The LoverThe Lover
Score Classic
What it's about
Marguerite Duras's short novel, described as an exquisite jewel, as multifaceted as a diamond and as polished as a pearl.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read.
You'll love it if you liked
The Ravishing of Lol Stein
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
First LoveGood to know
This edition has an introduction by Maxine Hong Kingston.
By the numbers
- Readers12 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller21 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
- #311 of the 325 literary novels we rank
- #888 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2899 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
The Color Purple
East of Eden
The Caine Mutiny
I, Claudius
A Room of One's Own
The Brothers KaramazovExplore the best-of lists
All 47 best-of lists →
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Classic booksTop 25 · 924 ranked
Books of the 1980sTop 25 · 229 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is The Lover worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,899 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 55.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Lover about?
Marguerite Duras's short novel, described as an exquisite jewel, as multifaceted as a diamond and as polished as a pearl.
How long does it take to read The Lover?
About 3 hours (132 pages), or about 6 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Lover?
If you liked it, try The Ravishing of Lol Stein by Marguerite Duras, Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote or First Love by Ivan Turgenev.