The Bone People is a 1984 novel by New Zealand author Keri Hulme. The novel is set on the coast of the South Island of New Zealand and follows the lives of three characters who are isolated in different ways. The three characters are a reclusive artist, a mute child, and the child’s foster father. …
Examples of Allegories
The Alchemist’s Daughter by Katharine McMahon is a historical novel that tells the story of Emilie Selden, a young woman living in the English countryside during the Age of Reason. Raised by her father, a brilliant alchemist and natural philosopher, Emilie is trained in science and alchemy from a young age. Despite her father’s best …
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams is a science-fiction comedy franchise that has entertained audiences for decades. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, the series has since been adapted into novels, stage shows, comic books, a TV series, a text adventure game, and a feature film. The …
“The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break” is a novel by Steven Sherrill that tells the story of a mythical creature trying to navigate life in the modern world. The novel is a unique blend of fantasy and realism that explores themes of loneliness, isolation, and the struggle to fit in. The novel follows the Minotaur, …
The Good Earth is a historical fiction novel by Pearl S. Buck that was published in 1931 and is set in a Chinese village in Anhwei. The novel follows the life of Wang Lung, an impoverished farmer, and his family as they navigate the challenges of rural life in China in the 1920s. The novel …
Life: A User’s Manual is a novel by Georges Perec that was originally published in French in 1978 under the title La Vie mode d’emploi. The novel presents a detailed portrait of a fictional ten-story apartment building in Paris and its inhabitants. The book has been praised for its intricate structure, playful storytelling, and its …
Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere is a novel that takes readers on a journey through a magical realm coexisting with the familiar streets of London. The story follows Richard Mayhew, an unassuming businessman, who stumbles upon a girl bleeding on the sidewalk. He stops to help her, and his life is forever changed as he is drawn …
“The Cellist of Sarajevo” is a novel written by Steven Galloway that tells the story of three people trying to survive in a city rife with the extreme fear of desperate times, and of the sorrowing cellist who plays undaunted in their midst. The novel is set during the 1990s Siege of Sarajevo, and it …
The Magician’s Nephew is a children’s fantasy novel written by C.S. Lewis, published in 1955. It is the sixth book in The Chronicles of Narnia series, but it serves as a prequel to the events in the first book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The book tells the story of two children, Digory …
Paolo Bacigalupi’s novel, The Water Knife, is a gripping and thought-provoking work of science fiction that explores the impact of climate change on the Southwestern United States. Set in the near future, the novel depicts a world where drought has devastated the region, leading to a fierce battle over the dwindling water supply of the …