Inspiring Upbeat Book with Complex Characters

[Anonymous]

DCUM, I’m looking for a book that is happy and uplifting. Unfortunately many of these have two-dimensional characters.

I’m a lover of literary fiction but these often veer sad.

Any recommendations?

I’ve liked the following books:
Less
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
House on the Cerulean Sea

[Anonymous]

I honestly couldn't think of a single "upbeat" book. There's loads of books out there with complex characters but none of those are up beat. Sorry op.

[Anonymous]

The main one I’m reading isn’t published yet but I really hope it gets there soon so I can recommend it to you.

Some others:
Freedom and Necessity but Steven Burst and Emma Bull

Queen’s Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett (least uplifting of the lot but really good)

[Anonymous]

Could maybe try Psalm for the Well Built

[Anonymous]

how about funny instead of upbeat?

Engleby by Sebastian Faulks

[Anonymous]

I love Carl Hiassen’s detective fiction books for adults (he writes young adult books too). They’re so funny, witty, and engaging.

[Anonymous]

I thought Evvie Drake Starts Over was upbeat. I don’t know if I’d call the characters complex, but I still really enjoyed it.

[Anonymous]

Maybe something like Straight Man by Richard Russo? It's a funny book with complex characters, not too depressing.

[Anonymous]

This is a little odd becaus there’s death in this book and a lot of tragedy but I did not find City of Thieves to be depressing. The characters have a wry humor and the focus in on survival — it’s about two men in WW2 during the siege of leningrad trying to find half a dozen eggs to buy their freedom from a general who wants to bake his kid a birthday cake. So the topic is not at all uplifting but the way it is written somehow is.

[Anonymous]

Remarkably Bright Creatures?

I'm just starting it, so I'm not sure.

[Anonymous]

Dutch House

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remarkably Bright Creatures?

I'm just starting it, so I'm not sure.

+1

I also loved Straight Man, mentioned by a different PP above.

Also recommend Where’d You Go Bernadette. And Tomorrow Will Be Different. I found them both to be hilarious with complex characters. Can’t say they were inspirational, but definitely worth the read.

[Anonymous]

I think you might like The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you might like The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan.

PP here I love Donal Ryan. He is genius.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe something like Straight Man by Richard Russo? It's a funny book with complex characters, not too depressing.

+1! A favorite.