Literature and General Fiction on Pango

Not every book can be tucked into a neat category. In fact, most popular fiction books span multiple categories or maybe just defy categorization altogether. On this page, you'll find an assortment of books that can be termed as "general fiction" or "literary fiction." Some, like The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz or Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, are massively popular, while others, such as Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, are underrated gems that will blow you away. Explore all that general fiction has to offer below.

What is a literary fiction book?

Literary fiction is a genre of fiction that emphasizes character development over plot. Unlike genre fiction, which is more concerned with specific storytelling conventions, literary fiction prioritizes the exploration of themes and emotions. As a result, literary fiction books are often heavily character-driven and can have little to no plot. For example, you can summarize The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka in one sentence: a group of regulars become concerned with a crack at the bottom of their pool, which then worsens one of the swimmers's dementia. If The Swimmers were a mystery or thriller, the characters would band together to discover the nefarious reason for this attack on their beloved pool. If it were a fantasy, they would discover a new world below the pool, with the crack acting as their portal. However, the point of The Swimmers isn't the crack or why it appeared, but its effects on the lives of the people who frequent this pool. While genre fiction seeks to enthrall the reader with what is happening, literary fiction rely less on plot twists and focus rather on how the characters feel.