinbed (6), ibinu (9), Twixi (10), augustau (18)

Score: 43.96

11
The Shipping News
by E. Annie Proulx
11,721 members, 218 reviews
3.86 stars (3.86 stars)

Lists: John_Vaughan (1), dottieph (2), birder4106 (2), ValLloyd (3), koalakt (3), cindyi1218 (4), griffinas (4), manderson113 (5), rozymary (6), paulkinder (6), ahef1963 (6) — 6 more, MrsIsIn (8), booksinbed (8), chilkatlady (9), mmignano11 (9), Twixi (16), sturlington (28)

Thumbs down: stellarexplorer, LisaMaria_C

Score: 41.92

12
Middlesex: A Novel
by Jeffrey Eugenides
23,755 members, 562 reviews
4.11 stars (4.11 stars)

Lists: thecoroner (1), ValLloyd (2), roby72 (3), neicybee (4), rozymary (4), sipthereader (4), booksinbed (5), MrsIsIn (7), mmignano11 (7), grammabren (9), Twixi (11) — 6 more, ahef1963 (11), 1morechapter (11), chilkatlady (13), LisaMaria_C (13), kara.shamy (19), sturlington (29)

Thumbs down: aulsmith, Diane-bpcb

Score: 39.23

Explanations:

aulsmith (0): The historical part was great, but the gender stuff was not.

13
The Color Purple
by Alice Walker
15,258 members, 274 reviews
4.13 stars (4.13 stars)

Lists: ekelnor (3), LoisCK (3), manderson113 (4), ValLloyd (4), koalakt (4), TeriAndersonNeedham (5), griffinas (6), ahef1963 (7), booksinbed (9), grammabren (10), chilkatlady (10) — 6 more, Twixi (12), mmignano11 (12), rozymary (14), 1morechapter (15), LisaMaria_C (18), kara.shamy (32)

Thumbs down: sturlington

Score: 39.08

14
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
by Mark Haddon
37,914 members, 1,210 reviews
3.89 stars (3.89 stars)

Lists: LoisCK (1), ekelnor (2), cej1027 (3), susiesharp (4), Storeetllr (5), booksinbed (7), 1morechapter (7), leigonj (8), rozymary (9), MrsIsIn (10), Peace2 (12) — 6 more, Twixi (14), LisaMaria_C (17), ahef1963 (20), chilkatlady (27), sturlington (30), thecoroner (44)

Thumbs down: generalkala

Score: 38.86

15
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
by Haruki Murakami
14,731 members, 307 reviews
4.2 stars (4.2 stars)

Lists: eromsted (1), KWille (2), mazzy7 (2), leigonj (4), mspixieears (4), jaromdl (6), roby72 (8), booksinbed (10), MrsIsIn (11), grammabren (13), macha (13) — 4 more, Twixi (15), thecoroner (18), ahef1963 (26), chilkatlady (33)

Score: 37.39

16
Beloved
by Toni Morrison
17,441 members, 329 reviews
3.88 stars (3.88 stars)

Lists: KWille (1), peterveen (2), littwit (4), ahef1963 (4), eromsted (4), TeriAndersonNeedham (6), lahochstetler (6), chilkatlady (7), griffinas (7), ibinu (10), Twixi (13) — 5 more, 1morechapter (13), grammabren (15), rozymary (16), roby72 (17), LisaMaria_C (21)

Thumbs down: sturlington, JWhitsitt

Score: 36.21

17
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
by Michael Chabon
16,247 members, 343 reviews
4.23 stars (4.23 stars)

Lists: jamestream (1), BenSD480 (1), trandism (1), aulsmith (1), LisaMaria_C (1), KWille (3), MrsIsIn (9), ahef1963 (9), grammabren (14), Twixi (17), rozymary (18) — 3 more, booksinbed (24), kara.shamy (75), sturlington (84)

Thumbs down: Diane-bpcb

Score: 36.13

18
Cloud Atlas
by David Mitchell
14,101 members, 590 reviews
4.12 stars (4.12 stars)

Lists: peterveen (1), bplas (2), lilywren (5), augustau (6), TeriAndersonNeedham (7), manderson113 (7), paulkinder (10), sturlington (11), jaromdl (11), MrsIsIn (13), 2lindamar (13) — 4 more, macha (16), booksinbed (19), Twixi (22), chilkatlady (42)

