Off the Shelf: Some of 2020's Top Works of Fiction
By Sharon Saye on November 25, 2020
The Best Books of 2020 lists began appearing in October from all sorts of media outlets including Time Magazine, Amazon, Publishers Weekly, etc. I’ve explained in the past that the reason that they can do that is that media outlets are sent advanced reader copies months ahead so that they can have their reviews ready when the book is released. Reviewers are busy reading early spring 2021 books as you read this.
There is always some variation to the lists because of the focus of the publication, but certain books appear on virtually every list. So, let me list some of the top fiction titles.
For Literary Fiction, the common selections are: “The Cold Millions” by Jess Walter, “Hamnet” by Maggie O’Farrell, “Homeland Elegies” by Ayad Akhtar, “The Mirror and the Light” by Hilary Mantel, “Monogamy” by Sue Miller, “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett, “The New Wilderness” by Diane Cook, “The Jane Austen Society” by Natalie Jenner, “Anxious People” By Fredrik Backman, “The Book of Two Ways” by Jodi Picoult, “Memorial” by Bryan Washington, “Transcendent Kingdom” by Yaa Gyasi, “The Girl with the Louding Voice” by Abi Dare, “Fifty Words for Rain” by Asha Lemmie, “Deacon King Kong” by James McBride, “Luster’ by Raven Leilani,,and “A Burning’ by Megha Majumdar.
Mystery readers have loads of choices including: “The Law of Innocence” by Michael Connelly, “The Searcher” by Tana French, “The Guest List” by Lucy Foley, “All the Devils are Here” by Louise Penny, “Squeeze Me” by Carl Hiaasen, “The Last Flight” by Julie Clark, “The Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osman, “Pretty Things” by Janelle Brown, “The Devil and the Dark Water” by Stuart Turton, and “Long Bright River’ by Liz Moore.
Science Fiction and fantasy fans had an especially good year: “The City We Became” by N. K. Jemisin, “A Deadly Education” by Naomi Novik, “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue,” by V. E. Schwab, “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig, “Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, “The Once and Future Witches” by Alix Harrow, “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by TJ Klune, and “Black Sun” by Rebecca Roanhorse.
Just Google - Best books of 2020 for pages of recommendations
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