For weird lit fic i really enjoy sayaka murata’s work especially her short story collection ‘life ceremony’ its amazing how she views human beings and society. highly recommend
i adore sayakas work's but i just don't find it very strange. i would assume its because she writes from a very similar place i can relate to as a girl with asd but she just has the most natural portrayal of thoughts i've ever seen. convenience store women for example is the most real feeling book I've ever read and has such an accurate portrayal of how the mind works, well at least mine.
@@lany4618 yeah i understand where you’re coming from but for me thats actually why i like her stories so much because they are so relatable. she writes about strange thoughts but in a natural way that makes me feel all the judgement was for nothing if you know what i mean?
Omg I love her books. I read life ceremony and convenience store last year and love them. Currently reading earthlings but this one has a pedo character so I don’t know if I can finish it. I still think the idea of making wedding bands from human bones to be pretty cool from time to time.
i would totally recommend Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung. its a horror short story collection translated from korean and i think you would like it ! love this list btw "weirdlit" is definitely my favourite genre
The books mentioned. Mona Awad: 13 ways of looking at a fat girl. Bunny. All’s well. Rouge. Melissa Broder: So sad today: personal essays. Milk fed. The pisces. Death Valley. Poetry collections: superdoom, last sext, scarecrone, meat heart & when you say one thing but mean your mother. Ottessa Moshfegh: My year of rest and relaxation. Homesick for another world (short story collection) Lapvona. Eileen. Death in her hands. Other recommendations: I who have never know men by Jacqueline Harpman. Paul takes the form of a mortal girl by Andrea Lawlor. Death in spring by Mercè Rodoreda. Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi. My husband by Maud Ventura. The water cure by Sophie Mackintosh. A certain hunger by Chelsea G Summers. Tender is the flesh by Agustina Bazterrica. The dangers of smoking in bed by Mariana Enriquez (short story collection). Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder. Hot milk by Deborah Levy. Dogs of summer by Andrea Abreu Our wives under the sea by Julia Armfield Boy parts by Eliza Clark You’re welcome 🖤
I would be careful to presume all people with an eating disorder are inevitably fat phobic, as everyone's experience with an ED is different and caused by different things and presents differently. At the end of the day, ED's typically stem from the need to control something, not solely from desiring a certain weight. It also automatically put those with an ED in a poor light as fat phobic people.
I disagree, my ED is not from a need to control and that characterization of it has caused soooo much confusion and led me down false rationalizations that have nothing to do with what’s causing it. That word “control” within the ED therapy world is such a generalization
@@cereal_qilla okay, thank you for letting me know this! Of course I understand that individual experiences can be drastically different and that there can be so much more to it. I do stand by the fact that it's harmful to presume ED equals fat phobia though.
loved the video! 💕 The List of books (copy and paste for your TBR 😇): Mona Awad: All's Well, 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl, Bunny, Rouge Melissa Broder: So Sad Today, Milk Deed (!), The Pisces, Death Valley Ottessa Moshfegh: My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Homesick for Another World, Lapvona, Eileen, Death in Her Hands Jacqueline Hayman: I Who Have Never Known Men Mercè Rodoreda: Death in Spring Andrea Lawlor: Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl Akwaeke Emezi: Freshwater Maud Ventura: My Husband Sophie Mackintosh: The Water Cure Chelsea Summer: A Certain Hunger Agustina Bazterrica: Tender is the Flesh Rachel Yoder: Nightbitch Deborah Levy: Hot Milk Andrea Abreu: Dogs of Summer Julia Armfield: Our Wives Under the Sea Eliza Clark: Boy Parts
For anyone else who liked the idea of death in her hands but didn’t really like the actual book, try “drive your plow over the bones of the dead” instead. I much preferred that book and it still has weird vibes.
I love weird lit and I love that its becoming more popular, however most youtubers who make such videos talk about the exact same books. If you want to read weird fiction that not every youtuber is talking about, here are some recs: - The yellow wallpaper - The nose - Gogol - Drive your plow over the bones of the dead - The Vegetarian, Han Kang - The Metamorphosis - Kafka - Pulp - Bukowski
I instantly thought of The Yellow Wallpaper during the recommendation of Night Bitch. I feel like her transformation into the dog, or into madness, will parallel Gilman's character in a modern way.
