If you enjoy reading novels by Vauhini Vara then you might also like the following authors:
Celeste Ng is an author known for exploring family dynamics and the hidden tensions beneath everyday life. Her novel “Little Fires Everywhere” follows two very different families in Shaker Heights, an orderly suburb outside Cleveland.
At the heart of the story is Mia Warren, an artist and single mother who arrives with her teenage daughter Pearl, quickly drawing the attention of the Richardson family, who embody the town’s careful values.
When custody issues involving adoption surface, secrets, resentments, and social issues clash, questioning what truly makes a family and what motherhood really means.
Ng’s storytelling is nuanced and absorbing, highlighting how seemingly perfect lives harbor unexpected vulnerabilities and moral complexities.
If you enjoyed Vauhini Vara’s thoughtful examinations of personal identity and societal expectations, you might appreciate Ng’s sensitive portrayal of families navigating complex emotional landscapes.
If you enjoy Vauhini Vara’s insightful storytelling and sharp observations, you might appreciate Jhumpa Lahiri’s beautifully-crafted works known for their emotional depth and quiet power. Lahiri often explores themes of identity, family bonds, and cultural displacement.
Her short story collection “Interpreter of Maladies” takes you into the lives of Indian and Indian-American characters dealing with conflicts of tradition and modernity.
For instance, one memorable story in the book follows a young couple touring India, where a local guide becomes entangled in their personal dramas in unexpected ways. Lahiri captures ordinary life’s hidden tensions through carefully drawn characters and vivid scenes.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian author known for insightful novels that explore identity, culture, and belonging. If you appreciate Vauhini Vara’s skillful storytelling and attention to social dynamics, you might find Adichie’s novel “Americanah” equally engaging.
The book follows Ifemelu, a young Nigerian woman who moves to America for university and faces challenges in adapting to Western culture and expectations. Meanwhile her childhood love, Obinze, struggles through his own experiences in Britain.
Adichie’s tale touches on love, race, and the complexity of immigrant experiences, making her characters’ stories feel both personal and universally relatable.
Books by Yaa Gyasi explore identity, heritage, and the lasting impact of history on people’s lives. Her novel “Homegoing” spans centuries, tracing the paths of two sisters separated at birth in Ghana.
Each chapter alternates between their descendants, following one family’s lineage in Africa and another family’s experiences in America. Gyasi weaves personal stories into historical events, revealing deep connections between generations.
Fans of Vauhini Vara’s thoughtful storytelling and exploration of complex human experiences may find Yaa Gyasi’s work similarly absorbing.
Meg Wolitzer is an American novelist known for stories that closely examine themes of friendship, identity, and societal expectations. Readers who appreciate Vauhini Vara’s sharp narrative voice and clear social insights may enjoy Wolitzer’s novel “The Interestings.”
This book follows a group of teenagers who first meet at a summer arts camp in the 1970s, and then charts their friendship over decades. Each character tries to navigate ambitions, personal struggles, and shifting dynamics within their group.
Wolitzer writes sharp yet compassionate portrayals of how relationships evolve over time and how youthful dreams clash with adult reality.
Readers who enjoy Vauhini Vara’s insightful storytelling may find Rachel Khong’s voice both refreshing and engaging. Khong’s debut novel, “Goodbye, Vitamin,” presents a gentle yet heartfelt exploration of family, memory, and the trials of adulthood.
The story follows Ruth, a young woman who returns home after her father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis turns the family upside down.
Through a mix of humor, warmth, and sharp observations, Khong captures moments of tenderness alongside struggles as Ruth tries to reconnect with her family and her past.
If you’re drawn to thoughtful novels that deal with life’s complexities through authentic characters and genuine emotion, Rachel Khong’s “Goodbye, Vitamin” should be your next read.
If you enjoy the thoughtful and imaginative stories of Vauhini Vara, you might appreciate Nicole Krauss. Krauss writes novels that explore memory, loss, and deep human connections.
Her book “The History of Love” weaves together the stories of an elderly man named Leo Gursky and a young girl named Alma Singer. Leo once wrote a beautiful book for the woman he loved, believing it to be lost forever.
Alma, named after a character in that same book, embarks on a quest to uncover the mysteries behind the story of her namesake. Krauss skillfully ties these narratives together into a heartfelt tale filled with longing and hope.
