What are the best contemporary existential novels?

A great contemporary existential novel is 'Fight Club' by Chuck Palahniuk. It challenges the consumerist society and the search for identity. The unnamed narrator's journey through creating and participating in Fight Club reflects existential angst and the need to break free from the mundane.

Jean - Paul Sartre's 'Nausea' is also a top choice. The main character, Roquentin, experiences a sense of nausea when faced with the absurdity of existence. Sartre uses vivid descriptions to convey Roquentin's feelings about the meaninglessness of life and how he grapples with his own identity in a world that seems to lack inherent purpose.

One of the best is 'The Stranger' by Albert Camus. It explores the absurdity of life through the character of Meursault, who seems indifferent to the conventional norms of society. His actions and the way he faces the world make readers question the meaning of existence.

One of the best existential novels is 'The Stranger' by Albert Camus. It follows the story of Meursault, a detached man whose actions are often at odds with society's expectations. His encounter with the absurdity of life, especially after his mother's death and his subsequent actions, really delves into existential themes like the meaninglessness of life and the individual's response to it.

Existential horror novels at their best often deal with mortality. In 'Pet Sematary', the idea of death being perverted is a key element. They also create a sense of being lost. In 'The Yellow Wallpaper', the narrator is lost in her own mind as she is trapped in the room. Moreover, they can have a sense of the uncanny. In 'The Exorcist', the possession is an uncanny event that challenges our understanding of the world and our place in it, creating a strong sense of existential horror.

Some excellent existential graphic novels include 'Blankets' by Craig Thompson. It is a coming - of - age story that also touches on themes of love, faith, and self - discovery, which are all related to existential exploration. 'The Sandman' series by Neil Gaiman has many elements of existentialism as it explores dreams, reality, and the human condition. 'Fun Home' by Alison Bechdel is another notable one. It combines family history with questions about self - identity and existence.

Sure. 'The Trial' by Franz Kafka is a great existential novel. It tells the story of Josef K., who is arrested and put on trial, but he doesn't know what he's being accused of. This shows the sense of powerlessness and the absurdity of the world that is common in existential works.

One of the best is 'The Stranger' by Albert Camus. It explores the absurdity of human existence through the character of Meursault, who is detached from the norms of society. His actions and reactions, like not crying at his mother's funeral, make readers question the meaning of life and the values society imposes on us.

Some of the well - known contemporary novels could include 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It explores themes of wealth, love, and the American Dream. Another might be 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee which deals with racial injustice. And '1984' by George Orwell, which warns about totalitarianism and the loss of privacy.

Another great one is 'Crime and Punishment' by Fyodor Dostoevsky. While not strictly an existentialist novel in the purest sense, it contains many existential themes. Raskolnikov's struggle with his conscience after committing a murder is a profound exploration of guilt, free will, and the search for meaning in a complex world.