Thumbs down: LisaMaria_C

Score: 33.7

19
The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak
33,495 members, 1,884 reviews
4.37 stars (4.37 stars)

Lists: Peace2 (1), KimarieBee (1), lilywren (3), neicybee (5), cindyi1218 (6), Roro8 (6), dottieph (8), manderson113 (9), Storeetllr (10), paulkinder (11), 1morechapter (18) — 5 more, Twixi (19), koalakt (21), booksinbed (22), ahef1963 (24), LisaMaria_C (44)

Thumbs down: sturlington, Diane-bpcb, birder4106

Score: 32.89

20
The World According to Garp
by John Irving
13,475 members, 174 reviews
4.08 stars (4.08 stars)

Lists: bjmiles (3), Estramir (3), Storeetllr (4), ibinu (5), manderson113 (6), sipthereader (6), TeriAndersonNeedham (8), koalakt (8), griffinas (8), MrsIsIn (14), grammabren (17) — 6 more, mmignano11 (17), macha (19), chilkatlady (19), Twixi (21), booksinbed (26), ahef1963 (44)

Thumbs down: sturlington, Diane-bpcb, Himalmitra

Score: 32.86

21
The Poisonwood Bible
by Barbara Kingsolver
22,514 members, 450 reviews
4.2 stars (4.2 stars)

Lists: 2lindamar (1), lyndabriggs (2), 1morechapter (4), chilkatlady (5), griffinas (5), neicybee (6), koalakt (7), rozymary (8), paulkinder (9), mmignano11 (10), grammabren (12) — 5 more, booksinbed (14), augustau (17), Twixi (18), kara.shamy (20), sturlington (31)

Thumbs down: ahef1963, KimarieBee, LisaMaria_C, arrwa

Score: 31.21

22
Year of Wonders
by Geraldine Brooks
7,318 members, 359 reviews
3.97 stars (3.97 stars)

Lists: bfkendrick (1), lyndabriggs (1), Roro8 (2), mmignano11 (3), susiesharp (3), lahochstetler (3), KimarieBee (6), grammabren (11), rozymary (11), MrsIsIn (12), kara.shamy (34) — 1 more, LisaMaria_C (42)

Thumbs down: sturlington

Score: 30.81

23
Atonement
by Ian McEwan
22,562 members, 574 reviews
3.94 stars (3.94 stars)

Lists: 2lindamar (3), cindyi1218 (5), ValLloyd (5), SilentInAWay (5), peterveen (6), dottieph (6), Peace2 (7), rozymary (10), booksinbed (11), mmignano11 (11), ahef1963 (13) — 5 more, chilkatlady (15), Twixi (20), thecoroner (23), LisaMaria_C (28), sturlington (32)

Thumbs down: Himalmitra, 1morechapter, JGKC

Score: 30.56

24
Water for Elephants
by Sara Gruen
24,478 members, 1,101 reviews
4.07 stars (4.07 stars)

Lists: dottieph (4), Roro8 (4), 2lindamar (5), susiesharp (5), KimarieBee (7), cindyi1218 (8), TeriAndersonNeedham (9), chilkatlady (17), MrsIsIn (18), rozymary (21), booksinbed (23) — 5 more, mmignano11 (25), Twixi (29), LisaMaria_C (30), sturlington (33), ahef1963 (45)

Thumbs down: libelulla1, thorold

Score: 30.2

25
A Thousand Acres: A Novel
by Jane Smiley
5,244 members, 113 reviews
3.71 stars (3.71 stars)

Lists: Himalmitra (3), KWille (4), LoisCK (7), manderson113 (8), koalakt (10), griffinas (11), MrsIsIn (16), mmignano11 (16), grammabren (18), rozymary (20), booksinbed (20) — 4 more, kara.shamy (21), ahef1963 (23), chilkatlady (31), sturlington (34)

Thumbs down: Bretzky1

Score: 29.92

26
The Complete Maus
by Art Spiegelman
5,833 members, 195 reviews
4.52 stars (4.52 stars)

Lists: ibinu (2), cej1027 (2), LoisCK (5), macha (6), Storeetllr (7), ValLloyd (8), mspixieears (8), Himalmitra (8), SilentInAWay (9), manderson113 (10), MrsIsIn (15) — 1 more, Twixi (27)

