As a new year of literature begins, we look back on the best novels of 2024. This list celebrates the authors who captivated us with their storytelling, inviting us into new worlds and challenging us with unforgettable characters and ideas. From historical retellings to futuristic dystopias and intimate family dramas, these ten books represent the very best in contemporary fiction.
1. The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
Yael van der Wouden’s debut novel, The Safekeep, examines the painful history of Jewish property being stolen and “safekept” by non-Jewish Dutch citizens during World War II. The story follows a lonely woman named Isabel who is living in her family’s home, trying to maintain it exactly as her late mother would have. But when her brother’s girlfriend, Eva, arrives, Isabel uncovers the truth about the house’s history and attempts to correct the injustices of the past. The novel uses a historical trauma to explore grief and the complex, ironic nature of ownership and theft.
2. Orbital by Samantha Harvey
Samantha Harvey’s Booker Prize-winning novel, Orbital, contrasts the vastness of space with the small details of human life, all while a global climate crisis unfolds below. The story is told from the perspective of six cosmonauts on the International Space Station. Their daily routine of mundane tasks and bland food is a stark contrast to the breathtaking view of Earth, where they can see the planet’s beauty without the distraction of human-made borders or conflicts. The novel suggests that humanity’s desire for a “grand abstract dream of interplanetary life” is a form of escape from our own destructive impact on our home planet.
3. Gliff by Ali Smith
In her novel Gliff, Ali Smith explores themes similar to her Seasonal Quartet, such as climate change, the refugee crisis, and rising authoritarianism. This time, the story is set in a near-future dystopian Britain where these issues have become even more extreme. The book, the first of a planned two-part series, uses clever wordplay and an accessible yet intricate narrative to question how we create and destroy meaning. Smith’s writing style is complex and subtle, posing many puzzles for the reader to solve—though not all of them are answered by the novel’s end.
4. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney’s novel Intermezzo delves into the optimistic but risky nature of human relationships. The book argues that love is a series of hopeful promises and emotional debts that we voluntarily take on, even though they might not be repaid. Rooney suggests this risk is essential to life itself, and that relationships, even in their smallest moments of care—like packing a lunch—are what sustain us. The novel’s strength lies in its ability to highlight the immense hope we place in others and the corresponding anxiety we feel about our own ability to reciprocate.
5. James by Percival Everett
Percival Everett’s James is a powerful retelling of Mark Twain’s classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Everett reclaims the character of Jim, giving him a central voice and story. Set in the pre-Civil War South in 1861, the novel follows James as he flees a potential sale that would separate him from his family, running away with Huck Finn. The book is a deeply literary work that seamlessly incorporates Black literary criticism and theory, challenging readers to re-examine other classic novels and consider whose voices have been left out or silenced in traditional narratives.
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6. Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is an unsettling novel that explores food, sex, and violence through a unique lens. The story centers on Rika, a journalist interviewing a woman named Manako Kaji, a murderer who used gourmet meals to attract and kill lonely men. As Rika becomes more involved in the interviews, she finds herself drawn into Kaji’s world of physical pleasure, which begins to affect her own life and relationships. The novel critiques misogyny and violence in modern Japan, but also finds a balance by focusing on the themes of female friendship and human connection.
7. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
Kaveh Akbar’s debut novel, Martyr!, follows Cyrus Shams, an Iranian-American poet struggling to find meaning in death, particularly the senseless loss of his mother. Her death in a plane shot down by U.S. forces leads Cyrus and his father to move to the U.S. Driven by his grief, Cyrus begins writing a book about historical martyrs—people whose deaths held significance. The novel is a profound exploration of intergenerational trauma, the immigrant experience, and addiction. Told with a wry and absorbing voice, it ultimately asks how we can “make a death useful.”
8. Parade by Rachel Cusk
In Parade, Rachel Cusk delivers a challenging and thought-provoking exploration of art, gender, identity, and family. The novel is structured as a series of interconnected narratives, each focusing on a different artist referred to as “G.” The stories are told from various perspectives, examining the same themes of creativity and selfhood from different angles. For example, one artist paints upside down to make sense of his place in history, while another creates provocative works as a reaction to her parents’ neglect. The book is a testament to Cusk’s willingness to take risks and write a difficult, yet haunting and profound, work.
9. Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan
Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan is a powerful novel set during the Sri Lankan civil war. The story follows Sashikala Kulenthiren, a young Tamil teenager whose life is upended when her brothers are taken by war and militancy. Initially a “bit-player of history,” Sashi finds a new sense of purpose and strength by joining a women’s collective that actively works to resist and heal from the conflict. The novel provides an unflinching look at a separatist movement without glorifying violence, and serves as a vital counterpoint to the immense historical and cultural losses suffered by the Tamil people during the war.
10. Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck
Jenny Erpenbeck’s International Booker Prize-winning novel Kairos is a tragic love story set during the final years of East Germany (GDR), as the country’s socialist ideals crumble under the influence of Western capitalism. The novel follows a doomed affair between Hans, an older writer, and Katharina, a teenager. Their seemingly ordinary moments—meeting in cafes, watching movies—are imbued with a tragic historical weight. The book explores the connection between personal relationships and political history, asking whether we are simply products of our time or if we can transcend the forces of history.