@@christinec2625 yes but people are more focused on contemporary weird books so I wanted to highlight some classics that aren’t getting the same hype lately.
As a fat woman who has experienced disordered eating inclusive of anorexia I didn’t find MilkFed to be problematic because the main character is meant to be unlikeable. She is selfish and suffering from a multitude of mental health issues, inclusive of a severe eating disorder. Her ‘lust’ interest of Miriam (If I remember correctly) represents for her a life that is polar opposite to herself- orthodox Jewish (The main character is Jewish herself but secular) with strong family bonds, a all consuming dedication to her faith, and a confidence in her fat body that seems to be extremely easy. Their relationship is an opportunity for the main character to face her issues and perhaps learn more about herself and accept herself. It’s extremely erotic, and has elements of fat fetishisation and comes up against elements of Jewish identity / Zionism but it was an incredible read for me. Completely changed my view on literature, and though I was uncomfortable for a lot of the reading process, I couldn’t put it down. I definitely recommend, but perhaps only for those who are willing to engage with a story that goes beyond their normal scope of comfortability. It is also kinky, queer and has a rather unlikeable female protagonist, which can be difficult to read- so be warned! TO sum up though, I think the tagging of ‘fatphobic’ to MilkFed is an oversight, as the main character IS fatphobic, but that’s the point- you aren’t meant to like her. You’re meant to hate how she views her body and other bodies. That was my analysis anyway. Loved this recommendation list, thanks for the video!
My sister, the serial killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite was pretty unhinged 😆 Earthlings by Sayaka Murata made me nauseous, Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid is dark fantasy - but borderline weird lit as well, Mary: An awakening of terror by Nat Cassidy is amazing imo. The Harpy by Megan Hunter is my current favourite "weird lit" 😆
If you haven’t already try Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang and Chlorine by Jade Song (and not girl lit fic - but Monstrillio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova) ☺️☺️
So happy to see Mercè Rodoreda in here! Just a little note, it's not translated from Spanish, it's translated from Catalan! She's one of our best novelists, and I'd strongly recommend her book In diamond square (also translated as The time of the doves), although I would not consider it a weird book like Death in spring.
This is my fave genre! I love your videos recently and how eloquently you speak is so satisfying. Some honorable recommendations: - Big Swiss by Jen Beagin - Chlorine by Jade Song - Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth - Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval I’m also writing my thesis right now on My Year of Rest and Relaxation so it’s great to hear how much you loved the book :)
Im currently waiting for 'Bunny', 'the dangers of smoking in bed' and 'I who have never known Men' from my library. I recently read and loved 'convenience store woman' and requested a bunch of books in the 'if you like this' list on good reads because i needed more absurd fiction! From this is think i'm going to request 'our wives under the sea' too!
Thank you for the recommendations. I added lots to my tbr :) Weird books i lately enjoyed are: - Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval (disgustingly weird) - Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede (weird in a psycho-horror way) - Butter by Asako Yuzuki (you could probably call it a feminist cooking book dealing with societal expectations)
I’d definitely recommend Out There by Kate Folk which is her debut novel this book was so weird in the BEST way I couldn’t put it down. it’s a sort of dystopian anthology series with each chapter getting progressively weirder my favorite chapters were The Bone Ward and Big Sur highly recommended check it out!
I would for sure recommend Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde. Set in Laghos, its a lovely intertwined series of short stories and vignettes that come together in the end. There are many surreal and speculative elements to this book, there are instances of body horror and a lot of commentary on the patriachy, queer life and capitalism. It's wild but also amazing.
A Family Failure by Renata Rasp, the Woman Who Escaped from Shame by Toby Olsen and anything by Eric McCormack (particularly Paradise Motel) and Jonathan Carroll.
Great list! I didn't even realize how much I gravitate towards these kinds of books until I saw this list and have read so many. A couple I'd add: Big Swiss by Jen Beagin (mentioned in another comment), The Guest by Emma Cline and Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead and Interesting Facts About Space both by Emily Austin.
I read most of these but I'm subscribing anyway because I want to follow more lit fic lovers out there. I would also recommend some Helen Oyeyemi books, she pretty regularly writes surreal books. Additionally Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval and Motherthing by Ainslee Hogarth were two of my favorite reads from last year.
