In a world where the latest bestselling books dominate shelves and screens, some of the most compelling stories are often overlooked. Beyond the popular bestsellers, there’s a world of underrated books that deserve recognition for their unique storytelling, compelling narratives, and powerful themes. Here are four hidden literary gems that you should add to your list:
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
While Jeannette Walls’ The Glass Castle did receive critical acclaim, it often slips under the radar compared to mainstream bestsellers. This memoir is a raw account of Walls’ unconventional upbringing in a deeply dysfunctional family. Her parents, two somewhat eccentric but deeply irresponsible characters, lead her and her siblings through a nomadic life filled with poverty, occasionally brightened by creativity.
A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum
In A Woman Is No Man, Etaf Rum delivers a poignant exploration of generational trauma, cultural expectations, and the suffocating constraints faced by women in conservative Arab American communities. Set in both Palestine and Brooklyn, the novel follows three generations of Palestinian women whose lives are shaped by patriarchy, oppression, and silence. Although A Woman Is No Man did not dominate bestseller lists, its raw emotional depth and unflinching portrayal of domestic violence and cultural identity make it a must-read.
Adults by Emma Jane Unsworth
Emma Jane Unsworth’s Adults is a sharp, witty, and painfully relatable novel that captures the messiness of modern life. Following Jenny, a writer in her thirties living in London, the story explores the chaos of social media addiction, romantic failures, and the eternal quest for self-acceptance. Unsworth’s talent for blending dark humour with emotional honesty makes this book a hidden gem for anyone who’s ever felt overwhelmed by the complexities of adulthood in the digital era.
Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss
Ghost Wall tells the tale of Silvie, a teenager from northern England, whose family joins an anthropology course on an excursion to Northumberland, living as Iron Age Britons once did. In a post-Brexit England, this is a smart and subtle evisceration of ‘taking our country back’. As revealed through the book, Silvie’s father is an extreme example of someone searching for meaning after being betrayed by post-war progress. Moss’s storytelling is exceptional, creating an intense un-put-downable novella.