Fiction Book Reviews

Why Fiction Matters in 2026

Fiction does what no other medium can: it places us inside someone else's consciousness. In a world saturated with information, novels and short stories provide a rare opportunity for sustained attention and deep empathy. The books we review here represent what we believe to be the most compelling fiction being published and read today, with a particular eye toward works that resonate with readers in Hungary and Central Europe.

Literary Fiction: Our Top Picks

"Intermezzo" by Sally Rooney

Sally Rooney's fourth novel follows two brothers, Peter and Ivan Koubek, as they navigate grief, love, and the complexity of family bonds after their father's death. Set in Dublin, the novel shifts between Peter's cynical, urbane perspective and Ivan's quieter, more introspective worldview. Rooney's prose is as precise as ever, and this may be her most emotionally mature work to date.

Why read it: If you appreciate character-driven fiction that explores how people communicate (and fail to communicate) with those closest to them, "Intermezzo" delivers with subtlety and depth. The Dublin setting feels vivid and specific, and Rooney's dialogue remains some of the best in contemporary fiction.

Rating: Highly Recommended | Published 2024 | 448 pages

"James" by Percival Everett

A bold reimagining of Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" told from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man who accompanies Huck on his journey down the Mississippi. Everett gives Jim a rich interior life, intelligence, and agency that Twain's original novel denied him. The result is both a literary accomplishment and a necessary cultural conversation.

Why read it: "James" is one of those rare novels that transforms how you think about a classic work of literature. It is simultaneously a thrilling adventure story and a profound meditation on freedom, language, and the stories we tell about ourselves.

Rating: Essential Reading | Published 2024 | 320 pages

"Orbital" by Samantha Harvey

Six astronauts orbit Earth aboard the International Space Station in this meditative, quietly powerful novel that won the 2024 Booker Prize. Over the course of a single day (which includes sixteen sunrises and sunsets), Harvey examines what it means to see our planet from above, to be simultaneously connected to and separated from everything you have ever known.

Why read it: "Orbital" is contemplative without being slow, philosophical without being abstract. Harvey's sentences have a luminous quality that matches her subject matter. At just 272 pages, it is a book you can read in a weekend but will think about for months.

Rating: Highly Recommended | Published 2023 | 272 pages

Contemporary & Genre Fiction

"All Fours" by Miranda July

A middle-aged artist sets out on a cross-country road trip but instead checks into a motel minutes from her home, beginning a journey of reinvention that is far more radical than any physical distance could provide. Miranda July's first novel in a decade is funny, strange, and unafraid to explore desire, aging, and the boundaries of conventional life.

Why read it: July's writing has a unique energy: it is simultaneously absurd and deeply honest. "All Fours" confronts topics that most fiction tiptoes around, particularly the interior lives of women in midlife, with humor and daring.

Rating: Recommended | Published 2024 | 336 pages

"The Familiar" by Leigh Bardugo

Set in the Spanish Golden Age, this historical fantasy follows Luzia Cotado, a scullery maid with a hidden gift for small magics, as she navigates the dangerous politics of the Inquisition-era court. Bardugo, known for her "Grishaverse" series, proves she can deliver compelling historical fiction grounded in real-world oppression and resistance.

Why read it: For readers who enjoy historical fiction with a speculative edge, "The Familiar" offers a richly textured world where magic operates as both metaphor and plot engine.

Rating: Recommended | Published 2024 | 416 pages

Classic Fiction Worth Revisiting

Not every worthwhile book is a new release. Here are three classic novels that deserve a place on your shelf:

• "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" by Milan Kundera - Set in Prague during the 1968 Soviet invasion, Kundera's philosophical novel examines love, fate, and the weight of our choices. Its Central European setting makes it especially resonant for readers in Hungary.
• "Embers" by Sandor Marai - A Hungarian masterpiece about two old friends who reunite after 41 years to confront a betrayal that shaped their lives. Essential reading for anyone interested in Hungarian literature.
• "The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov - The Devil visits Soviet Moscow in this wild, genre-defying novel that blends satire, romance, and supernatural fantasy.

For more on Hungarian authors, visit our dedicated Hungarian Literature page.