Score: 29.9

27
The Prince of Tides
by Pat Conroy
4,888 members, 92 reviews
4.11 stars (4.11 stars)

Lists: ckStone (1), LoisCK (2), SqueakyChu (2), jaromdl (4), koalakt (6), cindyi1218 (7), TeriAndersonNeedham (10), ahef1963 (15), mmignano11 (15), grammabren (16), MrsIsIn (17) — 1 more, LisaMaria_C (22)

Thumbs down: sturlington

Score: 28.7

28
Never Let Me Go
by Kazuo Ishiguro
17,815 members, 803 reviews
3.82 stars (3.82 stars)

Lists: wlindboe (3), generalkala (3), sturlington (4), lilywren (6), neicybee (7), 1morechapter (8), Peace2 (10), Storeetllr (12), augustau (13), ahef1963 (18), MrsIsIn (20) — 2 more, booksinbed (21), Twixi (32)

Thumbs down: paulkinder

Score: 28.19

29
The Hours
by Michael Cunningham
10,939 members, 198 reviews
3.92 stars (3.92 stars)

Lists: LoisCK (4), KWille (6), mspixieears (6), mmignano11 (6), thorold (6), 1morechapter (12), booksinbed (15), ahef1963 (17), MrsIsIn (19), LisaMaria_C (19), kara.shamy (23) — 2 more, Twixi (24), sturlington (35)

Thumbs down: aulsmith

Score: 26.31

Explanations:

aulsmith (0): Too over-written for my tastes.

30
The Thirteenth Tale
by Diane Setterfield
14,755 members, 836 reviews
4 stars (4 stars)

Lists: jloffee (1), lahochstetler (2), bjmiles (5), koalakt (11), MrsIsIn (21), augustau (21), kara.shamy (24), LisaMaria_C (25), ahef1963 (27), mmignano11 (28), sturlington (36) — 2 more, Twixi (36), booksinbed (37)

Thumbs down: SilentInAWay

Score: 25.95

31
Fall on Your Knees
by Ann-Marie MacDonald
4,787 members, 112 reviews
3.92 stars (3.92 stars)

Lists: arrwa (1), lahochstetler (4), neicybee (8), LoisCK (8), mmignano11 (8), cindyi1218 (10), ahef1963 (12), chilkatlady (14), MrsIsIn (22), booksinbed (25), Twixi (37)

Score: 25.69

32
Memoirs of a Geisha
by Arthur Golden
31,511 members, 496 reviews
4.01 stars (4.01 stars)

Lists: cej1027 (1), generalkala (4), SqueakyChu (4), dottieph (5), cindyi1218 (9), ahef1963 (16), booksinbed (18), chilkatlady (18), grammabren (19), Twixi (31), LisaMaria_C (36) — 1 more, sturlington (37)

Thumbs down: JWhitsitt

Score: 25.39

33
The Feast of the Goat
by Mario Vargas Llosa
2,389 members, 70 reviews
4.12 stars (4.12 stars)

Lists: barbharper (1), woolenthusiast (1), trandism (2), KWille (5), birder4106 (6), LisaMaria_C (9), augustau (10), MrsIsIn (24), Twixi (25)

Score: 24.75

34
The Kitchen God's Wife
by Amy Tan
6,053 members, 59 reviews
3.83 stars (3.83 stars)

Lists: bjmiles (4), jaromdl (5), LoisCK (6), littwit (6), dottieph (7), 2lindamar (9), booksinbed (17), koalakt (22), MrsIsIn (25), ahef1963 (25), LisaMaria_C (41)

Score: 24.36

35
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
by Muriel Barbery
9,629 members, 588 reviews
3.79 stars (3.79 stars)

Lists: Her_Royal_Orangeness (2), bugeon (5), jaromdl (7), mspixieears (9), griffinas (10), rozymary (19), chilkatlady (25), Twixi (26), MrsIsIn (27), booksinbed (28), kara.shamy (36)

Score: 23.66

36
2666
by Roberto Bolaño
5,093 members, 148 reviews
4.13 stars (4.13 stars)

