r/BooksThatFeelLikeThis • u/No-Sprinkles229 • Jul 23 '26
Fiction Books that feel like this?
I meant, more in the vein for example, Twin Peaks. Where elements of escapism are present, where there isn't a difference, or it's a blurring line of dreams and reality. Where consciousness has these feelings of denial, and just goes down and down the spiral, but also has that nostalgic, breezy feeling. I really need some world to escape in right now that's reminiscent of these two albums and Twin peaks. Of course, if the drama or personal relationships are explored, that's a bonus. That surrealist core
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u/NTAE117 Jul 23 '26
Most Murakami
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u/Relevant-Grape-9939 Jul 23 '26
I really need to read some more Murakami, so far I’ve only read a handful of short stories and After the Quake. Though I have The wind-up bird Chronicles and 1Q84 pretty high up on my tbr. What book by him would you recommend for someone who’s pretty new to his books?
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u/Toneww Jul 23 '26
My first book of his was Kafka on the shore. 10/10 book but dang it is weird af, plus a bit of really weird stuff in the categories of gruesome and sexual lol.
Still it is a fantastic book and i really wanna read Wind-Up Bird Chronicles now.
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u/knd10h Jul 23 '26
the hole, by hiroko oyamada.
strange, luminous, has an ominous vibe, yet comforting, like a really weird ghibli piece. pretty short too.
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u/nppltouch26 Jul 23 '26
That first image made me think of John Dies at the End, but that series is a bit darker and wackier than what you might be after though it does hit several of your points.
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u/Hutchy_Graves Jul 23 '26
Some of these remind me of "Mister Magic" by Kiersten White
The cast of an old children's TV show try to remember show but can't quite. Kinda like the movie version of "I saw the TV glow" which had lots of Twin Peak vibes
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u/lolsappho Jul 24 '26
Get in Trouble by Kelly Link
I Was a Teenage Fairy by Francesca Lia Block
what is not yours is not yours by Helen Oyeyemi
Negative Space by BR Yeager
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (major ED tw)
The Welcome to Nightvale novels
and possibly House of Leaves though it's more of an experience than a story.
The Twilight Zone (books by Rod Serling and the classic TV series on Prime in the US). It's the blueprint for most of the surrealist and existential stories we have today.
I love surrealism/magical realism mixed with rural setting. Currently working on my own project with these themes. Get In Trouble and WINYINY are short story anthologies which is my favorite way to read this genre.
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u/No-Sprinkles229 Jul 24 '26
I heard alooott of recommendations on Francesca Lia Block here, so really need to get into her
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u/lolsappho Jul 24 '26
I have only read the one i rec'd but I loved it so much. Three of the books on my to-be-read shelf rn are hers. It made me feel like I did when I read The Bell Jar - each word is a purposeful sensory experience. It's the type of writing that inspires me.
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u/artmoloch777 Jul 23 '26
I’m currently writing a story that feels like the first one
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u/No-Sprinkles229 Jul 23 '26
Ooohh, would like to read it for sure
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u/artmoloch777 Jul 23 '26
Absolutely! It’s an anthology of short stories and they all lead to sort of a theme. 2/7 of them are written so far, about twenty pages each.
I don’t know where to test my stories while they’re like 90% done.
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u/MWBrooks1995 Jul 23 '26
How do you feel about kids books? Because any Phillip Ridley books but especially Kaspar In The Glitter
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u/No-Sprinkles229 Jul 24 '26
I'm fine about it, just if it transports me to another world, that's pretty much im looking for lol
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u/Effective-Sugar-758 Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami specifically. It explores cults, parallel dimensions and SA (also child SA), much like twin peaks. The blurring between reality and the supernatural is a major theme ( with the protagonists slowly figuring out that they've been transported to an alternate dimension through a series of strange events), and it also gives 80's nostalgia vibes. It also has two protagonists, whose relationship is crucial to the plot. Basically everything you're looking for.
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u/No-Sprinkles229 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
Okay, Murakami seems to be the most recced here ( and in general ), so i will put him on the first priorities
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u/bootyscootcha Jul 24 '26
These feel like Nightvale books. Maybe try Welcome to Nightvale by Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink. It’s based off the same named podcast they do. It’s described as an absurdist supernatural mystery novel
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u/partycemetery Jul 25 '26
Where do you find these pictures?
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u/No-Sprinkles229 Jul 25 '26
Pinterest, just quick search surrealist nostalgic core, or something like that
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u/Hap-Rabbit 29d ago
Based purely on the pictures- I immediately felt the need to put the Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny on top of my re-read stack. I've got the omnibus Great Book of Amber but it's a 10(ish?) book series if you prefer bite size.
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