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📖 Literary Fiction · United Kingdom

Best Literary Fiction Books from United Kingdom

Literary fiction is fiction that prioritises style, language, and psychological depth over plot mechanics. United Kingdom has produced some of the most internationally recognised works in literary fiction, with titles that have appeared on major prize lists and critical surveys worldwide. This page ranks the best literary fiction from United Kingdom by editorial consensus.

#1
Cover of The Remains of the Day
literary-fiction

The Remains of the Day

Kazuo Ishiguro· 1989
★Nobel Prize in Literature★Booker Prize
Editorial Score100/100
#2
Cover of Wolf Hall
historical-fiction

Wolf Hall

Hilary Mantel· 2009
★Booker Prize★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score100/100
#3
Cover of Milkman
literary-fiction

Milkman

Anna Burns· 2018
★Booker Prize★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score100/100
#4
Cover of Shuggie Bain
literary-fiction

Shuggie Bain

Douglas Stuart· 2020
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score94/100
#5
Cover of Piranesi
fantasy

Piranesi

Susanna Clarke· 2020
★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score94/100
#6
Cover of Never Let Me Go
literary-fiction

Never Let Me Go

Kazuo Ishiguro· 2017
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score91/100
#7
Cover of The Power
science-fiction

The Power

Naomi Alderman· 2016
★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score90/100
#8
Cover of Bring Up the Bodies
historical-fiction

Bring Up the Bodies

Hilary Mantel· 2012
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score86/100
#9
Cover of How I Live Now
young-adult

How I Live Now

Meg Rosoff· 2004
★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score79/100
#10
Cover of American Gods
fantasy

American Gods

Neil Gaiman· 2002
★Hugo Award★Bram Stoker Award
Editorial Score79/100
#11
Cover of Mrs Dalloway
literary-fiction

Mrs Dalloway

Virginia Woolf· 1925
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score78/100
#12
Cover of Amsterdam
literary-fiction

Amsterdam

Ian McEwan· 1998
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score74/100
#13
Cover of Sacred Hunger
historical-fiction

Sacred Hunger

Barry Unsworth· 1992
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score74/100
#14
Cover of Small Island
historical-fiction

Small Island

Andrea Levy· 2004
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score74/100
#15
Cover of How Late It Was, How Late
literary-fiction

How Late It Was, How Late

James Kelman· 1994
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score73/100
#16
Cover of The Midnight Library
literary-fiction

The Midnight Library

Matt Haig· 2020
Goodreads Choice Award
Editorial Score72/100
#17
Cover of The Waves
literary-fiction

The Waves

Virginia Woolf· 1931
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score71/100
#18
Cover of Dear Nobody
young-adult

Dear Nobody

Berlie Doherty· 1991
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score71/100
#19
Cover of Day
literary-fiction

Day

A.L. Kennedy· 2007
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score70/100
#20
Cover of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
literary-fiction

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Mark Haddon· 2003
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score69/100
#21
Cover of The Electric Michelangelo
literary-fiction

The Electric Michelangelo

Sarah Hall· 2004
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score69/100
#22
Cover of Case Histories
mystery-thriller

Case Histories

Kate Atkinson· 2004
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score68/100
#23
Cover of Among Others
literary-fiction

Among Others

Jo Walton· 2012
★Hugo Award
Editorial Score67/100
#24
Cover of The City & The City
mystery-thriller

The City & The City

China Miéville· 2010
★Hugo Award
Editorial Score67/100
#25
Cover of The Other Hand
literary-fiction

The Other Hand

Chris Cleave· 2008
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score66/100
#26
Cover of To the Lighthouse
literary-fiction

To the Lighthouse

Virginia Woolf· 1927
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score66/100
#27
Cover of The Tulip Touch
young-adult

The Tulip Touch

Anne Fine· 1996
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score66/100
#28
Cover of The Sea, The Sea
literary-fiction

The Sea, The Sea

Iris Murdoch· 1978
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score65/100
#29
Cover of Skellig
young-adult

Skellig

David Almond· 1998
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score65/100
#30
Cover of Flour Babies
young-adult

Flour Babies

Anne Fine· 1992
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score64/100
#31
Cover of Pack of Lies
young-adult

Pack of Lies

Anne Fine· 1986
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score60/100
#32
Cover of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
mystery-thriller

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Alexander McCall Smith· 1998
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score58/100
#33
Cover of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
fantasy

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Susanna Clarke· 2005
★Hugo Award
Editorial Score55/100
#34
Cover of Pride and Prejudice
literary-fiction

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen· 1813
Guardian 100 Best NovelsBBC Big Read
Editorial Score55/100
#35
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
literary-fiction

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Lewis Carroll· 1865
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#36
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
literary-fiction

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus

Mary Shelley· 1818
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#37
The Hound of the Baskervilles
literary-fiction

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1900
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#38
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [12 stories]
literary-fiction

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [12 stories]

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1892
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#39
A Room with a View
literary-fiction

A Room with a View

E. M. Forster· 1905
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#40
The Mayor of Casterbridge
literary-fiction

The Mayor of Casterbridge

Thomas Hardy· 1800
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#41
His Last Bow [8 stories]
literary-fiction

His Last Bow [8 stories]

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1917
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#42
Women in Love
literary-fiction

Women in Love

D. H. Lawrence· 1877
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#43
Cover of Heart of Darkness
literary-fiction

Heart of Darkness

Joseph Conrad· 1899
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#44
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass
literary-fiction

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass

Lewis Carroll· 1889
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#45
Cover of Nineteen Eighty-Four
literary-fiction

Nineteen Eighty-Four

George Orwell· 1949
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#46
Howards End
literary-fiction

Howards End

E. M. Forster· 1910
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#47
Cover of The Hobbit
literary-fiction

The Hobbit

J.R.R. Tolkien· 1937
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#48
The Woodlanders
literary-fiction

The Woodlanders

Thomas Hardy· 1800
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#49
Plays (36)
literary-fiction

Plays (36)

William Shakespeare· 1623
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#50
The Complete Sherlock Holmes [4 novels, 56 stories]
literary-fiction

The Complete Sherlock Holmes [4 novels, 56 stories]

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1900
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
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