The Good SoldierThe Good Soldier
Score Classic
What it's about
Ford Madox Ford's tragicomic novel of manners follows two couples, one American and one British. John Dowell narrates the disintegration of his own marriage and theirs, revealing passion and intrigue beneath Edwardian respectability.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Modern Library and Guardian lists of the best novels. It's famous for its unreliable narrator.
You'll love it if you liked
The Great Gatsby
The Remains of the Day
The End of the AffairGood to know
It's short but complex; the story is told out of order.
By the numbers
- Readers1 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics80 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller16 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
Dark
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Quick answers
Is The Good Soldier worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Modern Library and Guardian lists of the best novels. It ranks #2,113 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Good Soldier about?
Ford Madox Ford's tragicomic novel of manners follows two couples, one American and one British. John Dowell narrates the disintegration of his own marriage and theirs, revealing passion and intrigue beneath Edwardian respectability.
How long does it take to read The Good Soldier?
About 9 hours (372 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Good Soldier?
If you liked it, try The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro or The End of the Affair by Graham Greene.