Lists: macha (2), Bretzky1 (3), thecoroner (3), trandism (3), roby72 (5), peterveen (9), SilentInAWay (11), MrsIsIn (28), Twixi (38)

Score: 23.01

37
Disgrace
by J. M. Coetzee
9,162 members, 235 reviews
3.85 stars (3.85 stars)

Lists: barbharper (2), wlindboe (4), peterveen (7), KWille (8), roby72 (20), thecoroner (26), MrsIsIn (29), Twixi (30), booksinbed (33), kara.shamy (35), ahef1963 (46)

Score: 22.98

38
The Blind Assassin
by Margaret Atwood
13,954 members, 337 reviews
3.94 stars (3.94 stars)

Lists: thorold (2), littwit (5), mspixieears (10), rozymary (13), mmignano11 (14), booksinbed (16), kara.shamy (22), Twixi (23), ahef1963 (28), chilkatlady (35), sturlington (38) — 1 more, thecoroner (43)

Thumbs down: Diane-bpcb

Score: 22.69

39
Bel Canto
by Ann Patchett
11,290 members, 400 reviews
3.95 stars (3.95 stars)

Lists: 2lindamar (6), neicybee (9), ValLloyd (9), manderson113 (12), 1morechapter (14), LisaMaria_C (14), grammabren (22), rozymary (22), ahef1963 (22), MrsIsIn (23), kara.shamy (26) — 2 more, booksinbed (29), Twixi (39)

Thumbs down: sturlington, vacarious

Score: 21.92

40
Life of Pi
by Yann Martel
37,079 members, 906 reviews
3.92 stars (3.92 stars)

Lists: bfkendrick (3), KimarieBee (3), mspixieears (5), Roro8 (5), paulkinder (8), 2lindamar (8), booksinbed (13), mmignano11 (13), rozymary (15), sturlington (18), chilkatlady (22) — 2 more, kara.shamy (25), Twixi (28)

Thumbs down: ahef1963, Diane-bpcb, generalkala, JGKC

Score: 21.75

41
The Remains of the Day
by Kazuo Ishiguro
12,378 members, 363 reviews
4.19 stars (4.19 stars)

Lists: wlindboe (5), 1morechapter (9), peterveen (10), neicybee (11), grammabren (23), booksinbed (34), MrsIsIn (36), kara.shamy (37), ahef1963 (38), Twixi (40), sturlington (85)

Score: 20.69

42
High Fidelity
by Nick Hornby
13,149 members, 169 reviews
3.93 stars (3.93 stars)

Lists: Diane-bpcb (1), bfkendrick (2), griffinas (3), ibinu (7), ValLloyd (7), mspixieears (7), rozymary (17), MrsIsIn (26), LisaMaria_C (39), ahef1963 (47)

Thumbs down: sturlington, zapzap

Score: 20.65

43
Love in the Time of Cholera
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
22,522 members, 331 reviews
3.96 stars (3.96 stars)

Lists: eromsted (3), SilentInAWay (3), KWille (7), bjmiles (7), macha (7), ahef1963 (19), grammabren (21), chilkatlady (23), rozymary (26), MrsIsIn (32), Twixi (33)

Thumbs down: sturlington, Diane-bpcb

Score: 20.19

44
The Giver
by Lois Lowry
29,810 members, 1,379 reviews
4.18 stars (4.18 stars)

Lists: ekelnor (4), cej1027 (5), LoisCK (9), cindyi1218 (11), manderson113 (13), paulkinder (13), 2lindamar (17), 1morechapter (21), ahef1963 (32), MrsIsIn (34)

Thumbs down: sturlington

Score: 19.4

Explanations:

sturlington (0): YA

45
Slaughterhouse-Five
by Kurt Vonnegut
35,702 members, 555 reviews
4.11 stars (4.11 stars)

Lists: Estramir (1), bjmiles (6), wlindboe (6), manderson113 (11), Storeetllr (11), grammabren (20), koalakt (20), MrsIsIn (33), Twixi (34), ahef1963 (41), thecoroner (42) — 1 more, chilkatlady (43)

Thumbs down: sturlington, aulsmith, Bretzky1

Score: 19.33

Explanations:

sturlington (0): Published much more than 30 years ago.

