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The Best Literary Novels of 2025

By Lauren Puckett-Pope: "This year's best literary novels came from debut novelists and established prize winners alike. Some of these books are love stories, others sagas of art and reckoning. Many wade through decades of complicated history; others attempt to peer into the future. Several are funny; all are profound. Where they diverge in topic and terrain, they align in the truths they reveal through precise, painstaking prose. Below, you'll find ELLE editors' picks for the best literary novels of 2025." From Elle website
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Homeseeking (Karissa Chen)
Homeseeking
1
Karissa Chen
Good Girl (Aria Aber)
Good Girl
2
Aria Aber
We Do Not Part (Han Kang)
We Do Not Part
3
Han Kang
Crush (Ada Calhoun)
Crush
4
Ada Calhoun
Wild Dark Shore (Charlotte McConaghy)
Wild Dark Shore
5
Charlotte McConaghy
Wood Working (Emily St. James)
Wood Working
6
Emily St. James
Stag Dance (Torrey Peters)
Stag Dance
7
Torrey Peters
Audition (Katie Kitamura)
Audition
8
Katie Kitamura
The Correspondent (Virginia Evans)
The Correspondent
9
Virginia Evans
The Names (Florence Knapp)
The Names
10
Florence Knapp
The Emperor of Gladness (Ocean Vuong)
The Emperor of Gladness
11
Ocean Vuong
Aftertaste (Daria Lavelle)
Aftertaste
12
Daria Lavelle
Flashlight (Susan Choi)
Flashlight
13
Susan Choi
Great Black Hope (Rob Franklin)
Great Black Hope
14
Rob Franklin
The Mobius Book (Catherine Lacey)
The Mobius Book
15
Catherine Lacey
The Girls Who Grew Big (Leila Mottley)
The Girls Who Grew Big
16
Leila Mottley
The Compound (Aisling Rawle)
The Compound
17
Aisling Rawle
Wanting (Claire Jia)
Wanting
18
Claire Jia
Make Your Way Home (Carrie R. Moore)
Make Your Way Home
19
Carrie R. Moore
Dominion (Addie Citchens)
Dominion
20
Addie Citchens
The Wilderness (Angela Flournoy)
The Wilderness
21
Angela Flournoy
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny (Kiran Desai)
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny
22
Kiran Desai
Heart the Lover (Lily King)
Heart the Lover
23
Lily King
A Guardian and a Thief (Megha Majumdar)
A Guardian and a Thief
24
Megha Majumdar
Minor Black Figures (Brandon Taylor)
Minor Black Figures
25
Brandon Taylor
The Ten Year Affair (Erin Somers)
The Ten Year Affair
26
Erin Somers
This Is the Only Kingdom (Jaquira Díaz)
This Is the Only Kingdom
27
Jaquira Díaz
Only Son (Kevin Moffett)
Only Son
28
Kevin Moffett
Palaver (Bryan Washington)
Palaver
29
Bryan Washington
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