This post focuses on 8 large books to read this year. Large books, or ones that count more than 500 pages, can be quite intimidating. For someone who doesn’t read much, that must feel like you’re back in grade school when you were forced to read for your English class. But for a bookworm like me, it’s not a big deal. The size makes it harder to hold in my hand, but otherwise, it doesn’t bother me. Long chapters with no real separations bug me more than long books with easy-to-read, shorter chapters.
For sure, if you’re just beginning to pick up books again, maybe start with books that are around the 300-page mark.
But for seasoned readers, these are the eight large books I think will be a great selection to read this year. That is if you haven’t already done so.
Let me get started right away.
8. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
This book is almost twenty years old, but it is a must-read. If you haven’t watched the movie yet, I suggest you start with the book first. But if you are familiar with the movie, you can still enjoy the book tremendously.
It is a great mystery that involves cryptic symbols and a murdered physicist. An underground organization is believed to be behind a deadly vendetta against the Catholic Church. The action takes place in the Vatican, with some religious undertones and references to the Illuminati. But it is such an intricate and clever story that you will fly through it, despite its more than 700 pages.
7. The Luminaries by Elizabeth Catton
This brilliantly constructed ghost story is a real page-turner that you will have a hard time putting down. It is quite large, with more than 800 pages, but once you get into the plot you will not mind its heft. The story is about some unexplained events that take place in New Zealand’s goldfields in the 1860s. The vanishing of a wealthy man, the suicide attempt of a prostitute, and a huge fortune that was found in the home of a drunk man. These are the events twelve local men get together and try to solve. Intricate and clever, it is a must-read.
6. Needful Things by Stephen King 
If you read one of my previous articles, you know that I intend to finally read one of Stephen King’s books this year. And this brick is the first one on my list. At close to 800 pages it is ambitious, but I really want to experience one of the most famous authors’ writing at last.
Needful Things is about a shop owner who makes people that come to buy things at his store perform pranks on each other. Written with a unique penmanship he’s become extremely popular for, this book will surely keep you wanting more.
5. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Donna Tartt has proven to be a brilliant author who can write pretty much anything with her own style. The Goldfinch is a brick, at more than 850 pages, but it is quite easy to read. The story flows so fluently, you’ll be surprised just how fast you can manage to read it. I loved this book when I first read it, and it’s one of those books I think I can reread multiple times and love more each time.
The story follows Theo Decker, who at a young age moves in with a friend’s wealthy family after a life-changing incident. The painting of a goldfinch reminds him of his mother and subsequently draws him into a criminal world. A very complex story that is a blend of literary fiction with a thriller undertone, you will not be able to put it down.
4. Game of Thrones – The Series by George R.R. Martin
For fantasy lovers that love a large cast of characters and interminable action, this series that includes five books is a must-read. The HBO TV series is based on these tomes, but the details these books contain are mind-blowing. I must warn you, it requires quite a lot of time and energy, but Martin’s writing is sublime. Honestly, I watched the show first, but it doesn’t do the book justice. They contain so much more detail that you can’t help but admire the author’s imagination. I highly recommend reading the five books. They are all humongous, ranging from over 800 to over 1200 pages each!
3. The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
This book has been on my TBR list for too long! I think I had it as part of my 22 books for 2022, and up to now, I haven’t got a chance to read it yet. Compared to others on this list, it is not the size that makes me put it on the back burner. Honestly, I’m not sure what it is, but I truly intend to get to it before the end of 2023. This work of literary fiction is beautifully written and highly praised. It follows Cyril Avery and his quest to find his identity and a place to call home. It is a heartbreaking novel about the power of the human spirit. You might shed a tear or two, but it’s definitely worth a read.
2.The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honoré Fanonne Jeffers
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois
This book came on my radar at the end of 2022, and I purchased it as an ebook. That is probably better for me since I struggle with holding physically large books. But the synopsis is what intrigued me.
Ailey Pearl Garfield is a young girl who embarks on a journey to find the story of her family. From two generations back until the present day, Ailey learns shocking tales her ancestors endured. She will try to make peace with her heritage and learn to overcome what her legacy left in their wake. A very moving story of Indigenous, Black, and White backgrounds from the American South and the continuous race problem the country still faces today.
1.A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Ok, don’t come for me! I know I talk about this book way too much, but just read it! That’s it, thank you! No, I’m joking! I know it’s long (over 700 pages), and it’s very sad, but the writing is sublime! Trust me, when you start reading it you will totally understand. It’s a story about four college friends who grow into adulthood and remain in each other’s lives despite their differences. But the focal point of the story is Jude and his enigmatic past. He’s a very haunted man who endured unspeakable things, yet the way the author describes his struggles makes you feel as if you grew up with him. If you haven’t given this book a chance yet after all my raving about it, I don’t know what to say!
This is it for this post, I hope you’ll at least consider picking up any of these books. They are large, yes, but they are fairly easy reads. Except maybe for a couple of them! Until next time, I hope you’ll read some interesting books my fellow bookworms!