Thank you for making this & for ranking your favorites! It really helped me think about what I’m going to read next. I’m really into this genre lately. 😊
THANK YOU THANK YOU YHANK YOU ! I’m currently reading bunny and all I can think is, I need MORE books like this but where ?! and you just answered all my thoughts!! Thank you thank you !!
Big fan of this genre of literature. Two very short reads I’ve finished recently in this genre are: It Lasts Forever and Then It’s Over by Anne de Marcken and The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw. These utilise supernatural lore to explore philosophies of being, in particular autonomy, belonging, religion and grief. Super interesting and not seen them recommended anywhere on Tik Tok so might be good for people looking for new authors. Also both are VERY short, so you can sort of test the waters if you want.
I love that I knew all the authors and books you mentioned. I had no idea these weird type of stories had a genre! It’s always so hard to find something to read because people recommend like Colleen Hoover when you say you like lit-fics lol
The incarnations by susan barker... found randomly at a library book sale and was one of my first reads during COVID! pretty graphic and weird but was insane
My Husband was *SUCH* a delightful time... and the ending?!!? Literally left me with my mouth open and looking around. I could not believe what’d just happened. *HIGHLY recommended.*
I’m fairly new to your channel, but we seem to have very similar books. Thank you for the recommendations, the few that I haven’t read on your list I’ll definitely be picking up 😁
Love weird book and love the way you talk about them! Def added a few to my tbr. Side note-where is Big Swiss? Probably the weirdest book I’ve ever read
This video was made specifically for me. I am always looking for weird lit books. Thank you! Also can I say, very random but you remind me of Margot Robbie lol
I’m spanish (from a city that is next to Cataluña and we also speak Catalan/valenciano) and have studied Mercè Rodoreda and seeing an Australian talking about her is kinda surreal 😅
Anyone who wants to read a unique and strange story about mental illness (though that is not the only theme) that is vaguely in the same category as 'The Yellow Wallpaper' should try Conrad Aiken's 'Silent Snow, Secret Snow' (1932); it's something of a cult classic.
If people like Mona Awad, I recommend Ling Ling Huang's Natural Beauty. It is a deeply unsettling contemporary horror novel about a classical pianist who begins working at a cult-like beauty store and the strange events that ensue. TW body horror.
WEIRD RECS!: Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan Shark Heart by Emily Habeck Nothing to See Here by Greg Olsen The Troop by Nick Cutter The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer Snuff by Chuck Palaniuk American Mermaid by Julia Langbein The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold A House at the Bottom of the Lake by Josh Mallerman Revelator by Daryl Gregory
My recent favourites: Earthlings (Sayaka Murata), The Laws of the Skies (Grégoire Courtois) and Such Small Hands (Andrés Barba) The latter two were 3 and 4 stars from me BUT the prose, the layers, WOW! Such small hands needs peeling back layers to get to the core.
the literary magazine Astra! the first publishing theme is ecstasy and has ottessa moshfegh and the second publishing theme is filth and has an essay by samuel r delany !!
What Makes You Think You Are Awake by Meagan Poland is a short story collection you'd be at a loss to miss out on. A favourite of mine, and I cannot wait to read her forthcoming full length novel.
I just read that book by Andrea Abreu and it was... okay. Not my favorite but a pretty decent reading experience. All of these books sound interesting and I got a couple of new books to add on my never-ending tbr lol.
I love Hot Milk by Deborah Levy so much! I read it two years ago and I want to reread since then. I don't know what it is about that book but it did something with me :D
Death in the spring by Mercè Rodoreda is translated from Catalan, not spanish :) All her books are killers, not weird, but they are masterpieces, specially Diamond Square.
Thank you for the list, I've added soo many to my TBR list now! Very much looking forward to getting into Ottessa's books. Also, what is the lovely lipstick you're wearing here? Love!
Mad Shadows by Marie-Claire Blais is a novella about three family members, a spoiled boy and unloved girl whose mother bestows all her 'love' on the boy based on his more pleasing appearance and this leads to the destruction of them all. Slightly disturbing and felt like a fever dream
i also recommend split tooth by tanya tagq, an Inuit throat singer, a very poetic experimental memoir. and salt slow (also by julia armfield, who wrote our wives under the sea) which is short weird stories!
