If you enjoy reading novels by Jean Rhys then you might also like the following authors:
Virginia Woolf was an English author who focused on characters’ inner thoughts and emotions. One of her best-known books is “Mrs. Dalloway.” It follows Clarissa Dalloway through a single day as she prepares for hosting an important party.
Woolf carefully explores Clarissa’s memories, fears and hopes as the day progresses. The novel also introduces Septimus Smith, a war veteran whose inner struggles feel very real and personal.
Readers who appreciate Jean Rhys for her close attention to emotions and daily experiences may find Woolf interesting as well.
Sylvia Plath was an American author known for honest novels and poetry about the challenges facing women in the mid-twentieth century. Her novel “The Bell Jar” follows Esther Greenwood, a college student in New York City who encounters deep struggles with mental health issues.
The book shows Esther trying to understand her own identity and stay afloat in a society that seems set against her. People who enjoy Jean Rhys’s sharp portrayal of women and their inner conflicts often find Plath interesting for similar reasons.
Plath’s direct and clear style gives readers a vivid look into Esther’s thoughts and emotions without softening any realities.
Elizabeth Bowen was an Irish-British writer known for her novels about complicated human relationships and powerful emotions. Those who enjoy Jean Rhys might also like Bowen’s book “The Death of the Heart.”
This novel follows Portia, a young girl sent to live with relatives in London after losing her parents. Readers see London society through Portia’s eyes as she struggles to understand a confusing adult world.
Bowen creates a story filled with subtle tensions and carefully drawn characters that stay with readers after the book ends.
Katherine Mansfield was a writer from New Zealand known for her short stories that explore women’s inner lives. Her book “The Garden Party and Other Stories” shows how different characters, especially women, deal with everyday experiences.
In one story, a young girl named Laura gets ready for a grand party held by her wealthy family, but a tragic event nearby makes her question her comfortable life.
Mansfield clearly describes these quiet moments and connections between her characters, capturing feelings and details in an honest way. Readers who enjoy Jean Rhys’s stories about women’s lives and emotional struggles will find Mansfield’s careful observations worthwhile.
Doris Lessing is an author whose novels often explore the quiet struggles faced by women in everyday life. Readers who appreciate Jean Rhys may connect with Lessing’s style, marked by straightforward prose and powerful emotions beneath the surface.
Her book “The Grass is Singing” tells the story of Mary Turner, a woman who moves with her husband to a remote farm in southern Africa. There she faces isolation and tensions, both in her marriage and in her relationship with local workers.
Lessing shows how seemingly small pressures can build quietly to shape someone’s life in dramatic ways.
Margaret Atwood is a Canadian author who explores complex characters in tough situations. In her book “Alias Grace,” she tells the story of Grace Marks, a young servant convicted of murder in 1840s Canada.
Grace’s story moves between her prison life and the events leading to the deadly crime. Readers meet Grace through her conversations with a doctor who wants to understand what’s going on inside her mind.
The novel gives a vivid picture of Grace’s confusing memories and makes the reader wonder about her innocence or guilt until the end. Atwood’s careful storytelling and deep characters create an atmosphere readers of Jean Rhys may appreciate.
Patricia Highsmith is an author who writes intense psychological novels. Her book “The Talented Mr. Ripley” follows Tom Ripley, a young man who travels to Italy to find a wealthy heir named Dickie Greenleaf.
When Tom meets Dickie, he gets drawn into a dangerous world of envy and deception. Tom’s decisions lead him into tricky situations that are both fascinating and disturbing.
If you enjoy Jean Rhys’ sharp insight into complicated characters, Highsmith’s portrayal of Tom’s troubled mind might appeal to you.
Anita Brookner was a British author who wrote novels about quiet, lonely lives and thoughtful characters. In her book “Hotel du Lac,” Brookner introduces Edith Hope, an English novelist who comes to stay at a quiet Swiss hotel after some unsettling events back home.
Edith meets other hotel guests who share their stories of love and disappointment. Throughout her stay, Edith thinks back on her own life, choices and relationships.
Brookner shows a world of quiet reflection and inner journeys, where gentle dramas unfold within character’s hearts. This style can be appreciated by readers who enjoyed Jean Rhys.
Nadine Gordimer is a South African author who often writes stories set against the backdrop of social and racial tensions. Her novel “July’s People” explores how relationships shift between characters when society breaks down and established power structures disappear.
In this book, a white family flees from a conflict in the city to their servant July’s rural village, where daily interactions reveal hidden emotions and unexpected complications.
Gordimer introduces readers to characters whose lives unexpectedly change as the world around them shifts. Readers who appreciated Jean Rhys’s insightful portrayal of complex personal dynamics may find a similar experience in Gordimer’s work.
Toni Morrison is an author known for her novels about African American life and history. Readers who enjoyed Jean Rhys might find Morrison’s “Beloved” worth exploring. The book tells the story of a woman named Sethe, whose life is deeply marked by her hardships during slavery.
Sethe and her daughter live in a house haunted by mysterious events linked to the past. Morrison uses clear language to show how memories can change the lives of many generations.
This novel will appeal to anyone who appreciates honest stories dealing with difficult experiences and human struggle.
Rebecca West was a British author active in the early and mid-20th century. Her novel “The Return of the Soldier” explores the life of a man who comes back from the First World War without any memory of the years since his youth.
He remembers only a happier past, which creates tension among his family members. West thoughtfully portrays how each character deals with the soldier’s changed perception of reality.
Readers who enjoy the emotional depth and clear, unadorned style of Jean Rhys’s novels like “Wide Sargasso Sea” may also find Rebecca West’s stories realistic and meaningful.
Ali Smith is a Scottish author known for novels that explore people’s inner lives through everyday moments. Her book “Autumn” tells the story of Elisabeth, a young woman reconnecting with her elderly neighbor Daniel.
Elisabeth recalls memories of friendship and meaningful conversations that shaped her. The story weaves between past and present as it examines art, identity, and the passing of time.
Smith creates intimacy in ordinary scenes, making her writing similar in style to the novels of Jean Rhys.
Colette was a French author who often wrote novels about complicated relationships and women finding their own way in life. In her novel “Chéri,” Colette tells the story of Léa, an older woman who has a relationship with a younger man called Chéri.
They share a closeness that surprises them both, but circumstances change and soon Chéri is expected to marry someone his own age. The story follows Léa as she deals with her own feelings while Chéri tries to figure out what he truly wants.
The tension between them is subtle and emotional, showing readers the pains of moving on and accepting change.
Barbara Pym was an English writer who often explored the lives of everyday people in her novels. Her stories usually feature ordinary women, with quiet humor and clear observations of human relationships.
In her book “Excellent Women,” the main character named Mildred Lathbury is a single woman living in London after World War II.
Mildred gets involved in the lives of her neighbors, especially when new people move into her building and bring drama into her previously predictable world.
Readers who appreciate Jean Rhys’ honest portrayal of characters and straightforward style may find a similar appeal in Barbara Pym’s works.
Edna O’Brien is an Irish writer who explores themes of identity, love and the emotional lives of women in her novels. Readers who enjoy the thoughtful storytelling of Jean Rhys may appreciate O’Brien’s novel “The Country Girls.”
This story follows two young women from rural Ireland who move to Dublin to experience freedom and adventure. The main character Cait faces family expectations and the challenges of growing up in a strict community.
O’Brien captures the heartaches and the joys of youth with honest, direct prose.