The 100 Greatest British Novels

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  • The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

    This seven-part series follows the adventures of various children who play central roles in the unfolding history of the fantastical realm of Narnia. The children are magically transported to Narnia from our world, where they aid the noble lion Aslan in his struggles against evil forces in order to restore peace and justice. The series explores themes of good versus evil, the nature of faith, and the power of sacrifice, all set against a richly imagined magical world full of diverse creatures and landscapes.

    The 234th Greatest Book of All Time
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  • Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry

    Set in Mexico on the Day of the Dead in 1938, the novel follows the last day in the life of Geoffrey Firmin, a British consul with a severe alcohol addiction. Through his interactions with his estranged wife and half-brother, the book explores themes of despair, betrayal, and the destructive power of addiction, against the backdrop of political and social unrest. The impending eruption of the nearby volcano serves as a metaphor for Firmin's deteriorating mental state and the looming world war.

    The 62nd Greatest Book of All Time
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  • There But For The by Ali Smith

    There But For The is a novel that explores the interconnectedness of people's lives through the story of a man who locks himself in a room of a house he was invited to for dinner, and refuses to come out. The man's actions cause a media frenzy and bring together four individuals who have links to him, each revealing their own stories and perspectives. The book is a commentary on contemporary life, exploring themes of identity, memory, time, and the nature of connection and disconnection in society.

    The 3890th Greatest Book of All Time
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  • The Code of the Woosters by P. G. Wodehouse

    In this comedic British novel, a wealthy and idle young man and his valet navigate a series of mishaps and misunderstandings involving a cow-creamer, an antique book, a policeman's helmet, and a pair of star-crossed lovers. Throughout the story, the young man's valet employs his intelligence and cunning to rescue his employer from various predicaments, often involving troublesome relatives and romantic entanglements. The story is a classic example of 20th-century humor and satire, filled with witty dialogue and absurd situations.

    The 555th Greatest Book of All Time
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About this list

BBC, 104 Books

This list, titled "The 100 Greatest British Novels," aims to provide an outsider's perspective on the best British literature by exclusively polling 82 book critics from outside the UK, curated by BBC Culture contributor Jane Ciabattari. The selection criteria focused on novels only, excluding nonfiction, plays, poems, and short story collections, and required the authors to be British. Each critic submitted a ranked list of 10 novels, with their top choice receiving 10 points, which were then totaled to determine the final ranking. The listing reflects a global perspective, drawing on critics from diverse regions including the United States, Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia, India, and the Middle East, comprising both literary scholars and active book reviewers from reputable publications. In total, 228 novels were nominated, from which the top 100 were selected based on the points system.

This list was originally published in 2015 and was added to this site over 9 years ago.

How Good is this List?

This list has a weight of 80%. To learn more about what this means please visit the Rankings page.

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List Information

Number of Voters:
82
Voter Count Unknown:
No
Voter Names Unknown:
No
High Quality Source:
No
Location Specific:
Yes
Category Specific:
No