I bought Tender is The Flesh a year or so ago and was so excited. Got mayyyybe halfway through and just couldn't do it anymore. Nothing disturbing had even happened and the fact the main character kept us at arm's length by way of the writer mostly telling everything and barely showing anything, I just couldn't read anymore because I wasn't able to care about anyone or anything involved. It made me really sad. I might try to pick it up this summer and give it another shot.
I think you might enjoy “the 10th of December” by George Saunders. Collection of weird and disturbing short stories. Also a bit bummed Sayaka Murata didn’t make the cut, as well as “the Vegetarian” by Han Kang. Lots of amazing “weird” and disturbing speculative fiction coming from East Asian authors!
if you’re into weird Argentinian fiction, you might like Of Cattle and Men by Ana Paula Maia. Brazilian novel about a man that slaughters cattle, when things start to go wrong on his cattle farm. very strange horror-esque novel that I love !!
I love, LOVE Ottessa Moshfegh (controversial, but I actually prefer 'Eileen' over 'My Year of Rest and Relaxation'), but was also disappointed with 'Death in Her Hands.' Sucks because it was SUCH a cool concept, and I loved the "twist"/reveal... I almost feel like it would've worked better as a novella or even just a short story? Fingers crossed she also publishes another short story collection someday, ahaha.
For weird lit fic i really enjoy sayaka murata’s work especially her short story collection ‘life ceremony’ its amazing how she views human beings and society. highly recommend
yesss made me low-key endorse ethical cannibalism 😭
i adore sayakas work's but i just don't find it very strange. i would assume its because she writes from a very similar place i can relate to as a girl with asd but she just has the most natural portrayal of thoughts i've ever seen. convenience store women for example is the most real feeling book I've ever read and has such an accurate portrayal of how the mind works, well at least mine.
@@lany4618 yeah i understand where you’re coming from but for me thats actually why i like her stories so much because they are so relatable. she writes about strange thoughts but in a natural way that makes me feel all the judgement was for nothing if you know what i mean?
Omg I love her books. I read life ceremony and convenience store last year and love them. Currently reading earthlings but this one has a pedo character so I don’t know if I can finish it. I still think the idea of making wedding bands from human bones to be pretty cool from time to time.
@@lany4618have you read earthlings???
i would totally recommend Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung. its a horror short story collection translated from korean and i think you would like it ! love this list btw "weirdlit" is definitely my favourite genre
Her newest anthology Your Utopia is also good! Although significantly less horrific, it’s a super creative sci-fi collection with a Black Mirror vibe
The books mentioned.
Mona Awad:
13 ways of looking at a fat girl.
Bunny.
All’s well.
Rouge.
Melissa Broder:
So sad today: personal essays.
Milk fed.
The pisces.
Death Valley.
Poetry collections: superdoom, last sext, scarecrone, meat heart & when you say one thing but mean your mother.
Ottessa Moshfegh:
My year of rest and relaxation.
Homesick for another world (short story collection)
Lapvona.
Eileen.
Death in her hands.
Other recommendations:
I who have never know men by Jacqueline Harpman.
Paul takes the form of a mortal girl by Andrea Lawlor.
Death in spring by Mercè Rodoreda.
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi.
My husband by Maud Ventura.
The water cure by Sophie Mackintosh.
A certain hunger by Chelsea G Summers.
Tender is the flesh by Agustina Bazterrica.
The dangers of smoking in bed by Mariana Enriquez (short story collection).
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder.
Hot milk by Deborah Levy.
Dogs of summer by Andrea Abreu
Our wives under the sea by Julia Armfield
Boy parts by Eliza Clark
You’re welcome 🖤
Shocked I didn’t see Sayaka Murata on this list. So good and so…. weird. Specifically earthlings and life ceremony
yess they’re definitely weird books! i just personally didn’t enjoy them
Thank you!!
Sayaka is the queen of weirdness
I would be careful to presume all people with an eating disorder are inevitably fat phobic, as everyone's experience with an ED is different and caused by different things and presents differently. At the end of the day, ED's typically stem from the need to control something, not solely from desiring a certain weight. It also automatically put those with an ED in a poor light as fat phobic people.
Absolutely! I'm a therapist too and support this👆
i agree, also when the situation is the other way around. ppl being skinny phobic isn’t talked about enough either
I disagree, my ED is not from a need to control and that characterization of it has caused soooo much confusion and led me down false rationalizations that have nothing to do with what’s causing it. That word “control” within the ED therapy world is such a generalization
@@cereal_qilla okay, thank you for letting me know this! Of course I understand that individual experiences can be drastically different and that there can be so much more to it. I do stand by the fact that it's harmful to presume ED equals fat phobia though.
