Can you recommend some classic surrealist novels?

One of the well - known surrealist horror novels is 'House of Leaves' by Mark Z. Danielewski. It plays with the layout of the text, creating a disorienting and eerie reading experience. Another is 'The Croning' by Laird Barron, which combines elements of the Lovecraftian horror with surreal and dream - like sequences.

One of the well - known English surrealist novels is 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' by Lewis Carroll. It is filled with strange and illogical events like Alice shrinking and growing in size randomly. Another is 'Finnegans Wake' by James Joyce. It has a complex and dream - like narrative structure with made - up words and convoluted language that challenges the reader's understanding. Also, 'The House of Leaves' by Mark Z. Danielewski contains surreal elements, especially in its use of typography and the strange, ever - shifting layout of the pages to create a sense of unease and the uncanny.

Sure. 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' by Gabriel García Márquez is a great one. It has elements like a character ascending to heaven while doing laundry, which is highly surreal. Another is 'Slaughterhouse - Five' by Kurt Vonnegut. The non - linear time and the idea of being 'unstuck in time' are very surreal concepts. 'At Swim - Two - Birds' by Flann O'Brien also has a lot of surreal elements, like characters being aware that they are in a novel.

One of the well - known modern surrealist novels is 'The Metamorphosis' by Franz Kafka. In this novel, the main character wakes up one day transformed into a giant insect, which is a very surreal concept. It explores themes of alienation and the human condition in a unique way.

Definitely. 'City of Glass' by Paul Auster is a wonderful surrealist novel. The main character gets involved in a strange case of mistaken identity and a series of events that seem to defy logic. 'The Left Hand of Darkness' by Ursula K. Le Guin also has surreal aspects. It explores a world where gender is fluid in a very imaginative and thought - provoking way. And 'The Time Machine' by H.G. Wells, although more of a science - fiction classic, has elements of surreality in its vision of the future.

One of the well - known surrealist mystery novels is 'The Castle' by Franz Kafka. It's full of mystery as the protagonist struggles to gain access to the castle, with a very surreal and dream - like atmosphere throughout the story. Another great one is 'The Man in the High Castle' by Philip K. Dick. It presents a very strange and mysterious alternate reality where the Axis powers won World War II, with lots of surreal elements like the I - Ching playing a significant role in the plot.

Classic surrealist novels often feature illogical events. For example, characters might transform in strange ways or encounter impossible situations. This breaks the normal rules of the real world.

I would also suggest 'Hard - Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World' by Haruki Murakami. It combines elements of detective fiction with Murakami's unique brand of surrealism. There are parallel storylines that gradually converge in a very unexpected way, and the overall atmosphere is quite dreamy.

One well - known surrealist dark comedy novel is 'Candide' by Voltaire. It humorously and satirically explores the idea of optimism in the face of a cruel and absurd world. Another is 'Catch - 22' by Joseph Heller. It has a complex web of absurd situations and dark humor centered around the insanity of war. Also, 'The Metamorphosis' by Franz Kafka can be considered in this genre. The sudden transformation of Gregor into an insect is presented in a way that combines the surreal with a darkly comical view of family and society.

Jean Genet's 'Our Lady of the Flowers' can be regarded as a surrealist novel. It has a highly stylized and dream - like narrative that includes themes of homosexuality, prison life, and the underworld. The way Genet constructs the story with vivid and often disturbing imagery is very much in the vein of surrealist writing.