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Welcome back to Worth the Read! If you see a book described as “twisty,” “jaw-dropping,” and “gasp-inducing,” do you assume it’s a thriller? Of course you do. I do, too! Big, unexpected turns are the bread and butter of the thriller genre, after all, and those twists are part of what keeps readers coming back.
But what about all the other books with huge, earth-shattering twists? The ones that have to keep their biggest surprises hidden because even hinting at them could ruin the reading experience? When the twist is the surprise, publishers and authors shy away from advertising it. Sure, this makes sense, but I think that does these books a disservice, because plenty of thriller fans, and anyone who loves a good twist, would love them.
So today, I’m calling out six non-thrillers with some of the best twists I’ve encountered. We’ve got historical and literary fiction, contemporary reads, and even some sci-fi. And that’s all I’m telling you, because this is a spoiler-free zone.
Let’s get into it.
6 Non-Thrillers With Jaw-Dropping Twists
My Sister’s Keeper
by Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult is the queen of writing addictive novels that tackle sticky moral quandaries. And in this 2004 novel—the one that skyrocketed her career—she took on “savior siblings,” aka children who are conceived to provide transplant material for a sick sibling. When their daughter Kate is diagnosed with leukemia, the Fitzgeralds conceive a second daughter, Anna, to be her genetic match and donor. Years later, Anna refuses to keep donating and sues her parents for control over her own body. My Sister’s Keeper is a medical drama, a family saga, and a coming-of-age novel all wrapped into one, and it’s one of those books that, once you’ve read it, you can never forget.
Up until I was writing this email, I thought most people knew this book’s twist, especially since it was adapted into a blockbuster film starring Abigail Breslin, Cameron Diaz, and Alec Baldwin. But then I was reminded by my colleague Meredith that the movie changed the flippin’ ending!!!! So if you’ve only seen the movie, you don’t fully understand why this novel belongs in the “OMG” Hall of Fame. And if you don’t know the book or the movie? Even better. Just make sure you have tons of tissues before diving in.
Life of Pi
by Yann Martel
Life of Pi is another enormous bestseller from the early 2000s that continues to shake readers to their cores today. Up front, it seems like a strange, magical story of courage and endurance. Here’s the plot: After the ship he and his mom are traveling on sinks, 16-year-old Pi finds himself stranded in a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Bengal tiger. When the first three animals die quickly, Pi finds himself alone at sea for 227 days with a Bengal tiger…and they both manage to survive.
Well, that’s one story. There’s another story, too, but which one is the truth?
Life of Pi is a deeply philosophical novel that asks us to consider big, uncomfortable questions about what it means to be human, so don’t expect this one to neatly tie up all (or, well, any) of the loose ends. But if you’re okay with uncertainty, this novel’s twist is absolutely, 100% worth it. In fact, it’s the kind of twist that will make you want to go back and reread the novel from the start with a whole new lens.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Ah, yes, the book that transformed Taylor Jenkins Reid from a regular author into a superstar. Meet Evelyn Hugo, an Elizabeth Taylor-esque movie star who has retreated from the spotlight in her old age. When she handpicks a young journalist for a rare interview, Evelyn reveals her true intention: she wants her to write her biography, and for the first time, she’s ready to tell the whole story.
There’s a lot that makes this book intriguing to readers, from the Hollywood glamour to the story of self-invention and the promise of romance. But I think this book’s continued popularity comes down to the fact that it’s hiding multiple tricks up its sleeve. One of those tricks is hiding in plain sight, right there in the title. (Have I already said too much?) The other couple of twists come at the end, which, as I’ve now learned, is a common TJR move. (She loves a heart-wrenching twist, and I love her for it!)
Sure, you probably want to have some interest in 20th-century American celebrity if you’re going to pick this one up. But what if I told you it’s not just some fluffy romp? What if I told you it’s also about guilt and shame? About finding—and losing—the kind of deep love that makes life worth living? About the performances we all put on, whether we want to or not? Now are you interested?
Never Let Me Go
by Kazuo Ishiguro
Okay, I need to be careful here, because the irritating thing about this book is that people often describe it with spoilers, i.e., “Oh, you mean the book where [SPOILERS]?” So, if you have not yet had this one ruined for you, please do me a favor and don’t read anything else about it. Just read the book! It’s not very long, and I promise you won’t regret it! And I promise it will have your jaw on 👏 the 👏 floor 👏. I will tell you this much: it’s about a trio of friends who meet at a boarding school in the English countryside. That’s it. That’s all you’re getting.
Kazuo Ishiguro, who won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature, is one of the most talented novelists writing today, and Never Let Me Go is one of the most beautifully haunting books I’ve ever read. Its twist will make you want to start again from page one, reconsidering everything that came before. I’m not sure another novel has stayed with me so profoundly in its questions about art, humanity, and the nature of the human soul.
Ender’s Game
by Orson Scott Card
In a recent meeting, Mike, our head of CRM (and resident sci-fi expert), mentioned that this is one of his all-time favorite books, and I freaked out in agreement. I then probably spent a little too long begging everyone else in the meeting to read it, too. And now I’m going to do the same thing to you, because even if you don’t read sci-fi or middle grade titles, you should read Ender’s Game.
Here’s the plot: In a future at war with an alien race, brilliant young Ender is recruited into an elite military school where children are trained through simulated battles to become Earth’s next great commanders. Now, Ender will have to learn how to nurture his unmatched strategic intuition while also developing his character, because a great leader can’t do it alone, and power always threatens to curdle into cruelty.
Reader, this book made me sob. I didn’t see the ending coming at all, and it took my breath away. At the risk of saying too much, I can promise you that if you’re worried this is a book that glorifies war to children, don’t be. In fact… actually, no, I’ll stop myself there. Just read it, okay?
Atonement
by Ian McEwan
Set in 1935 England, this novel follows a 13-year-old girl who misinterprets an encounter between her sister and a childhood friend, setting in motion events that will reverberate for decades. The Oscar-winning adaptation (starring a young Saoirse Ronan!) has become a modern classic, so even people who don’t often read historical fiction know what makes this story so special.
It’s primarily a book about love, guilt, and war, but it’s also about the very nature of storytelling and the power storytellers hold. Who gets to claim the truth? Who gets to decide what’s history and what’s fiction? And through our stories, can we ever make right our worst wrongs?
Genevieve Nierman, Resident bookworm @ Pix Media
Genevieve Nierman is an editor, writer, and interviewer with over a decade of experience in books and publishing, including roles at Little, Brown and Company and Alfred A. Knopf. She is currently Senior Books Content Manager at Pix Media, where she runs the flagship newsletter Book Pix. She lives in New York City with her orange cat, Oscar, and an ever-growing stack of books.
Currently reading: The Disappearers by Marlon James
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