I agree with this and was surprised by the comment.
loved the video! 💕
The List of books (copy and paste for your TBR 😇):
Mona Awad: All's Well, 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl, Bunny, Rouge
Melissa Broder: So Sad Today, Milk Deed (!), The Pisces, Death Valley
Ottessa Moshfegh: My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Homesick for Another World, Lapvona, Eileen, Death in Her Hands
Jacqueline Hayman: I Who Have Never Known Men
Mercè Rodoreda: Death in Spring
Andrea Lawlor: Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl
Akwaeke Emezi: Freshwater
Maud Ventura: My Husband
Sophie Mackintosh: The Water Cure
Chelsea Summer: A Certain Hunger
Agustina Bazterrica: Tender is the Flesh
Rachel Yoder: Nightbitch
Deborah Levy: Hot Milk
Andrea Abreu: Dogs of Summer
Julia Armfield: Our Wives Under the Sea
Eliza Clark: Boy Parts
For anyone else who liked the idea of death in her hands but didn’t really like the actual book, try “drive your plow over the bones of the dead” instead. I much preferred that book and it still has weird vibes.
I love weird lit and I love that its becoming more popular, however most youtubers who make such videos talk about the exact same books. If you want to read weird fiction that not every youtuber is talking about, here are some recs:
- The yellow wallpaper
- The nose - Gogol
- Drive your plow over the bones of the dead
- The Vegetarian, Han Kang
- The Metamorphosis - Kafka
- Pulp - Bukowski
oooh amazing thank you!
I instantly thought of The Yellow Wallpaper during the recommendation of Night Bitch. I feel like her transformation into the dog, or into madness, will parallel Gilman's character in a modern way.
@@jewelbaby9310 "The Yellow Wallpaper" is probably one of my favourite short stories!
Many of these are widely known.
@@christinec2625 yes but people are more focused on contemporary weird books so I wanted to highlight some classics that aren’t getting the same hype lately.
As a fat woman who has experienced disordered eating inclusive of anorexia I didn’t find MilkFed to be problematic because the main character is meant to be unlikeable. She is selfish and suffering from a multitude of mental health issues, inclusive of a severe eating disorder. Her ‘lust’ interest of Miriam (If I remember correctly) represents for her a life that is polar opposite to herself- orthodox Jewish (The main character is Jewish herself but secular) with strong family bonds, a all consuming dedication to her faith, and a confidence in her fat body that seems to be extremely easy. Their relationship is an opportunity for the main character to face her issues and perhaps learn more about herself and accept herself. It’s extremely erotic, and has elements of fat fetishisation and comes up against elements of Jewish identity / Zionism but it was an incredible read for me. Completely changed my view on literature, and though I was uncomfortable for a lot of the reading process, I couldn’t put it down. I definitely recommend, but perhaps only for those who are willing to engage with a story that goes beyond their normal scope of comfortability. It is also kinky, queer and has a rather unlikeable female protagonist, which can be difficult to read- so be warned! TO sum up though, I think the tagging of ‘fatphobic’ to MilkFed is an oversight, as the main character IS fatphobic, but that’s the point- you aren’t meant to like her. You’re meant to hate how she views her body and other bodies. That was my analysis anyway. Loved this recommendation list, thanks for the video!
My sister, the serial killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite was pretty unhinged 😆 Earthlings by Sayaka Murata made me nauseous, Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid is dark fantasy - but borderline weird lit as well, Mary: An awakening of terror by Nat Cassidy is amazing imo. The Harpy by Megan Hunter is my current favourite "weird lit" 😆
Mary was fantastic, enjoyed Nestlings too. You might like Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig
@@jjcrazi thank you for the recommendation! I’ll look it up 😄
Geek Love by Katherine Dunn is one of my favorite books of all time and totally fits the weird lit genre!!
i’ll check it out!
I agree - such a weird and brilliant book!
Omg thank you!!! I never see anyone mention geek love and it’s my favorite book of all time and definitely The weird book!!
I love Geek Love!
