10 Long Reads You Won't Regret
I get it. There’s a certain satisfaction to reading the last page of a book, dropping it off at your local Little Free Library, and turning to your TBR pile with the tantalizing decision of what to read next, all within the span of a few days when those pages just fly. But there’s also another satisfaction: reading an extremely long book. I don’t just mean getting to tell all your friends that yes, you’ve read Ulysses. I’m talking about the deep dive, the total immersion into a world or character that only books of 800+ pages can convey. But I am also here to tell you that I’ve read some long books that were not really worth my time in the end (I won’t say which ones exactly, but you should definitely be in the right mood for a solid month to crack open Ulysses). So here are my recommendations for long reads that I guarantee will leave you satisfied.
1. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
You know the characters: Fantine, Jean Valjean, Cosette . . . but if you only know them from the musical, you are really missing out on these complex characters and relationships. The main plot follows Jean Valjean’s path to redemption from prisoner to wealthy and respected mayor. Throw in a love triangle, a class revolution, and a vengeful inspector and you get some very rich pages. This book is for every romantic ever; it’s truly a masterpiece.
2. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
This is a murder mystery set in the New Zealand gold rush. The entire town gets involved in solving the death of a wealthy man and the discovery of an unexplained fortune at a poor man’s home. I’m not going to lie, there were some slow parts and a ton of characters in the beginning as you meet the whole town, but I’m so glad I stuck with it. The ending of this book was so revolutionary to me in terms of its structure; it goes back in time through a series of very shot, quickfire chapters as it zeroes in on the exact moment when all of this action was kicked off, thereby revealing the mystery of how everything came to be. The ending was my favorite part of the whole book.
3. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
A family saga that put the Central Valley on the map. Probably the most fascinating villain of all time. And even though the plot parallels a biblical story, the depth of the characters is so beyond their tropes. My favorite book of all time.
4. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Can you tell I’m a Steinbeck fan? With political weight behind it (it was once banned), this is an odyssey across the country of one family in the Great Depression. I remember arguing in my high school English class why the ending to this book is pure genius (all the other kids in the class just didn’t get it).
5. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Multiple people insisted I read this, and when I finally went to the bookstore to pick up a copy, the cashier told me it was his favorite book too. How had I never heard of it? Because it’s a western, and I never knew that a group of dudes going on a cattle drive from Texas to Montana could be so captivating. These are perhaps the most complex characters I have ever read. I wanted to stay with them for another 500 pages after I finished the book. The depth of this book is my favorite part about it it; thematically, it examines those big life questions like aging, forgiveness, and the things you end up regretting at the end of your life. I would contrast it with Steinbeck’s writing because while Steinbeck explores these themes in a way that can sometimes seem didactic, Lonesome Dove always stays in the scene, and all the lessons of the book are squarely rooted in the characters, not a diatribe or monologue that the plot pauses for. Seriously pick this one up; it’s one of my all-time favorites.
6. The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye
By page 100, I was mind-blown by all the action this book packs in. It could almost be five different books, the plot is so rich. I will say it starts a little slow with the backstory of the main character, but past that, this book just flew by. Definitely a great choice if you love action-packed plot.
7. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere. This is a retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet so you’ll know how the plot goes, but I loved the setting of the idyllic farmland of Wisconsin. There is also just something so soul-satisfying in reading about human-dog relationships.
8. Jane Eyre by Emily Brönte
This book will always have a place in my romantic heart. Gothic, mysterious, and passionate, this novel is deserving of its status as a classic. If you’re the type to shy away from the classics, I found Jane Eyre to be as compulsively readable as the best upmarket mystery novels. I wrote several essays about Jane Eyre in high school and college because there is so much to unpack, from feminism to colonialism to classism, etc. Just writing about it now makes me want to reread it.
9. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Another compulsively readable classic, but with more action and adventure. The ultimate story of revenge and set with plenty of atmosphere, I’m also due for a reread on this one. I recently learned it was based on true events, which makes it even more intriguing. It follows a wrongfully imprisoned man, his escape, and his search for the men responsible for is imprisonment, all while amassing a sizable wealth. Kind of like Jean Valjean.
10. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The 2019 film revived interest in the original book, but it deserves attention all on its own for being one of the great American classics. This coming-of-age novel was before its time when it comes to feminism. I loved the details of their everyday lives as much as the big plot points of marriage, illness, and family. This is also a quintessential book about strong female characters.
On a final note, I realize that this list is all white authors; I try to be conscious of reading diverse authors, but it was only in writing this post that I realized all the super long books I’ve read have been by white authors. That being said, I’m currently reading A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, the 17th longest novel in the English language. I can’t include it on this list quite yet though because I’m not finished!
