Poll

Best Fiction

The Help
 
  1124 votes 17.3%

The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3)
 
  654 votes 10.0%

Her Fearful Symmetry
 
  321 votes 4.9%

Shanghai Girls (Shanghai Girls #1)
 
  316 votes 4.9%

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1)
 
  309 votes 4.7%

The Year of the Flood (MaddAddam, #2)
 
  292 votes 4.5%

The White Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #2)
 
  274 votes 4.2%

Fool
 
  232 votes 3.6%

The Magicians (The Magicians #1)
 
  228 votes 3.5%

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
 
  226 votes 3.5%

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
 
  224 votes 3.4%

Juliet, Naked
 
  206 votes 3.2%

Cutting for Stone
 
  187 votes 2.9%

The Little Stranger
 
  146 votes 2.2%

South of Broad
 
  144 votes 2.2%

The Story Sisters
 
  141 votes 2.2%

Pygmy
 
  138 votes 2.1%

Let the Great World Spin
 
  134 votes 2.1%

This is Where I Leave You
 
  130 votes 2.0%

Little Bee
 
  126 votes 1.9%

Brooklyn
 
  119 votes 1.8%

Drood
 
  107 votes 1.6%

The Children's Book
 
  104 votes 1.6%

A Reliable Wife
 
  103 votes 1.6%

A Gate at the Stairs
 
  96 votes 1.5%

The Weight of Silence
 
  91 votes 1.4%

That Old Cape Magic
 
  77 votes 1.2%

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet
 
  70 votes 1.1%

Await Your Reply
 
  69 votes 1.1%

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County
 
  62 votes 1.0%

The School of Essential Ingredients
 
  61 votes 0.9%

6511 total votes

Poll added by: Jessica



This Poll is About

Authors:
Nick Hornby, Chuck Palahniuk, Dan Simmons, Sarah Waters, Robert Goolrick, Alice Hoffman, Colm Tóibín, Kathryn Stockett, Richard Russo, Dan Chaon, Jonathan Tropper, Lisa See, Christopher Moore, Margaret Atwood, Pat Conroy, Abraham Verghese, Katherine Howe, A.S. Byatt, Tiffany Baker, Jamie Ford, Reif Larsen, Heather Gudenkauf, Dan Brown, Philippa Gregory, Lorrie Moore, Audrey Niffenegger, Erica Bauermeister, Chris Cleave, Alan Bradley, Colum McCann, Lev Grossman

Books:
Drood The Little Giant of Aberdeen County Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet Cutting for Stone Fool Little Bee The School of Essential Ingredients Pygmy The Help The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (The Physick Book, #1) A Reliable Wife Brooklyn (Eilis Lacey, #1) The Story Sisters Let the Great World Spin Shanghai Girls (Shanghai Girls, #1) The White Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #2) The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet The Little Stranger A Gate at the Stairs The Year of the Flood (MaddAddam, #2) The Magicians (The Magicians, #1) South of Broad Her Fearful Symmetry The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1) Juliet, Naked This is Where I Leave You Await Your Reply The Children's Book That Old Cape Magic The Weight of Silence The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3) The Help The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3) Her Fearful Symmetry Shanghai Girls (Shanghai Girls, #1) The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (The Physick Book, #1) The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1) Fool Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet The Magicians (The Magicians, #1) Little Bee South of Broad A Reliable Wife Cutting for Stone The Year of the Flood (MaddAddam, #2) The White Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #2) Pygmy A Gate at the Stairs Drood Juliet, Naked The Little Stranger The Little Giant of Aberdeen County That Old Cape Magic The Weight of Silence Brooklyn (Eilis Lacey, #1) The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet This is Where I Leave You Await Your Reply Let the Great World Spin The Story Sisters The School of Essential Ingredients The Children's Book

Comments Showing 1-35 of 35 (35 new)

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message 1: by Sara (new)

Sara Sadly, you left off one of my favorites, Precious by Sandra Novak. And we ought to get at least two votes, since I'm finding it hard to choose between two of the choices you did give me!


message 2: by Harriet (new)

Harriet Non of my favourites on the list... My nr.1 is Home by Marilynne Robinson.


message 3: by J.R. (new)

J.R. You left off the cream of the year--The Lacuna.


message 4: by Corey (new)

Corey Richard Powers' Generosity: An Enhancement.


message 5: by Annette (new)

Annette Carolyn Walls' Sweeping up Glass.


message 6: by Kathrynn (new)

Kathrynn Why hide the results until January 1st?


message 7: by Clea (new)

Clea Simon Yes on Walls and Powers - and what about Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall," Valerie Martin's "Trespass," Glen David Gold's "Sunnyside"? Come on, people!