If you haven’t already try Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang and Chlorine by Jade Song (and not girl lit fic - but Monstrillio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova) ☺️☺️
top tier recs ^^^ 🙏🙏
So happy to see Mercè Rodoreda in here! Just a little note, it's not translated from Spanish, it's translated from Catalan! She's one of our best novelists, and I'd strongly recommend her book In diamond square (also translated as The time of the doves), although I would not consider it a weird book like Death in spring.
This is my fave genre! I love your videos recently and how eloquently you speak is so satisfying. Some honorable recommendations:
- Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
- Chlorine by Jade Song
- Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth
- Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval
I’m also writing my thesis right now on My Year of Rest and Relaxation so it’s great to hear how much you loved the book :)
thank you for your kind words and recommendations
I love paradise rot ❤️
Chuck Palahniuk has a ton of very weird novels and anthologies! Very fun to read writing style too.
This is a subgenre I've only stepped into recently and it's so good !!! thanks for your recs :)
welcome! ❤️
Love your recommendations! I just finished Lapvona and cant stop thinking about it. Would love to see a bookshelf tour of yours one day soon ❤
my bookshelf is a mess! but maybe one day ❤️
Yes! Saved. Can I add classic Perfume by Patrick Süskind
The Secret History By Donna Tartt !! Dark Academia with really wierd characters! OBSESSED
A kindred spirit! So glad you showed up in my algorithm :)
Would highly recommend The Harpy, Little Eyes, and One’s Company!
Currently reading Natural Beauty and it’s the right weirdness for me!
Love your recommendations! I was waiting for you to talk about "My Husband" and "A certain hunger", and you did. They're amazing
You do a beautiful job of explaining the books, I am even more enthralled w the books now
I only got into weird women’s fiction last year - instant fan
Im currently waiting for 'Bunny', 'the dangers of smoking in bed' and 'I who have never known Men' from my library. I recently read and loved 'convenience store woman' and requested a bunch of books in the 'if you like this' list on good reads because i needed more absurd fiction! From this is think i'm going to request 'our wives under the sea' too!
Thank you for the recommendations. I added lots to my tbr :)
Weird books i lately enjoyed are:
- Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval (disgustingly weird)
- Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede (weird in a psycho-horror way)
- Butter by Asako Yuzuki (you could probably call it a feminist cooking book dealing with societal expectations)
I’d definitely recommend Out There by Kate Folk which is her debut novel this book was so weird in the BEST way I couldn’t put it down. it’s a sort of dystopian anthology series with each chapter getting progressively weirder my favorite chapters were The Bone Ward and Big Sur highly
recommended check it out!
I absolutely loved both the Mona Awad books I read (Bunny and All's Well) so I think I need to check out a lot of these other books! Great video!
all’s well is one of my favorite books of all time! bunny is great too but all’s well is perfect
I love Melissa Broder. I found her in twitter first then saw she published So Sad Today (which was her twitter account) loved it
I would for sure recommend Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde. Set in Laghos, its a lovely intertwined series of short stories and vignettes that come together in the end. There are many surreal and speculative elements to this book, there are instances of body horror and a lot of commentary on the patriachy, queer life and capitalism. It's wild but also amazing.
animal by lisa taddeo! emma roberts narrated the audiobook and it’s so good
A Family Failure by Renata Rasp, the Woman Who Escaped from Shame by Toby Olsen and anything by Eric McCormack (particularly Paradise Motel) and Jonathan Carroll.
Great list! I'd recommend Canadian classic Bear by Marian Engel and People in my Neighborhood by Hiromi Kawakami.
I enjoyed Tender is the Flesh, been looking for more of that vibe, definitely gonna check some of these out
Great list! I didn't even realize how much I gravitate towards these kinds of books until I saw this list and have read so many. A couple I'd add: Big Swiss by Jen Beagin (mentioned in another comment), The Guest by Emma Cline and Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead and Interesting Facts About Space both by Emily Austin.
I loved Bunny by Mona Award and then I was very let down by Rouge. But hearing you gives me hope, maybe I should still try All's well!
I would definitely add Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth to this list! ❤
this has been on my tbr for so long!
I second this one! So brilliantly dark and funny
I read most of these but I'm subscribing anyway because I want to follow more lit fic lovers out there. I would also recommend some Helen Oyeyemi books, she pretty regularly writes surreal books. Additionally Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval and Motherthing by Ainslee Hogarth were two of my favorite reads from last year.
