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

+1! A favorite.

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

PP here I love Donal Ryan. He is genius.

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

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.

Dutch House

Remarkably Bright Creatures?

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

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.

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

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.

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

how about funny instead of upbeat?

Engleby by Sebastian Faulks

Could maybe try Psalm for the Well Built

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)

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.

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