46
Blindness
by José Saramago
10,272 members, 333 reviews
4.08 stars (4.08 stars)

Lists: trandism (5), SilentInAWay (6), lilywren (7), peterveen (8), roby72 (10), thecoroner (19), ahef1963 (21), chilkatlady (28), MrsIsIn (30), Twixi (35)

Thumbs down: sturlington

Score: 19.2

47
American Gods
by Neil Gaiman
28,090 members, 754 reviews
4.08 stars (4.08 stars)

Lists: BenSD480 (2), ibinu (4), aulsmith (5), lilywren (9), SilentInAWay (10), paulkinder (14), 2lindamar (16), rozymary (25), ahef1963 (29), MrsIsIn (31), chilkatlady (36)

Thumbs down: sturlington, MaskedMumbler, trandism

Score: 18.33

48
Breathing Lessons: A Novel
by Anne Tyler
3,678 members, 59 reviews
3.6 stars (3.6 stars)

Lists: augustau (4), Her_Royal_Orangeness (4), jaromdl (8), neicybee (10), cindyi1218 (12), koalakt (15), chilkatlady (29), booksinbed (32), MrsIsIn (35)

Thumbs down: sturlington

Score: 17.52

49
The Accidental Tourist
by Anne Tyler
4,688 members, 76 reviews
3.82 stars (3.82 stars)

Lists: Bretzky1 (1), jaromdl (3), koalakt (5), chilkatlady (11), neicybee (12), cindyi1218 (13), booksinbed (27), LisaMaria_C (32), MrsIsIn (37)

Thumbs down: sturlington, Diane-bpcb

Score: 17.23

50
The Road
by Cormac McCarthy
27,707 members, 1,272 reviews
4.07 stars (4.07 stars)

Lists: ibinu (1), BenSD480 (4), sturlington (6), leigonj (6), TeriAndersonNeedham (11), manderson113 (15), MrsIsIn (45), Twixi (97)

Thumbs down: KimarieBee

Score: 16.99

51
The Night Circus
by Erin Morgenstern
11,616 members, 1,024 reviews
4.08 stars (4.08 stars)

Lists: Peace2 (2), generalkala (6), 2lindamar (7), KimarieBee (8), sturlington (20), grammabren (24), rozymary (24), MrsIsIn (40), LisaMaria_C (46), ahef1963 (48)

Thumbs down: zapzap, missesK

Score: 16.91

52
Austerlitz
by W. G. Sebald
3,196 members, 77 reviews
4.16 stars (4.16 stars)

Lists: thorold (1), trandism (4), Himalmitra (6), roby72 (11), paulkinder (12), thecoroner (17), MrsIsIn (38), Twixi (41)

Thumbs down: birder4106

Score: 16.89

53
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
by Mohsin Hamid
4,234 members, 219 reviews
3.68 stars (3.68 stars)

Lists: kara.shamy (1), SqueakyChu (1), Chatterbox (4), lilywren (8), rozymary (23), booksinbed (36), MrsIsIn (41), Twixi (43)

Thumbs down: Peace2, missesK

Score: 15.81

54
Peace Like a River
by Leif Enger
4,675 members, 134 reviews
4.03 stars (4.03 stars)

Lists: AmourFou (1), dottieph (9), manderson113 (14), augustau (15), jaromdl (24), sturlington (39), MrsIsIn (42)

Score: 15.39

55
The Red Tent
by Anita Diamant
14,683 members, 354 reviews
4.04 stars (4.04 stars)

Lists: cej1027 (8), jaromdl (10), 2lindamar (11), cindyi1218 (14), grammabren (25), mmignano11 (29), booksinbed (31), ahef1963 (33), LisaMaria_C (38)

Thumbs down: chilkatlady

Score: 15.38

56
The Secret History
by Donna Tartt
14,314 members, 400 reviews
4.07 stars (4.07 stars)

Lists: Peace2 (5), sturlington (7), LoisCK (12), neicybee (13), 2lindamar (14), mmignano11 (32), MrsIsIn (39), ahef1963 (40), Twixi (52), kara.shamy (76)

Thumbs down: zapzap, LisaMaria_C

Score: 15.18

57
Chocolat
by Joanne Harris
6,678 members, 180 reviews
3.8 stars (3.8 stars)

Lists: cej1027 (4), littwit (7), LisaMaria_C (7), cindyi1218 (15), koalakt (17), rozymary (30), MrsIsIn (43)

