Under the SkinUnder the Skin
Score Modern
What it's about
Isserley is obsessed with picking up male hitchhikers, as long as they're well-muscled and alone. As the reason becomes clear, the novel draws you into an unexpected and increasingly terrifying world.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It defies categories.
You'll love it if you liked
Never Let Me Go
The Wasp Factory
VurtGood to know
Go in knowing as little as possible.
By the numbers
- Readers14 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
- #308 of the 333 science fiction books we rank
- #457 of the 504 fantasy books we rank
- #1526 of the 1,647 modern books we rank
- #2857 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Gripping, Adventurous
If you like this, read next
Gideon the Ninth
All Systems Red
Promises in Death
Innocent in Death
The Blind Assassin
Jade CityExplore the best-of lists
All 47 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,647 ranked
Books of the 2000sTop 25 · 514 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedQuick answers
Is Under the Skin worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,857 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 56.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Under the Skin about?
Isserley is obsessed with picking up male hitchhikers, as long as they're well-muscled and alone. As the reason becomes clear, the novel draws you into an unexpected and increasingly terrifying world.
How long does it take to read Under the Skin?
About 8 hours (304 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Under the Skin?
If you liked it, try Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks or Vurt by Jeff Noon.