As we reach the end of 2024, we have collected our top ten fiction pieces of the year.
Stalin, Lenin, Robespierre | Brandon Taylor
‘He tried to think about what sort of person he wanted to be in this world and how he might bring that about.’
Fiction by Brandon Taylor.
Aishwarya Rai | Sanjana Thakur
‘The shelter houses one hundred and fifty women who used to be or long to be or have no choice but to be Mothers.’
Fiction by Sanjana Thakur.
Solo Poly | Sophie Frances Kemp
‘When you are a female this is what happens: if you are not selected to be a mate by age twenty-seven, you are asked to get on the bus.’
Fiction by Sophie Frances Kemp.
Dite | Reena Usha Rungoo
‘She collected stamps when she was younger, then switched to books, degrees, and – when she moved abroad – white lovers.’
Fiction by Reena Usha Rungoo.
The Museum Guard | J.M. Coetzee
‘Do they strike people as a strange couple? He does not know, does not care.’
Fiction by J.M. Coetzee.
And Of The Son | Rachel Connolly
‘There’s something in her face. Adoration? I mean, she’s drunk. But she clearly has a thing for me.’
Fiction by Rachel Connolly.
Private View | Sophie Collins
‘Being recognised as part of a couple thrilled me; I felt legitimised. John had a life, a full life.’
Fiction by Sophie Collins.
Embrace | Kevin Brazil
‘Love is a concept about which I have long been very sceptical. I have seen the damage that can be done, and can be justified, in the name of love.’
Fiction by Kevin Brazil.
Bitter North | Alexandra Tanner
‘Eight years in, Hal felt like another her, somehow.’
Fiction by Alexandra Tanner.
All Fours | Miranda July
‘We decided then to tell each other exactly how a typical fuck played out in our marriages. We couldn’t believe we’d never done this before.’
And extract from All Fours by Miranda July.
Feature image © Agnes Lloyd-Platt