Score: 15.02

58
Lonesome Dove
by Larry McMurtry
6,276 members, 186 reviews
4.55 stars (4.55 stars)

Lists: Himalmitra (4), Storeetllr (8), TeriAndersonNeedham (12), LisaMaria_C (12), koalakt (13), sturlington (19), mmignano11 (24), MrsIsIn (50)

Thumbs down: John_Vaughan

Score: 14.84

59
Cat's Eye
by Margaret Atwood
7,827 members, 129 reviews
3.94 stars (3.94 stars)

Lists: 1morechapter (5), 2lindamar (12), rozymary (29), booksinbed (30), chilkatlady (30), sturlington (40), MrsIsIn (44), ahef1963 (49)

Score: 14.62

60
Sharp Objects
by Gillian Flynn
6,213 members, 413 reviews
3.74 stars (3.74 stars)

Lists: ekelnor (1), neicybee (15), cindyi1218 (16), LisaMaria_C (26), kara.shamy (40), sturlington (41), MrsIsIn (46)

Score: 14.51

61
Small Island
by Andrea Levy
3,411 members, 125 reviews
3.88 stars (3.88 stars)

Lists: Peace2 (3), lahochstetler (5), jaromdl (12), rozymary (27), ahef1963 (35), booksinbed (38), Twixi (42), MrsIsIn (47)

Thumbs down: zapzap

Score: 13.97

62
Mason & Dixon: A Novel
by Thomas Pynchon
3,805 members, 31 reviews
4.03 stars (4.03 stars)

Lists: eromsted (2), ibinu (6), thecoroner (10), macha (12), roby72 (14), MrsIsIn (48)

Score: 13.91

63
A Fine Balance
by Rohinton Mistry
7,753 members, 217 reviews
4.37 stars (4.37 stars)

Lists: KimarieBee (4), peterveen (11), ValLloyd (12), neicybee (14), booksinbed (42), Twixi (44), ahef1963 (50)

Score: 13.87

64
The Corrections
by Jonathan Franzen
14,496 members, 313 reviews
3.76 stars (3.76 stars)

Lists: sipthereader (5), cej1027 (6), bjmiles (10), griffinas (12), roby72 (15), manderson113 (16), thecoroner (20), booksinbed (43), Twixi (48), MrsIsIn (49), sturlington (86)

Thumbs down: Storeetllr, michigantrumpet, birder4106, LisaMaria_C

Score: 13.46

65
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
by Louis De Bernières
6,797 members, 139 reviews
3.95 stars (3.95 stars)

Lists: LoisCK (10), LisaMaria_C (10), peterveen (12), mmignano11 (18), rozymary (28), ahef1963 (31), Twixi (45), MrsIsIn (51)

Thumbs down: zapzap

Score: 13.07

66
Dark Places
by Gillian Flynn
5,610 members, 345 reviews
3.83 stars (3.83 stars)

Lists: ekelnor (5), neicybee (16), cindyi1218 (19), kara.shamy (28), mmignano11 (30), LisaMaria_C (35), sturlington (42), MrsIsIn (52)

Thumbs down: zapzap

Score: 12.74

67
Americanah
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
4,469 members, 210 reviews
4.17 stars (4.17 stars)

Lists: augustau (2), neicybee (20), kara.shamy (41), sturlington (43), MrsIsIn (62), booksinbed (65), Twixi (103)

Score: 12.49

68
The Double Bind
by Chris Bohjalian
2,424 members, 163 reviews
3.66 stars (3.66 stars)

Lists: missesK (2), Her_Royal_Orangeness (3), jaromdl (9), neicybee (17), MrsIsIn (53)

Score: 12.17

69
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
by Karen Joy Fowler
2,720 members, 198 reviews
3.85 stars (3.85 stars)

Lists: inge87 (1), woolenthusiast (2), rozymary (31), kara.shamy (38), MrsIsIn (54)

Score: 12.15

70
Out Stealing Horses
by Per Petterson
3,742 members, 226 reviews
3.92 stars (3.92 stars)

Lists: AmourFou (2), Himalmitra (10), 1morechapter (20), Twixi (46), MrsIsIn (55), booksinbed (63)

