Everyone loves a good book. By definition, a good book will have you fall in love with the characters, cry when they die, and feel heartbroken when the book finally ends. But the good news is, there are so many good books across different centuries and decades that you can enjoy. This article will explore the best novels of the decade.
The authors from the 2010s have written in different genres and on different subject matters. However, one thing that stands them out is that they tell their stories in their unique voices and style. Some of these books’ summaries, like go set a watchman summary, are being studied in college and university by students. For this, many essay examples have been written.
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee (2015)
This book’s speculation says that Harper Lee wrote it before her renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning work To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960. Some say the book’s success drove her into an extended hiatus until 2014, when the publisher presented Go Set a Watchman as a sequel. It is now widely believed that it was an early draft of To Kill a Mockingbird, with several portions from that novel being reused.
The book is about Atticus, a bigot who once attended a Klan meeting and said racist things like, “The Negroes down here are still in their childhood as a people.” And asks discriminatory questions. The portrayal of Atticus in “Watchman” is unsettling to read, especially for lovers of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Scout is astonished to discover, on her way home, that her loving father, who taught her all she knows about justice and compassion, has been associated with raving anti-integration, anti-black fanatics. This was one of the most anticipated and best novels of the decade.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2012)
This is one of the greatest psychological thrillers to emerge in the 2010s. The book was a New York Times Best Seller and revolutionized the genre. After the release, many people attempted to write similar stories with similar themes, but nobody did it better than Gillian Flynn.
Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl is a tale of Nick and Amy Dunne’s. They celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary on a lovely summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri. When Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their leased McMansion on the Mississippi River, present-wrapping and reservations are in full flow. Under increasing pressure from the police, the media, and Amy’s adoring parents, the town’s golden boy displays an infinite series of lies, deceptions, and immoral behavior. This is one of the best mystery novels of the last decade.
Swing Time by Zadie Smith (2016)
This popular book by Zadie Smith forces one to ask important questions about the world before them. The story is about a black London-born daughter of educated and activist parents (though she’s never seen her mother work) and a loving father. Despite the fact that they live in the same community and have a passion for dancing, the heroine and Tracey appear to be from different worlds. However, the story contrasts the obvious inequalities between their households and circumstances by giving a depiction of girlhood—that unique period in a woman’s life when status, sexuality, race, and gender are all interesting but not yet oppressive.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2013)
The Nigerian Author Chimamanda Adichie one of the strongest female writers of contemporary times. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie wrote the book Americanah which won several awards, including the National Book Critics Award. She tells the story of Ifemelu, a young Nigerian in America who seeks an education. She discovers what it means to be a black woman in America, a white-dominated country, during her stay. Hers is a tale that explores identity, social commentary, racism, and romance. It is intertwined with the story of her high school sweetheart Obinze, whose unsuccessful effort to join her in England leads him down a darker, more deadly road.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (2017)
Ward became the first woman to win two National Novel Awards for fiction with her book Sing, Unburied, Sing. This poetic ghost story follows a vulnerable, drug-abusing black mother named Leonie and her two children. They are on a road journey to bring the children’s white father home from jail. The narrative glides effortlessly between the present and the past as that seemingly simple excursion becomes increasingly tricky, gradually unveiling the race-related trauma that has formed this interracial family.
Conclusion
Thousands of books were written within the decade, but only a few gained worldwide recognition and awards. Most of the best books and those above tackle social issues and address problems within society. Above all, they were gripping and kept the readers hooked.
