Books like

Books like Freedom

12 books with a reading profile close to Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. Deep, inward-looking and thought-provoking; a moderate read.

1

The Corrections

by Jonathan Franzen

Also deep and inward-looking · dense, narrative

The narrative centers on the Lambert family as they converge on their suburban Midwestern home for a final Christmas.
2

The Bee Sting

by Paul Murray

Also deep and inward-looking · dense, narrative

The narrative follows the Barnes family in an Irish town as they face financial ruin following the 2008 economic crash.
3

Atonement

by Ian McEwan

Also deep and inward-looking · dense, narrative

On a sweltering English day in 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis observes a series of adult interactions she lacks the emotional maturity to interpret.
4

We need to talk about Kevin

by Lionel Shriver

Also deep and inward-looking · dense, narrative

Eva Khatchadourian writes a series of letters to her estranged husband, Franklin, following a mass murder committed by their teenage son, Kevin, at his high school.
5

Fates and Furies

by Lauren Groff

Also deep and inward-looking · narrative, psychology

The novel documents the twenty-four-year marriage of Lotto and Mathilde Satterwhite, beginning with their impulsive college graduation wedding and following their ascent into the New York elite.
6

Crossroads

by Jonathan Franzen

Also deep and inward-looking · narrative, psychology

In suburban Chicago on a single day in 1971, the Hildebrandt family faces individual crises of faith and morality.
7

Life Before Man

by Margaret Atwood

Also deep and inward-looking · narrative, psychology

Set in Toronto during the late 1970s, the narrative centers on a stagnant love triangle between Elizabeth, her husband Nate, and his lover Lesje.
8

The Lying Life of Adults

by Elena Ferrante

Also inward-looking and thought-provoking · narrative, psychology

Giovanna, a teenager living in an upper-class neighborhood in Naples, overhears her father compare her appearance to his estranged sister, Vittoria.
9

Transcendent Kingdom

by Yaa Gyasi

Also deep and inward-looking · narrative, psychology

Gifty is a PhD candidate in neuroscience at the Stanford University School of Medicine, where she studies reward-seeking behavior in mice to understand the neural pathways of addiction and depression.
10

Cat’s Eye

by Margaret Atwood

Also inward-looking and thought-provoking · narrative, psychology

Elaine Risley, a middle-aged painter, returns to Toronto for a retrospective of her art.
11

Sally Rooney 3 Books Collection Set

by Sally Rooney

Also inward-looking and thought-provoking · narrative, psychology

This collection gathers Sally Rooney’s early prose, focusing on the intricate social dynamics and intimate exchanges between young adults in modern Ireland.
12

Conversations With Friends

by Sally Rooney

Also inward-looking and thought-provoking · narrative, psychology

Frances is a university student and aspiring poet in Dublin who performs spoken word pieces with her former girlfriend and best friend, Bobbi.

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