Score: 11.93

71
The House of the Spirits
by Isabel Allende
11,302 members, 183 reviews
4.08 stars (4.08 stars)

Lists: Storeetllr (2), thecoroner (13), cindyi1218 (18), neicybee (19), booksinbed (41), MrsIsIn (56), Twixi (61)

Thumbs down: AmourFou

Score: 11.8

72
Life and Fate
by Vasily Grossman
2,280 members, 71 reviews
4.35 stars (4.35 stars)

Lists: thecoroner (2), barbharper (4), roby72 (6), Twixi (47), MrsIsIn (57)

Score: 11.73

73
The Sparrow
by Mary Doria Russell
6,197 members, 337 reviews
4.2 stars (4.2 stars)

Lists: KimarieBee (2), sturlington (8), Storeetllr (9), leigonj (10), jaromdl (16), manderson113 (17), MrsIsIn (59)

Thumbs down: aulsmith, LisaMaria_C

Score: 11.71

Explanations:

aulsmith (0): If you think this is literary, try reading more fanfic

74
The Stone Diaries
by Carol Shields
5,001 members, 104 reviews
3.75 stars (3.75 stars)

Lists: 1morechapter (16), cindyi1218 (17), neicybee (18), chilkatlady (39), booksinbed (56), Twixi (60), kara.shamy (91)

Score: 11.71

75
Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West
by Cormac McCarthy
8,448 members, 214 reviews
4.18 stars (4.18 stars)

Lists: ibinu (3), Himalmitra (9), mmignano11 (20), kara.shamy (27), thecoroner (28), sturlington (44), MrsIsIn (82)

Thumbs down: LisaMaria_C

Score: 11.62

76
The Line of Beauty
by Alan Hollinghurst
3,933 members, 104 reviews
3.6 stars (3.6 stars)

Lists: thorold (5), augustau (11), peterveen (13), kara.shamy (39), MrsIsIn (58), Twixi (102)

Score: 11.29

77
The Buddha in the Attic
by Julie Otsuka
1,977 members, 176 reviews
3.78 stars (3.78 stars)

Lists: toups (1), 1morechapter (3), augustau (5), koalakt (14), MrsIsIn (60)

Thumbs down: missesK

Score: 11.22

78
The Hotel New Hampshire
by John Irving
6,528 members, 63 reviews
3.86 stars (3.86 stars)

Lists: Estramir (2), koalakt (9), griffinas (9), mmignano11 (19), chilkatlady (21), MrsIsIn (61)

Thumbs down: sturlington

Score: 11.2

79
A Complicated Kindness
by Miriam Toews
1,963 members, 62 reviews
3.64 stars (3.64 stars)

Lists: Her_Royal_Orangeness (7), jaromdl (13), neicybee (21), ahef1963 (36), booksinbed (39), MrsIsIn (63)

Score: 11.09

80
Practical Magic
by Alice Hoffman
3,884 members, 108 reviews
3.75 stars (3.75 stars)

Lists: 2lindamar (2), LisaMaria_C (11), koalakt (12), mmignano11 (26), MrsIsIn (64)

Score: 10.9

81
A Tale for the Time Being: A Novel
by Ruth Ozeki
2,879 members, 182 reviews
4.07 stars (4.07 stars)

Lists: Peace2 (4), peterveen (16), sturlington (24), ahef1963 (64), booksinbed (64), MrsIsIn (65)

Score: 10.87

82
The Cat's Table
by Michael Ondaatje
1,973 members, 121 reviews
3.7 stars (3.7 stars)

Lists: Chatterbox (1), chilkatlady (26), booksinbed (35), LisaMaria_C (45), MrsIsIn (67)

Score: 10.36

83
The Bone People
by Keri Hulme
3,131 members, 89 reviews
4.1 stars (4.1 stars)

Lists: barbharper (3), peterveen (14), koalakt (18), chilkatlady (32), MrsIsIn (68)

Score: 10.12

84
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant
by Anne Tyler
3,098 members, 63 reviews
3.86 stars (3.86 stars)

Lists: koalakt (19), neicybee (24), jaromdl (28), booksinbed (40), sturlington (45), MrsIsIn (70)

