📖 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
literary-fiction
The Remains of the Day
Kazuo Ishiguro· 1989
★Nobel Prize in Literature★Booker Prize
Editorial Score100/100
#2
historical-fiction
Wolf Hall
Hilary Mantel· 2009
★Booker Prize★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score100/100
#3
literary-fiction
Milkman
Anna Burns· 2018
★Booker Prize★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score100/100
#4
literary-fiction
Shuggie Bain
Douglas Stuart· 2020
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score94/100
#5
fantasy
Piranesi
Susanna Clarke· 2020
★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score94/100
#6
literary-fiction
Never Let Me Go
Kazuo Ishiguro· 2017
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score91/100
#7
science-fiction
The Power
Naomi Alderman· 2016
★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score90/100
#8
historical-fiction
Bring Up the Bodies
Hilary Mantel· 2012
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score86/100
#9
literary-fiction
The Golden Notebook
Doris Lessing· 1962
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score81/100
#10
young-adult
How I Live Now
Meg Rosoff· 2004
★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score79/100
#11
fantasy
American Gods
Neil Gaiman· 2002
★Hugo Award★Bram Stoker Award
Editorial Score79/100
#12
literary-fiction
Mrs Dalloway
Virginia Woolf· 1925
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score78/100
#13
literary-fiction
Amsterdam
Ian McEwan· 1998
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score74/100
#14
historical-fiction
Sacred Hunger
Barry Unsworth· 1992
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score74/100
#15
historical-fiction
Small Island
Andrea Levy· 2004
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score74/100
#16
literary-fiction
How Late It Was, How Late
James Kelman· 1994
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score73/100
#17
literary-fiction
The Midnight Library
Matt Haig· 2020
Goodreads Choice Award
Editorial Score72/100
#18
literary-fiction
The Waves
Virginia Woolf· 1931
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score71/100
#19
young-adult
Dear Nobody
Berlie Doherty· 1991
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score71/100
#20
literary-fiction
Day
A.L. Kennedy· 2007
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score70/100
#21
literary-fiction
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Mark Haddon· 2003
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score69/100
#22
literary-fiction
The Electric Michelangelo
Sarah Hall· 2004
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score69/100
#23
mystery-thriller
Case Histories
Kate Atkinson· 2004
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score68/100
#24
literary-fiction
Among Others
Jo Walton· 2012
★Hugo Award
Editorial Score67/100
#25
mystery-thriller
The City & The City
China Miéville· 2010
★Hugo Award
Editorial Score67/100
#26
literary-fiction
The Other Hand
Chris Cleave· 2008
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score66/100
#27
literary-fiction
To the Lighthouse
Virginia Woolf· 1927
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score66/100
#28
young-adult
The Tulip Touch
Anne Fine· 1996
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score66/100
#29
literary-fiction
The Sea, The Sea
Iris Murdoch· 1978
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score65/100
#30
young-adult
Skellig
David Almond· 1998
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score65/100
#31
young-adult
Flour Babies
Anne Fine· 1992
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score64/100
#32
young-adult
Pack of Lies
Anne Fine· 1986
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score60/100
#33
mystery-thriller
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Alexander McCall Smith· 1998
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score58/100
#34
fantasy
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Susanna Clarke· 2005
★Hugo Award
Editorial Score55/100
#35
literary-fiction
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen· 1813
Guardian 100 Best NovelsBBC Big Read
Editorial Score55/100
#36
literary-fiction
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll· 1865
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#37
literary-fiction
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
Mary Shelley· 1818
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#38
literary-fiction
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Arthur Conan Doyle· 1900
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#39
![Cover of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [12 stories]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcovers.openlibrary.org%2Fb%2Fid%2F6717853-M.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
literary-fiction
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [12 stories]
Arthur Conan Doyle· 1892
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#40
literary-fiction
A Room with a View
E. M. Forster· 1905
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#41
literary-fiction
The Mayor of Casterbridge
Thomas Hardy· 1800
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#42
![Cover of His Last Bow [8 stories]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcovers.openlibrary.org%2Fb%2Fid%2F8243267-M.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
literary-fiction
His Last Bow [8 stories]
Arthur Conan Doyle· 1917
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#43
literary-fiction
Women in Love
D. H. Lawrence· 1877
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#44
literary-fiction
Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad· 1899
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#45
literary-fiction
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass
Lewis Carroll· 1889
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#46
literary-fiction
Nineteen Eighty-Four
George Orwell· 1949
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#47
literary-fiction
Howards End
E. M. Forster· 1910
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#48
literary-fiction
The Woodlanders
Thomas Hardy· 1800
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#49
literary-fiction
Plays (36)
William Shakespeare· 1623
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#50
![Cover of The Complete Sherlock Holmes [4 novels, 56 stories]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcovers.openlibrary.org%2Fb%2Fid%2F12501284-M.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
literary-fiction
The Complete Sherlock Holmes [4 novels, 56 stories]
Arthur Conan Doyle· 1900
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