Am I the only reader who found the Deliverance Dane book trite and formulaic? Returned it to the library after skimming to the end to find out that, yes, everything I suspected from early on ended up happening.


message 8: by Linda (new)

Linda Cutting for Stone is my all time favorite book for '09, although I've read some wonderful and new to me authors. This is a beautiful story which takes place in Ethiopa; it's about twin boys raised by two surgeons after their mother dies in childbirth. Don't miss this one!!!


message 9: by Lenora (new)

Lenora Vinckier No contest. The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf. I couldn't put it down! I cannot believe it is her first book. I can't wait for the next...


message 10: by Karen (new)

Karen Klein Really hard to pick just 1 - There are a few on the list that I really loved....


message 11: by Roberta (new)

Roberta Of the books listed here, I would choose Her Fearful Symmetry; it is actually the only one I have read! I enjoy the surrealism of her writing. Liked her Time Travelers' Wife even more.


message 12: by Rezyh (new)

Rezyh Brandon Sanderson came out with "The Gathering Storm" this year, in Robert Jordan's stead. It's the next in the sequel of the ever popular New York Times Best Selling "Wheel of time" books, and that isn't on here? I'm questioning this site's tastes.


message 13: by Joe (new)

Joe Damery it's a great thing that, dan, has penetrated, closed doors, that for generations seemed to forbode once-thought perhaps, dark secret goings-on, when in reality all was just a collection of, alegories; quite harmless.. perhaps even, quite beautiful, in most cases and now almost inviting folks of, both gender's, to discuss and even decide to ally themelves w/ entry into very friendly and warm organizations.... truly, high time some of those veiled situations have finally seen the lightof day, probably to the betterment of all interested parties... his is one hand i've love to shake, saying;" thanks-pal", i'm now enjoying that sunlight of openess, to all men and women of good intentions... jd


message 14: by Judy (new)

Judy I read four of the books on the list - was disappointed in "The Help" and "A Reliable Wife" -
loved "That Old Cape Magic" and "A Children's Book"


message 15: by Linda (new)

Linda Judy..I'm with you re. the Help; I didn't even finish it. What is all the fuss about??? I look forward to reading A Children's Book....soon. Linda/CT


message 16: by Laurie (new)

Laurie I liked a lot of these novels, but my vote would go to The Song is You. It was a great combination of classical muse story (albeit 2-way) using modern elements.


message 17: by Marcia (new)

Marcia Basichis My nomination would be "The Guys Who Spied for China"
A really modern take on the spy novel.


message 18: by [deleted user] (new)

You forgot Twilight


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads I believe Twilight was first published in 2005, and was therefore not eligible.


message 20: by Haley Nicole (new)

Haley Nicole I didn't know hardly any of the books on the list but I still chose my favorite.


message 21: by Ann aka Iftcan (new)

Ann aka Iftcan wow--I didn't read ANYTHING on this list. And I've read about 200 books this year. Guess my fav genres are NOT as "mainstream" as everyone has been telling me.



message 22: by Anastasia (new)

Anastasia None of my favorites were on this list either. I can't believe Her Fearful Symmetry made it --- that was such a bad book. I'm currently reading Lorrie Moore's A Gate at the Stairs, and there's another one I can't understand why people rave about. Her characters are not only unlikeable, they're also not believable. My favorite fiction this year includes two works by Marisa de los Santos: Love Walked In and Belong to Me, and two works by Tana French: In the Woods and The Likeness.


message 23: by Lori (new)

Lori J.R. wrote: "You left off the cream of the year--The Lacuna."

Yep.


message 24: by Carlesme (new)

Carlesme lol i've never heard of any of these books
where's twilight?!


message 25: by Anastasia (new)

Anastasia I think it's in the fantasy section.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads Twilight was published in 2005, and not eligible for this poll.


message 27: by Divya (new)

Divya I think that this is a great book and it brings excitement to other people's worlds and I love reading GO READING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


message 28: by Jade (new)

Jade The Last Olympian was pretty awesome. It was one of my favorites out of all of the choices.


message 29: by Ruth (new)

Ruth The only two books on that list that I read were Her Fearful Symmetry and That Old Cape Magic. Neither of which were above just ok reads. couldn't believe they both made the list when they were two of the lowest rated books I read this year.


message 30: by Jade (new)

Jade The problem is that no matter what, not everyone will be happy with the choices, even if there are a hundred.


message 31: by Angie (new)

Angie I can't believe that The Museum of Innocence is not on the list. It was THE best book I read this year.

I also can't believe Lisa See's book is on there and that was one of my lowest ranked books on my list for the year. Peony in Love was amazing and I was so disappointed in Shanghai Girls.



♫♥Selena♥♫ I don't like any of these... I am more interested in children fiction, although my dad reads Dan Brown, so I guess it'll be that....


message 33: by Sally (new)

Sally Loved Juliet Naked...was rather meh about The Help, truly didn't feel like it lived up to the hype, but maybe my expectations were too high? Dan Brown's latest was mediocre at best, in my opinion. Haven't read Pat Conroy's yet, although he is one of my favorites. Oh these bloomin' budget constraints these days that force me to wait for things to come up on my library hold list....*sigh*

I've actually spent most of this past year exploring books by authors unknown to me. As a result I have read a LOT of translated works and they have really expanded my horizons. Will likely continue that trend in the upcoming year.


message 34: by Erin (new)

Erin I can't believe The Lost Symbol got 700+ votes for "best fiction." Seriously?!


message 35: by Erin (new)

Erin Mcleod J.R. wrote: "You left off the cream of the year--The Lacuna." I totally agree!


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