The Uncommon ReaderThe Uncommon Reader
Score Modern
What it's about
The Queen drifts into reading by accident when her corgis stray into a mobile library parked at Buckingham Palace. Her reading changes how she sees the world and the people around her, and turns out to be quietly subversive.
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 Remains of the Day
A Man Called Ove
The Storied Life of A. J. FikryGood to know
It's short: about 120 pages.
By the numbers
- Readers24 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller24 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
- #291 of the 325 literary novels we rank
- #1403 of the 1,647 modern books we rank
- #2646 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
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All 47 best-of lists →
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,647 ranked
Books of the 2000sTop 25 · 514 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 Uncommon Reader worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,646 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 58.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Uncommon Reader about?
The Queen drifts into reading by accident when her corgis stray into a mobile library parked at Buckingham Palace. Her reading changes how she sees the world and the people around her, and turns out to be quietly subversive.
How long does it take to read The Uncommon Reader?
About 3 hours (120 pages), or about 6 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Uncommon Reader?
If you liked it, try The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman or The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin.