10 Realistic Fiction That You Can NOT Miss

Sometimes, we need novels like horror, sci-fi, and fantasy leading us into another world and stretching our imaginations to new realms; while sometimes, the most gripping novels of all are the ones we can really relate to. And the realistic fiction genre is exactly what you might expect.

If you’re in the mood for some mind-blowingly realistic fiction, then you’ve come to the right place.

Part 1. What Is Realistic Fiction

Realistic Fiction is a kind of story which seems like real life, and the characters in the story need to deal with some real life problems.

Whether the realistic fiction books on this list are windows, mirrors, or doors, they are all well-written and highly recommended. And, quite frankly, no matter the circumstances, these books show us that we are more alike than we are different. We love, we feel sad, we want friends, we yearn to find our identity, no matter what life circumstances or culture, or language. So just join us to read them!

Part 2. 10 Must-Read Realistic Fiction

1. To Kill a Mockingbird

One of the most cherished stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father—a crusading local lawyer—risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.

2. Infinite Jest

Set in an addicts' halfway house and a tennis academy, and featuring the most endearingly screwed-up family to come along in recent fiction, Infinite Jest explores essential questions about what entertainment is and why it has come to so dominate our lives; about how our desire for entertainment affects our need to connect with other people; and about what the pleasures we choose say about who we are.

3. The Vanishing Half

The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect?

4. The Silence of the Lambs

As part of the search for a serial murderer nicknames "Buffalo Bill," FBI trainee Clarice Starling is given an assignment. She must visit a man confined to a high-security facility for the criminally insane and interview him.

That man, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, is a former psychiatrist with unusual tastes and an intense curiosity about the darker corners of the mind. His intimate understanding of the killer and of Clarice herself form the core of Thomas Harris' The Silence of the Lambs--an unforgettable classic of suspense fiction.

5. Love in the Time of Cholera

In their youth, Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza fall passionately in love. When Fermina eventually chooses to marry a wealthy, well-born doctor, Florentino is devastated, but he is a romantic. As he rises in his business career he whiles away the years in 622 affairs--yet he reserves his heart for Fermina. Her husband dies at last, and Florentino purposefully attends the funeral. Fifty years, nine months, and four days after he first declared his love for Fermina, he will do so again.

6. The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid’s Tale is a novel of such power that the reader will be unable to forget its images and its forecast. Set in the near future, it describes life in what was once the United States and is now called the Republic of Gilead, a monotheocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to, and going beyond, the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans. The regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for the women and men in its population.

7. The Old Man and the Sea

It tells the unforgettable story of Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman down on his luck, who goes out alone far from the shore in search of one last victory and catches a huge marlin longer than his boat. He is tested to the very limits of his skill and strength and returns "destroyed but not defeated." This, of course, also refers to Hemingway, who, in his last years, was in constant pain from years of adventures and accidents but still able to do his best work. A classic novella that can be read in a single sitting.

8. Gone With the Wind

This is the tale of Scarlett O’Hara, the spoiled, manipulative daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, who arrives at young womanhood just in time to see the Civil War forever change her way of life. A sweeping story of tangled passion and courage, in the pages of Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell brings to life the unforgettable characters that have captured readers for over seventy years.

9. The Art of Racing in the Rain

The New York Times bestselling novel from Garth Stein—a heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope—a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it.

10. Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen’s witty comedy of manners—one of the most popular novels of all time—that features splendidly civilized sparring between the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet as they play out their spirited courtship in a series of eighteenth-century drawing-room intrigues.

Part 3. Where to Find More Must-Read Realistic Fiction

If you're searching for more options for your realistic fiction list, dive into the world of Novel-Cat. You'll be treated to an almost endless supply of marvelous stories here. From the adventure of paranormal romance to the attractive love of billionaires, Novel-Cat has what you need.

Conclusion

Since we've got so many recommendations of realistic fiction, I believe you can not wait to enjoy reading them. Trust me, NovelCat won't make you regret it. NovelCat is committed to providing readers the best reading experience with excellent novels. There is a huge amount of high-quality novels in nearly every genre. You will find the most suitable one to fit your requirements.

Now, come and join us! Let’s start your wonderful journey!

10 Must-Read Realistic Fiction for Your Choice｜Most Classical

10 Must-Read Realistic Fiction for Your Choice｜Most Classical

More Reads