s/o from Reddit -- Which novel published after the year 2000 will be considered a classic?
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Anonymous
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There are books that touched me and stayed with me but I doubt they will be considered classic.
One is The Idiot by Elif Batuman, another is Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I also like Elizabeth Strout’s writing but can never remember what the plot was 
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Anonymous
This was a great book, although doesn't meet OP criteria of after 2000. |
Anonymous
| Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. Stunning book. |
Anonymous
Agree with Harry Potter (late 90s/early 200s) for the massive cultural impact. Along those lines, I'd also say Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones series). 90s/2000s. Same widely successful books and TV series. I don't think any other books come close to the reach of these two series on the general public. |
Anonymous
+1 not a classic whatsoever |
Anonymous
Fr fr |
Anonymous
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Surprise for all those votes for Life of Pi. I thought it was good but not a classic really. My kid is reading it in HS English though.
What about Jonathan Strange and Mr Norre? I really liked that when I read it. This is also a little off topic, but can anyone tell me which of the suggested books are least depressing? I’ve had to swear off a lot of real literature because it really affects my mood. It’s like seasonal affective disorder but with literature. So I am constantly looking for good fiction that is not filled with rape, death of children, generally morose characters, etc. PP’s comment about the Poisonwood Bible….i loved the first half of it. I was so gutted by the end part that I had to give up reading for a while afterward. So I haven’t dared reading her new one! |
Anonymous
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Interpreter of the Maladies
House of Spirits (maybe 90s) Pachinko Thousand Splendid Suns Those are my hardest hitting books and I read a ton. It seems harder and harder to find amazing reads. Recently finished Covenant of Water (dud) and the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. Both highly rated, but not as impactful. I want to real more memorable books. |
Anonymous
| A Little Life |
Anonymous
I’m the same way. I end up re reading Jane Austen or something sometimes because I’m afraid of newer books. FWIW- don’t follow the advice above me for “a little life”. Not a classic , it’s literally like porn for someone who wants to read horrible things happening to someone. I truly side eye anyone who thinks it’s a good book because I think it speaks to something dark in their character. |
Anonymous
| ^^ also if you don’t want to read about rape death sad things happening all the time, don’t read kite runner or life of pi. Never let me go I didn’t think was sad in the same way but others might disagree. |
Anonymous
Yeah, Kite Runner was awful. And about kids no less. I don't understand the accolades for Life of Pi at all. It was a quick, fun read but that was about it. |
Anonymous
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Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro North Woods by Daniel Mason Agree with A Fine Balance, but it was published in the 1990s. |
Anonymous
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If we’re doing literary classics:
“The Namesake” or “Interpreter of Maladies,” (wasn’t the latter short stories tho?) Jhumpa Lahiri “Wolf Hall,” Hilary Mantel “Homegoing,” Yaa Gyasi “Hamnet,” Maggie O’Farrell “The Night Watchman,” Louise Erdrich “North Woods,” Daniel Mason |
Anonymous
Ha! I was writing my post before you replied, and we have some good overlap. (I also meant to add “Never Let Me Go”!) |