5 Mesmerizing Literary Fiction Books from the 2020 Fall Reading Guide

If you’re a reader who loves deep character journeys, poetic prose, and stories that explore the nuances of identity, family, and belonging—then literary fiction is where your heart lives. And trust me, the 2020 Fall Reading Guide literary fiction books delivered some unforgettable gems. These are the kinds of books that linger long after the last page, inviting you to sit with their truths and reflect on your own story. In this curated selection, you’ll find multigenerational family sagas, haunting coming-of-age tales, quietly radical love stories, and genre-defying narratives that blend myth, memory, and magical realism.

Top 5 Literary Fiction Books to Read Fall 2020

Bestiary by K-Ming Chang

At its core, Bestiary is a lyrical meditation on heritage, migration, and queer girlhood. The novel follows three generations of Taiwanese American women, all tangled in myth, memory, and their own secrets. As the protagonist uncovers family truths through cryptic letters and surreal experiences—like growing a tiger’s tail—she’s ultimately navigating what it means to belong in a lineage filled with silence and power.

I selected this book because of its raw, poetic voice and the way it blends folklore with the painful yet tender experiences of coming of age. This one’s for readers who love The House of Spirits or On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous. It made me feel haunted, in the best way—reminding me how much of ourselves is inherited, and how much we choose to become.

You can get a copy of Bestiary by K-Ming Chang on Amazon.

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata, Translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori

Earthlings is a wild, unsettling ride through the eyes of Natsuki, a girl who grows up feeling like an alien trapped in a society obsessed with conformity. As she resists the rigid roles of wife, mother, and worker, her quest for freedom leads her into increasingly bizarre territory—culminating in a shocking, unforgettable ending.

I picked this one because it boldly questions everything about what it means to be “normal” in a society that rewards obedience over authenticity. For readers who appreciated the strangeness and social critique of Convenience Store Woman(by the same author), this book digs even deeper—and darker. It made me deeply uncomfortable but also empowered, like someone had cracked open a societal truth and dared me to look.

You can get a copy of Earthlings by Sayaka Murata, Translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori on Amazon.

A Lover’s Discourse by Xiaolu Guo

Told through fragments of conversation, A Lover’s Discourse follows a Chinese woman who moves to post-Brexit London and begins a relationship with a British landscape architect. As they navigate cultural differences, language barriers, and personal histories, their romance becomes a meditation on identity, displacement, and connection.

I included this book because it beautifully explores how love can both bridge and highlight our differences. It’s for readers who love slow, philosophical romances like Outline by Rachel Cusk or The Course of Love by Alain de Botton. This novel made me pause and reflect—it’s quiet, intimate, and sharp in the way it interrogates the nature of love and belonging.

You can get a copy of A Lover’s Discourse by Xiaolu Guo on Amazon.

Memorial by Bryan Washington

In Memorial, we meet Benson and Mike, two gay men of color navigating the breakdown of their relationship while living together in Houston. When Mike leaves to care for his dying father in Japan, Benson stays behind with Mike’s visiting mother—and both men are forced to confront their pasts, their families, and what they want from each other.

This novel resonated with me because it captures the discomfort and beauty of transformation—how love doesn’t always look the way we expect, and how family can wound and heal us in equal measure. For readers who loved Call Me by Your Name or The Vanishing Half, this book is intimate, complex, and moving. It made me ache—in that good, necessary way.

You can get a copy of Memorial by Bryan Washington on Amazon.

Eartheater by Dolores Reyes, Translated by Julia Sanches

This haunting debut introduces a girl who, after the death of her mother, begins eating dirt—and with it, gains the power to see the fates of the murdered and missing. As word of her ability spreads, she’s pulled deeper into her violent community’s secrets and pain.

I selected Eartheater because of its eerie magical realism and the way it amplifies the stories of the voiceless. For fans of The Vegetarian or Women Who Run With the Wolves, this novel is raw, political, and spiritually charged. It made me feel protective and angry and oddly hopeful for the possibility of healing through bearing witness.

You can get a copy of Eartheater by Dolores Reyes, Translated by Julia Sanches on Amazon.

Which Literary Fiction Read Speaks to You?

Are any of these titles from the 2020 Fall Reading Guide already on your radar—or have I just added a few to your must-read list?  I’d love to hear your thoughts! Literary fiction can be soul-stirring in the best way, and these books prove how rich and varied the genre can be. So let me know in the comments.

And don’t forget to grab the full 2020 guide here if you haven’t already—it’s packed with even more bookish gems to carry you through fall and beyond.