Thank you for making this & for ranking your favorites! It really helped me think about what I’m going to read next. I’m really into this genre lately. 😊
can’t wait to hear what you read!
If you like weird, I recommend The Melting by Liz Spit and Where I End by Sophie White.
The Melting was a very uncomfortable read but there was a bit to think about. Really enjoyed that one.
THANK YOU THANK YOU YHANK YOU ! I’m currently reading bunny and all I can think is, I need MORE books like this but where ?! and you just answered all my thoughts!! Thank you thank you !!
I think you might like The First Bad Man by Miranda July!
Big fan of this genre of literature. Two very short reads I’ve finished recently in this genre are: It Lasts Forever and Then It’s Over by Anne de Marcken and The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw. These utilise supernatural lore to explore philosophies of being, in particular autonomy, belonging, religion and grief. Super interesting and not seen them recommended anywhere on Tik Tok so might be good for people looking for new authors. Also both are VERY short, so you can sort of test the waters if you want.
Your voice is so beautiful, I wish you’d narrate audiobooks😍
i would love to!
Made for Love by Alissa Nutting. Quirky, disturbing, funny and thought-provoking. Highly recommended!
read Pedro Paramo. recently finished it. it was so bizarre
ive read a few on this list (loved boy parts and my husband!!) so adding everything else to my tbr!! glad your video showed up on my feed today! 😄
Great video!! nightbitch is one of my favourite books ever ill definitely be checking these out
I love that I knew all the authors and books you mentioned. I had no idea these weird type of stories had a genre! It’s always so hard to find something to read because people recommend like Colleen Hoover when you say you like lit-fics lol
The incarnations by susan barker... found randomly at a library book sale and was one of my first reads during COVID! pretty graphic and weird but was insane
i would recommend Fernanda Melchior books, they're weird and stunning :)
My Husband was *SUCH* a delightful time... and the ending?!!?
Literally left me with my mouth open and looking around. I could not believe what’d just happened. *HIGHLY recommended.*
Argentina is actually a very important country when it comes to magical realism! Jorge Luis Borges and others kind of founded the genre
I’m fairly new to your channel, but we seem to have very similar books. Thank you for the recommendations, the few that I haven’t read on your list I’ll definitely be picking up 😁
i hope you enjoy!
Love weird book and love the way you talk about them! Def added a few to my tbr. Side note-where is Big Swiss? Probably the weirdest book I’ve ever read
This video was made specifically for me. I am always looking for weird lit books. Thank you!
Also can I say, very random but you remind me of Margot Robbie lol
i recommend "other peoples clothes" and big swiss!!
Another rec: Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang!!! SOOOO gooood
every single one of these is now on my TBR! thank you
I was waiting for Boy Parts to show up HAHA I'm so glad it did
I’m spanish (from a city that is next to Cataluña and we also speak Catalan/valenciano) and have studied Mercè Rodoreda and seeing an Australian talking about her is kinda surreal 😅
love love love some weird lit!! thanks for this
I can’t tell you how much I love the recommendations and this video! As another commenter said, a kindred spirit! ❤
I absolutely loved Death Valley. So very curious about the other 2. Although tbh I'm not that keen if they are super raunchy?
Ok u have to add Alyssa Nutting to the weird list 😵💫
I've got some recs for you! Bug Swiss by Jen Beagin. Anything by Sayaka Murata, and A House at the Bottom of a Lake by Josh Malerman.
Anyone who wants to read a unique and strange story about mental illness (though that is not the only theme) that is vaguely in the same category as 'The Yellow Wallpaper' should try Conrad Aiken's 'Silent Snow, Secret Snow' (1932); it's something of a cult classic.
Holy heck, my tbr just hemorrhaged
If people like Mona Awad, I recommend Ling Ling Huang's Natural Beauty. It is a deeply unsettling contemporary horror novel about a classical pianist who begins working at a cult-like beauty store and the strange events that ensue. TW body horror.
Alls well is my favourite Awad book too!!
WEIRD RECS!:
Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
Nothing to See Here by Greg Olsen
The Troop by Nick Cutter
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
Snuff by Chuck Palaniuk
American Mermaid by Julia Langbein
The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
A House at the Bottom of the Lake by Josh Mallerman
Revelator by Daryl Gregory
Three’s Company is one I read last year that I think about often
My recent favourites: Earthlings (Sayaka Murata), The Laws of the Skies (Grégoire Courtois) and Such Small Hands (Andrés Barba)
The latter two were 3 and 4 stars from me BUT the prose, the layers, WOW!
