Titus GroanTitus Groan
Score Classic
What it's about
Titus, heir to Lord Sepulchrave, is born into vast Gormenghast Castle, where every event is governed by ancient rituals. Meanwhile a kitchen servant named Steerpike escapes his drudgery and begins a climb to power.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read, and Gormenghast made BBC's Big Read. It's one of the most astonishing works of modern fantasy.
You'll love it if you liked
The Lord of the Rings
The Master and Margarita
Jonathan Strange & Mr NorrellGood to know
It's dreamlike and macabre. It's the first of a series.
By the numbers
- Readers28 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller42 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- 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
- #347 of the 504 fantasy books we rank
- #703 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2243 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Dark, Moving, Thought-provoking
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Quick answers
Is Titus Groan worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read, and Gormenghast made BBC's Big Read. It ranks #2,243 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Titus Groan about?
Titus, heir to Lord Sepulchrave, is born into vast Gormenghast Castle, where every event is governed by ancient rituals. Meanwhile a kitchen servant named Steerpike escapes his drudgery and begins a climb to power.
How long does it take to read Titus Groan?
About 12 hours (496 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Titus Groan?
If you liked it, try The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien, The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov or Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.