What are the characteristics of the best black humour novels?

A sense of the absurd is crucial. 'Three Men in a Boat' is full of absurd moments. The men's over - reactions to small problems like thinking they have every disease in the book when they just feel a bit unwell. It's this kind of absurdity that makes the reader laugh out loud.

Dark humour novels often deal with serious or taboo topics like death, war, and social problems in a humorous way. For example, they might make jokes about the absurdity of war or the silliness of human behavior in the face of mortality.

One of the best is 'Catch - 22' by Joseph Heller. It's set during World War II and uses black humor to expose the absurdity of war and military bureaucracy. The situations the characters find themselves in are both hilarious and tragic at the same time.

One characteristic is unexpected twists. For example, in a story where a character is expecting one thing to happen, like getting a big promotion at work, but instead they end up getting a job as a janitor in the same company. Another is the use of exaggerated characters. A character might be extremely clumsy or overly confident, which leads to humorous situations. Also, a lot of humour long stories play with language, like using puns or mispronunciations.

They often have comical characters. For example, in 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', characters like Ford Prefect are really funny. They also use absurd situations, like in 'Good Omens' where an angel and a demon team up. And there's usually a lot of witty dialogue.

One characteristic is that they often deal with taboo or serious topics in a light - hearted or unexpected way. For example, death, which is normally a very solemn subject, can be made into a joke in dark humour stories. Like the story where a man at his own funeral wakes up and says, 'You guys are making way too much noise.', which turns the very serious event of a funeral into something with a bit of dark comical twist.

They often use irony. In dark humour short stories, things are not as they seem on the surface. The situation might be really bad, but the way it's presented, like through the use of sarcasm or a play on words, makes it humorous in a dark way. Take 'The Cask of Amontillado' where the narrator's false friendship and his act of revenge are told in a way that has this ironic and darkly humorous undertone.

Many of the best black novels often deal with themes related to race, such as discrimination, identity, and the struggle for equality. For example, in 'Native Son' by Richard Wright, we see the main character's battle against the systemic racism that surrounds him.

One of the best humour novels is 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams. It's filled with absurd situations and hilarious characters. For example, the concept of the 'Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything' being 42 is both silly and thought - provoking.

One characteristic is that they can make you laugh at things that are normally considered serious or tragic. In 'A Confederacy of Dunces', Ignatius's ridiculous actions in the face of real - world problems are a source of black humor. They also tend to have a satirical edge, poking fun at institutions or social norms. 'Good Omens' satirizes the idea of the apocalypse and religious concepts. And they often use a lot of wordplay and clever language to create their humorous and dark effects.