Such small hands needs peeling back layers to get to the core.
the literary magazine Astra! the first publishing theme is ecstasy and has ottessa moshfegh and the second publishing theme is filth and has an essay by samuel r delany !!
Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
If you liked Merçè Rodoreda you should totally get into Catalan/Spanish weird lit!! Totally reccomend Irene Solà
What Makes You Think You Are Awake by Meagan Poland is a short story collection you'd be at a loss to miss out on. A favourite of mine, and I cannot wait to read her forthcoming full length novel.
If you haven’t read ‘The Vegetarian’ by Hang Kang, you HAVE TO. that book was wild
I just read that book by Andrea Abreu and it was... okay. Not my favorite but a pretty decent reading experience. All of these books sound interesting and I got a couple of new books to add on my never-ending tbr lol.
I'd throw Samantha Schweblin out there too; I've only read Fever Dream but it lives up to the name (I think also Argentinean?)
I love Hot Milk by Deborah Levy so much! I read it two years ago and I want to reread since then. I don't know what it is about that book but it did something with me :D
Death in the spring by Mercè Rodoreda is translated from Catalan, not spanish :) All her books are killers, not weird, but they are masterpieces, specially Diamond Square.
Thank you for the list, I've added soo many to my TBR list now! Very much looking forward to getting into Ottessa's books. Also, what is the lovely lipstick you're wearing here? Love!
I've only read tender is the flesh and loved it.. will definitely be adding some of these to my list! thanks girl!
Mad Shadows by Marie-Claire Blais is a novella about three family members, a spoiled boy and unloved girl whose mother bestows all her 'love' on the boy based on his more pleasing appearance and this leads to the destruction of them all. Slightly disturbing and felt like a fever dream
I love Melissa Border. My favorite book by her is The Pisces
Cactus and Pisces .. she’s probably a big fan of the horror film possession where a man’s wife cheats on him with an octopus monster.
i also recommend split tooth by tanya tagq, an Inuit throat singer, a very poetic experimental memoir. and salt slow (also by julia armfield, who wrote our wives under the sea) which is short weird stories!
love love love the recommendations!!
I bought Tender is The Flesh a year or so ago and was so excited. Got mayyyybe halfway through and just couldn't do it anymore. Nothing disturbing had even happened and the fact the main character kept us at arm's length by way of the writer mostly telling everything and barely showing anything, I just couldn't read anymore because I wasn't able to care about anyone or anything involved. It made me really sad. I might try to pick it up this summer and give it another shot.
I think you might enjoy “the 10th of December” by George Saunders. Collection of weird and disturbing short stories. Also a bit bummed Sayaka Murata didn’t make the cut, as well as “the Vegetarian” by Han Kang. Lots of amazing “weird” and disturbing speculative fiction coming from East Asian authors!
I love a weird book! One of my recent favourite strange books is Youthjuice by EK Sathue 💕
A random weird lit fiction I found at my local library I loved was An Island by Karen Jennings
if you’re into weird Argentinian fiction, you might like Of Cattle and Men by Ana Paula Maia. Brazilian novel about a man that slaughters cattle, when things start to go wrong on his cattle farm. very strange horror-esque novel that I love !!
Omg I can't belive you didnt like Rouge that's my favorite book ever now
I love, LOVE Ottessa Moshfegh (controversial, but I actually prefer 'Eileen' over 'My Year of Rest and Relaxation'), but was also disappointed with 'Death in Her Hands.' Sucks because it was SUCH a cool concept, and I loved the "twist"/reveal... I almost feel like it would've worked better as a novella or even just a short story? Fingers crossed she also publishes another short story collection someday, ahaha.
Highly recommend Monsters by Emerald Fennell (writer and director of Saltburn) it's written like a YA / preteen book, but it entails very dark themes.
It makes me so sad that so many people don’t like or don’t want to read mcglue, it’s one of my favourite books - I thought it was so good!
Anything by Eric McCormack and Jonathan Carroll, plus A Family Failure by Renata Rasp and The Woman Who Escaped from Shame by Toby Olson.