Score: 9.98

85
Bring Up the Bodies
by Hilary Mantel
4,813 members, 289 reviews
4.32 stars (4.32 stars)

Lists: kara.shamy (5), bjmiles (8), peterveen (17), Twixi (53), MrsIsIn (69)

Score: 9.89

86
State of Wonder
by Ann Patchett
4,940 members, 349 reviews
3.88 stars (3.88 stars)

Lists: augustau (20), sturlington (23), neicybee (25), ahef1963 (55), booksinbed (62), MrsIsIn (71)

Score: 9.78

87
A Dry White Season
by André Brink
650 members, 20 reviews
3.95 stars (3.95 stars)

Lists: Chatterbox (5), bugeon (6), chilkatlady (37), Twixi (49), MrsIsIn (72)

Score: 9.74

88
Daughter of fortune : A novel
by Isabel Allende
7,234 members, 161 reviews
3.7 stars (3.7 stars)

Lists: augustau (8), sturlington (12), neicybee (22), cindyi1218 (22), ahef1963 (58)

Score: 9.67

89
Wolf Hall
by Hilary Mantel
9,901 members, 566 reviews
3.98 stars (3.98 stars)

Lists: kara.shamy (6), bjmiles (11), peterveen (15), Twixi (51), MrsIsIn (73)

Score: 9.65

90
Baltasar and Blimunda
by José Saramago
1,856 members, 39 reviews
3.9 stars (3.9 stars)

Lists: thecoroner (6), thorold (8), ahef1963 (37), Twixi (50), MrsIsIn (74)

Score: 9.42

91
Night Soldiers
by Alan Furst
1,229 members, 37 reviews
3.92 stars (3.92 stars)

Lists: augustau (14), LisaMaria_C (16), cindyi1218 (24), jaromdl (27), MrsIsIn (75)

Score: 8.99

92
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
by Lisa See
9,868 members, 409 reviews
4.02 stars (4.02 stars)

Lists: Roro8 (7), cindyi1218 (23), 1morechapter (29), sturlington (46), MrsIsIn (77)

Score: 8.9

93
Astonishing Splashes of Colour
by Clare Morrall
601 members, 28 reviews
3.66 stars (3.66 stars)

Lists: Her_Royal_Orangeness (8), jaromdl (19), booksinbed (44), Twixi (54), MrsIsIn (78)

Score: 8.67

94
Misery
by Stephen King
11,159 members, 158 reviews
3.96 stars (3.96 stars)

Lists: ValLloyd (10), TeriAndersonNeedham (13), neicybee (23), mmignano11 (23), ahef1963 (34), chilkatlady (40), MrsIsIn (66)

Thumbs down: sturlington, Diane-bpcb

Score: 8.66

95
Cold Sassy Tree
by Olive Ann Burns
3,530 members, 71 reviews
3.91 stars (3.91 stars)

Lists: susiesharp (2), ValLloyd (13), LisaMaria_C (27), MrsIsIn (104)

Score: 8.48

96
Omeros
by Derek Walcott
872 members, 18 reviews
3.89 stars (3.89 stars)

Lists: Himalmitra (5), roby72 (9), thecoroner (12), MrsIsIn (79)

Score: 8.48

97
July's People
by Nadine Gordimer
1,432 members, 34 reviews
3.43 stars (3.43 stars)

Lists: aulsmith (7), thecoroner (31), ahef1963 (51), Twixi (55), MrsIsIn (80)

Score: 8.46

98
The Bone Clocks
by David Mitchell
3,446 members, 228 reviews
3.82 stars (3.82 stars)

Lists: sturlington (1), Peace2 (8), booksinbed (48), Twixi (84), MrsIsIn (115)

Thumbs down: kara.shamy

Score: 8.44

99
Life After Life
by Kate Atkinson
6,138 members, 489 reviews
4 stars (4 stars)

Lists: TeriAndersonNeedham (14), sturlington (17), kara.shamy (48), ahef1963 (59), MrsIsIn (123)

Score: 8.2

100
Infinite Jest
by David Foster Wallace
10,234 members, 196 reviews
4.26 stars (4.26 stars)

Lists: BenSD480 (3), thecoroner (9), Twixi (57), MrsIsIn (81)

Score: 8.14

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Started by: LisaMaria_C (January 2012)

Type: Numbered

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