The best-written books of 2023
Auraist's picks of the year's most stylishly written publications in nonfiction, and literary, speculative and crime fiction
We’ve been greeted by everything from peeved incomprehension — ‘But you just can’t say one book is written better than another’ — to the extraordinary welcome and support and simple getting it we’ve had from publishers, journalists, publicists, podcasters, and above all from the finest writers.
We’ve grown far faster than anticipated, resulting at times in 20-hour days and idiotic blunders (apologies again, Mr Lynch and Mr Johnson).
We’ve had a blast, and want to thank you for joining us for this ride.
Below we present the best-written books of 2023, as chosen by Auraist.
Writing with style.
Literary fiction (click to read extracts)
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
Chrysalis by Anna Metcalfe
I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home by Lorrie Moore
After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz
Kit by Megan Barker
Open Throat by Henry Hoke
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
Caret by Adam Mars-Jones
The Variations by Patrick Langley
America Fantastica by Tim O'Brien
Never Was by H. Gareth Gavin
All the Colour in the World by C.S. Richardson
Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan
Pay As You Go by Eskor David Johnson
Moonrise Over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
Blackouts by Justin Torres
Nonfiction
Come Back in September by Darryl Pinckney
Party Lines by Ed Gillett
Twist: An American Girl by Adele Bertei
The Double Life of Bob Dylan: Vol 2 by Clinton Heylin
How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair
Ordinary Notes by Christina Sharpe
Accidental Gods by Anna Della Subin
Taking Flight: The Evolutionary Story of Life on the Wing by Lev Parikian
Too Much Too Young: the 2 Tone Records Story by Daniel Rachel
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Speculative fiction (sci fi, fantasy, horror)
Spear by Nicola Griffith
Red Smoking Mirror by Nick Hunt
Pink Slime by Fernanda Trías
The Circumference of the World by Lavie Tidhar
Have we missed any especially well-written recent releases in literary fiction, speculative fiction, crime fiction, or nonfiction? If so, sign up for a Patron subscription and then contact us at auraist@substack.com, quoting the first 300 words of your recommended book.