Readers who appreciate Vauhini Vara should check out Lisa Ko’s powerful storytelling. Her novel “The Leavers” tells the deeply moving story of young Deming Guo.
After his undocumented mother disappears without explanation, Deming is adopted by a white American family, given a new name, and expected to fit into a world where he feels he doesn’t belong.
Ko masterfully explores identity, family bonds, and the complexities immigrants face in America. Her characters feel genuine and nuanced, especially as Deming grows older and begins seeking the truth about his mother’s mysterious disappearance.
The narrative skillfully shifts between Deming’s perspective and his mother’s past life, adding depth and emotional impact.
Ruth Ozeki is a novelist whose work blends thoughtful storytelling with sharp social commentary. Her novel “The Book of Form and Emptiness” explores the life of Benny Oh, a young boy who begins to hear objects talk after he loses his father.
Struggling to cope with grief and confusion, Benny discovers solace in a book that narrates his own story. Throughout the pages, readers find a sensitive yet humorous exploration of mental health, identity, and the power of storytelling.
Like Vauhini Vara, Ozeki weaves personal experiences and contemporary issues into a narrative that resonates deeply.
Readers who enjoy Vauhini Vara might appreciate Min Jin Lee. She is known for her thoughtful stories about family, identity, and the immigrant experience. Her novel “Pachinko” follows several generations of a Korean family after they move to Japan.
The story begins in Korea, with a young woman named Sunja who faces difficult choices. When she relocates to Japan, Sunja and her descendants struggle with prejudice, poverty, and personal ambition. Lee shows the family’s resilience through challenges, sacrifices, and hopes.
The story offers a vivid look at the historical tensions between Korea and Japan, told through the daily lives of memorable characters.
Books by Jennifer Egan have a sharp, perceptive quality that readers of Vauhini Vara might appreciate. In her novel “The Candy House,” Egan takes readers into a near-future society dominated by new technology.
A tech entrepreneur develops a way for people to upload and share their own memories. Through a variety of interconnected characters and storylines, Egan raises questions about privacy, identity, and human connections.
The narrative cleverly shifts perspectives, offering readers insight into how this new technology affects individual lives.
If you enjoy stories by Vara that explore technology’s impact in personal and imaginative ways, Egan’s thoughtful storytelling in “The Candy House” provides a fresh, engaging experience.
Kazuo Ishiguro is an author known for beautifully understated storytelling and deep exploration into personal memory and identity. If you’re a fan of Vauhini Vara’s thoughtful and emotionally resonant narratives, Ishiguro’s novel “Never Let Me Go” might appeal to you.
The story is set in an alternate version of England, where we follow Kathy and her friends, Tommy and Ruth, from their experiences as students at the secluded Hailsham boarding school into adulthood.
The details of their mysterious life’s purpose unfold gradually, raising questions about friendship, humanity, and ethics that linger long after the last page.
If you enjoy Vauhini Vara’s storytelling that blends complex characters with thought-provoking social commentary, Tommy Orange’s novel “There There” could resonate with you.
Orange is a Native American author and an enrolled citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. His novel follows the experiences of twelve Native American characters in Oakland, California.
Each character is on a journey toward a powwow, connected by history, identity, and the threads of modern urban life. Orange weaves stories of struggle, resilience, and humanity, creating a vivid portrait of contemporary Native American experience.
Readers who enjoyed Vauhini Vara’s insightful storytelling might also appreciate George Saunders. Saunders is known for his sharp wit and imaginative narrative style.
His short story collection “Tenth of December” features ordinary characters faced with unusual challenges, from a lonely teenager who stumbles upon a dangerous situation in the woods to a cancer patient confronted by an unexpected chance for sacrifice.
Saunders explores human nature in a way that’s both surprising and profound, blending humor, empathy, and biting social commentary.
Readers who enjoy Vauhini Vara’s thoughtful exploration of technology, society, and personal identity may connect with Lauren Groff’s insightful storytelling. Groff’s novel “Fates and Furies” examines a marriage from two dramatically different points of view.
The first half narrates the husband’s side filled with ambition, charisma, and artistic drive. The second half presents a fresh perspective from his wife, revealing hidden truths, layered secrets, and the powerful undercurrents of expectation and reality.
This dual narrative cleverly explores how love, ego, and perception shape the most intimate relationships. Groff is known for sharp prose, carefully built characters, and unexpected revelations, qualities that resonate with Vara’s compelling style.