Drowned in Sound Festivals

Search

Home > Community > Social

Best modern novel you've read

no votes
? by dylanesque

Current book thread got me thinking - what's the best recent-ish novel? Anything written since, eh...1990 shall we say?

For me it's easily The Unconsoled by Ishiguro.

Never liked Ian McEwan that much and finding Coetzee a bit meh.

Thoughts?

dylanesque | 09 May '08, 14:42 | Send note | Report this | Reply

i know it's a bit girly to like this

but i enjoyed Behind The Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson

brusma | 9 May '08, 14:43 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Perhaps something by

Martin Amis

medulla | 9 May '08, 14:43 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Wind Up Bird Chronicle

by Haruki Murakami?

Or Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer?

mackrel | 9 May '08, 14:47 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Everything is Illuminated is good and all,

but i definitely think he tried to include far too many styles within the one novel.

A great achievement, but i think his style will refine in his output to come

medulla | 9 May '08, 14:49 | Send note | Report this | Reply

yeah

I know what you mean - did make me laugh and cry in equal measure, though - great first effort, imho.

Anything by Murakami is worth reading, that man is a genius.

mackrel | 9 May '08, 14:54 | Send note | Report this | Reply

YUP

defo Wind Up Bird Chronicles. Simply amazing!

Moscow2 | 9 May '08, 14:55 | Send note | Report this | Reply

I was going to say exactly this

...still, very decent book.

dylanesque | 9 May '08, 15:00 | Send note | Report this | Reply

House of Leaves

by Mark Z Danielewski

Please God read this book!

Actually don't, it has pretty much ruined everything I've read since as it all feels a bit meh by comparison.

MrScagdenSir | 9 May '08, 14:50 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Dunno

i just read a lot now and its all a bit tame.

I rather liked PJ Tracy - Want to Play

i still have a place in my heart for
Nick Horby - Hi Fidelity which is one of my all time faves

keifallen | 9 May '08, 14:54 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Saturday

by Ian McEwan

teacakesandcrumpets | 9 May '08, 15:00 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Popular Music

by Mikael Niemi. Swedish book about Elvis and the Beatles and tarmac making it into the Arctic circle, involving much hilarity and sexual confusion. The Secret History is pretty good too.

rostov | 9 May '08, 15:03 | Send note | Report this | Reply

i'm a bit of a Classics snob

so my frame of reference is a little restricted, but id go for either:

Will Self - The Book Of Dave

or

Kafka On The Shore - Haruki Murakami

is that ok? Thanks.

snow_brigade | 9 May '08, 15:05 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Timoleon Vieta Come Home

by Dan Rhodes.

deadcats | 9 May '08, 15:05 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Road

by Cormac McCarthy.
Possibly my favourite novel.
Struggling with Blood Meridian though...it's just relentlessly grim. Not that the Road isn't grim but.... it's a different league of grim:)
Really enjoyed No Country For Old Men though... So McCarthy gets my vote.

Smallstone | 9 May '08, 15:16 | Send note | Report this | Reply