Two Genres That Aren't So Different After All

"In recent years, some of the most talked-about literary novels have not given their readers much to talk about, at least when it comes to plot. In the late 2010s, authors such as Rachel Cusk, Ben Lerner, and Sheila Heti wrote books that are heavy on interiority and light on events; they have few of the markers of a traditional rise-and-fall story structure, and instead prioritize voice and close description."

"I agree that stories can offer both excitement and introspection, and I wonder if those who believe in a sharp division between plotty and plotless novels might be doing themselves a disservice. Story-forward novels are sometimes deceptively interior, balancing more explosive moments with long stretches of character-driven reflection. In Donna Tartt's The Secret History, for example, you know from the very first page who has died; for the rest of the book, you simply admire the author's skill as she conveys why and how."

Some recent high-profile literary novels emphasize interiority and minimize conventional plot, favoring voice and close description over rise-and-fall story arcs. Notable writers from the late 2010s produced books heavy on reflection and light on events, prompting debates about voice versus action. Others argue that novels need not choose between internal exploration and external drama, and that narrative excitement can coexist with sustained introspection. Donna Tartt's The Secret History exemplifies a plot-forward structure that remains intensely interior, revealing a central death early while sustaining riveting ruminations and character-driven reflection throughout.

Read at The Atlantic