KingfisherKingfisher
What it's about
A creative writing academic falls under the spell of his colleague, a poet whose life seems to shine, in a gentle, compassionate novel about queer love, friendship, art and the search for self.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction. Critics praise its tenderness and its insight into power.
You'll love it if you liked
A Single Man
The Details
Normal PeopleGood to know
It's quiet and introspective.
By the numbers
- Readers34 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz100 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #230 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #330 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1924 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
James
Demon Copperhead
The Women
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Quicksilver
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du BoisExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Kingfisher worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction. It ranks #1,924 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Kingfisher about?
A creative writing academic falls under the spell of his colleague, a poet whose life seems to shine, in a gentle, compassionate novel about queer love, friendship, art and the search for self.
How long does it take to read Kingfisher?
About 6 hours (224 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Kingfisher?
If you liked it, try A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood, The Details by Ia Genberg or Normal People by Sally Rooney.