If you enjoy reading novels by Jeffrey Eugenides then you might also like the following authors:
Donna Tartt writes novels that could appeal to readers who enjoy Jeffrey Eugenides. Her book “The Secret History” follows a close group of students at a small college in Vermont.
They are part of an exclusive classics class, but things turn dark when someone’s death occurs under mysterious circumstances. The story slowly reveals secrets and complexities within friendships and morality.
Tartt explores these students’ lives in a direct way, much of the charm comes from how real the characters feel, even amid disturbing events.
Jonathan Franzen is an American author known for novels about complex family relationships and American society. If you enjoyed Jeffrey Eugenides’ writing style, you might also appreciate Franzen’s “The Corrections.”
This novel follows the Lambert family as they plan one last Christmas gathering. Each family member faces their own personal troubles. Franzen carefully explores themes of aging, family expectations and modern life tensions.
Franzen offers an honest and detailed portrayal of everyday people’s lives. The Lambert family’s story reveals real struggles readers can easily understand and relate to.
Nicole Krauss is an author whose books explore emotional connections and complex relationships in everyday settings. Readers familiar with Jeffrey Eugenides may find that her writing shares some common themes.
In her book “The History of Love,” Krauss tells the story of Leo Gursky, an elderly immigrant longing for lost love over many decades. A parallel story follows young Alma Singer, named after a character in a book her father once loved.
Their lives cross paths in surprising ways, creating a deep impression about love, loss and the connections between people who seem completely separate.
Zadie Smith is a British author who writes vivid novels about real-life experiences and interesting family dynamics. If you like Jeffrey Eugenides, you may enjoy Smith’s novel “On Beauty.”
This book follows two academic families who live in the same university town but have completely opposite views on culture and politics. The story brings out their conflicts, secrets and personal struggles in a funny yet honest style.
Smith creates memorable characters who feel authentic, flawed and easy to relate to. Her sharp portrayal of family tensions and personal identity gives “On Beauty” both warmth and depth.
Ian McEwan is a British author known for novels that explore human relationships and moral questions. His book “Atonement” follows Briony Tallis, a young girl who misunderstands a situation between her sister and a family friend. Her mistake changes their lives forever.
The story goes through different timelines and perspectives, so readers see the impact one moment can have on many years. Readers who appreciate Jeffrey Eugenides often enjoy McEwan’s clear look at family and personal struggles.
Michael Chabon is an American author known for novels that combine sharp storytelling with believable, vivid characters. Readers who enjoy Jeffrey Eugenides may appreciate Chabon’s style in “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.”
This novel follows two young Jewish cousins, Joe Kavalier and Sammy Clay, who create comic-book superheroes during World War II. Chabon uses comic books and magic acts to explore friendship, loss, and dreams.
Throughout the novel, the cousins struggle with family history, creative ambitions, and the realities of their time.
Jennifer Egan is a writer who builds thoughtful stories around characters we feel we know, each facing realistic struggles. Readers who enjoyed Jeffrey Eugenides might also appreciate Egan’s “A Visit from the Goon Squad.”
This book focuses on characters whose lives intersect across different decades in the music industry. It explores friendship, time, and how everyday decisions shape people’s futures.
Characters appear in different stories, reconnect in surprising ways, and show how unpredictable life can be.
Julian Barnes is a British author known for witty and thoughtful fiction. If you enjoy Jeffrey Eugenides, you might be interested in Barnes’s novel “The Sense of an Ending.” It is about a middle-aged man named Tony who reflects on his past after a surprising letter arrives.
Tony begins to re-examine his friendships and relationships from his younger days. His memories gradually shift as he tries to figure out the truth behind the regrets and misunderstandings from his youth.
The novel gently pulls readers into questions about how memory shapes our personal history.
T.C. Boyle is an American novelist known for sharp storytelling and characters with depth and real flaws. His novel “The Tortilla Curtain” focuses on two couples living on opposite sides of society.
One couple is a wealthy suburban husband and wife dealing with daily concerns typical to their comfortable lifestyle. The other couple is an immigrant pair from Mexico struggling to make ends meet in California.
Boyle depicts how their paths unexpectedly cross after a tense encounter on a winding road. Like Eugenides, Boyle explores human emotions and social situations through events that feel very relatable and authentic.
If you like Jeffrey Eugenides, you might also appreciate Jhumpa Lahiri’s writing. Lahiri writes stories about families and relationships, often exploring themes of identity and belonging.
Her book “The Namesake” tells the story of Gogol Ganguli, whose family moves from India to the United States. Gogol struggles with balancing the traditions of his parents and his desire to fit into American culture.
Lahiri portrays the everyday challenges of immigration and family expectations with warmth and honesty.
Dave Eggers is a writer whose books often explore deep human relationships and personal journeys. In his book “The Circle,” Eggers creates a story about Mae Holland, a young woman hired by a powerful technology company called the Circle.
At first, Mae’s job seems exciting and rewarding, but soon she notices unsettling sides to how the company operates. The story questions society’s relationship to technology and personal privacy.
If you enjoyed Jeffrey Eugenides’ storytelling style, Dave Eggers’ thoughtful presentation of strong characters and realistic situations might appeal to your reading taste.
Richard Russo is an American author known for stories about small-town life and the people who live there. His novels often center around characters who struggle with everyday problems that feel real and relatable. One of Russo’s most well-known books is “Empire Falls.”
This story follows Miles Roby, a good-hearted, ordinary guy who manages a diner in a fading town called Empire Falls. Miles deals with family troubles, a difficult boss, and navigating relationships within his community.
Readers who enjoy Jeffrey Eugenides may appreciate Russo’s honesty and realistic portrayal of ordinary life in America.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian author known for stories centered around family, identity and cultural conflicts. Her novel “Americanah” follows Ifemelu, a young Nigerian woman who leaves Nigeria for the United States to continue her education.
She finds life in America different from her expectations and encounters complex issues of race, relationships and belonging. Meanwhile, back in Nigeria her high school love, Obinze, faces his own challenges while he dreams of reuniting with Ifemelu.
Adichie writes in a straightforward yet thoughtful way, combining the everyday details of her characters’ lives with deeper issues in an accessible style.
Readers who appreciate Jeffrey Eugenides’ approach to personal relationships and vivid characters may find Adichie’s “Americanah” equally engaging.
Alice Munro is a Canadian author known for her short stories about ordinary people facing complex situations. Her writing explores relationships in small-town settings with honest, clear storytelling.
In her book “Dear Life,” she presents several stories that capture moments of personal decision and quiet drama. One such story follows a woman who reflects on events from her childhood that shaped her understanding of family.
Those who enjoy Jeffrey Eugenides’ detailed focus on characters’ inner lives may feel drawn to Munro’s equally thoughtful portraits of everyday experiences.
Patricia Highsmith is an author known for her psychological novels and stories about complex relationships. Readers who enjoyed Jeffrey Eugenides may also connect with Highsmith’s book “The Talented Mr. Ripley.”
In it, Tom Ripley’s life changes after he travels to Italy to persuade a wealthy man’s son, Dickie Greenleaf, to return home. Ripley becomes fascinated by Dickie’s lifestyle and begins a troubling approach to friendship.
The story explores friendship and identity in ways that readers of character-driven fiction might appreciate.