NightwoodNightwood
Score Classic
What it's about
Between the two World Wars, in the decadent shadows of Paris, Berlin and Vienna, a world where the boundaries of class, religion and sexuality are bold but surprisingly porous.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's a strange, sinuous tour de force.
You'll love it if you liked
Giovanni's Room
Mrs. Dalloway
The LoverGood to know
Its prose is dense and poetic.
By the numbers
- Readers6 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller13 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 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
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
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Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is Nightwood worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,984 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 53.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Nightwood about?
Between the two World Wars, in the decadent shadows of Paris, Berlin and Vienna, a world where the boundaries of class, religion and sexuality are bold but surprisingly porous.
How long does it take to read Nightwood?
About 8 hours (319 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Nightwood?
If you liked it, try Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin, Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf or The Lover by Marguerite Duras.