Hours at an average pace
Showing 75 books
About 445 hours for 72 of 75 books with measured lengths. Estimates use 250 words a minute, adjusted for each book's difficulty. At 2 hours a day, about 223 days for those books.
No. 1 on this list. The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood · 2017
Challenging7.7 hours
Taught in schools: AQA GCSE and A-level English Literature (UK), OCR GCSE and A-level English Literature (UK), Pearson Edexcel GCSE and A-level English Literature (UK)
The novel is a staple of high school and university courses on dystopia and feminist literature. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, appears on the 1001 Books list, and is published as a Penguin Modern Classic.
A cornerstone of contemporary short fiction syllabi in anglophone universities, studied alongside Chekhov and Carver as a model of the compressed, psychologically dense story. Munro's Ontario settings have become as literary-geographically legible as Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha.
One of Munro's most celebrated collections, frequently cited as the peak of her mature work. Winner of the Giller Prize and numerous international honors.
One of Munro's most celebrated collections, winner of the Giller Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. The title story is often cited as her finest single work.
Fifth Business is widely regarded as the foundational text of modern Canadian literature and a fixture on university English syllabi across Canada and internationally. Its place at the head of the Deptford Trilogy and its sustained presence in academic course lists — from Canadian literature surveys to courses on the psychological novel — cement its canonical standing well beyond its national origin.
The novel that made Booker winners into blockbusters. Pi Patel's 227 days with a Bengal tiger became a meditation on faith, survival, and storytelling itself. The 2012 Ang Lee film won four Academy Awards and brought the story to global audiences.
Surfacing is widely taught in Canadian literature, feminist literature, and postcolonial studies courses at universities across North America and the UK. It appears on virtually every Canadian literary canon list and is considered essential reading for understanding the development of Canadian fiction as a distinct literary tradition. No syllabus data was available in the database, but its presence in academic curricula is well established.
Appears on 292 university syllabi (61.6th percentile), making it a regular fixture in Canadian literature, postmodern historical fiction, and feminist literary studies courses. Wikipedia coverage in 8 languages reflects strong domestic reputation and moderate international reach. The 2017 Netflix adaptation renewed its teaching presence in contemporary courses on adaptation and narrative.
Widely taught in contemporary poetry and classics-reception courses.
Carson's Nobel Prize in Literature lifts the standing of her major early collection, and The Glass Essay is widely anthologized and taught in contemporary poetry courses. It remains newer to syllabi than established canon works.
No. 11 on this list. Anne of Green Gables · L.M. Montgomery · 1908
Anne of Green Gables holds a secure place in the literary canon as one of the most enduring works of children's and young adult fiction. First published in 1908, it has never gone out of print, has been translated into over 36 languages, and has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. It is widely taught in schools across Canada and globally, and its protagonist Anne Shirley has become a mythic icon of Canadian culture — a figure of comparable recognizability to Alice in Wonderland. While it sits firmly in the popular/children's classics tier rather than the prestige 'Great Books' canon, its canonical standing within its genre and cultural sphere is unassailable.
Easy5.7 hours
Start this bookNo. 12 on this list. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz · Mordecai Richler · 1959
One of the defining Canadian novels, central to the canon of both Canadian and Jewish-American-adjacent literature. Required reading in Canadian schools and universities.
Easy4.7 hours
Start this bookNo. 13 on this list. Anil's Ghost · Michael Ondaatje · 2000
Regularly taught in postcolonial literature, world fiction, and trauma studies courses at universities in North America, the UK, and Australia. Less canonical than The English Patient but consistently included on syllabi covering Sri Lankan literature and political violence in fiction. The novel has maintained sustained critical presence in postcolonial studies since its 2000 publication, though it lacks the high-school curriculum fixture status of Ondaatje's earlier novel.
Challenging6.9 hours
Start this bookNo. 14 on this list. In the Skin of a Lion · Michael Ondaatje · 1987
In the Skin of a Lion is widely taught in Canadian literature courses and appears on most CanLit reading lists as a foundational text of Toronto's literary mythology. It has strong presence in postcolonial and working-class literature curricula internationally. Less universally canonical than Ondaatje's Booker-winning The English Patient (1992), but firmly established as a significant work in Canadian and immigrant fiction.
Challenging5.4 hours
Start this bookNo. 15 on this list. Nox · Anne Carson · 2010
Nox has become a touchstone of contemporary poetry and book-art courses, and Carson's Nobel Prize in Literature in 2026 raises its standing further. It remains a niche text compared with the major canon.
Moderate
Start this bookNo. 16 on this list. I Love Dick · Chris Kraus · 1997
Widely taught in courses on autofiction and feminist writing.
Challenging7.3 hours
Start this bookNo. 17 on this list. Coming Through Slaughter · Michael Ondaatje · 1976
Coming Through Slaughter is taught in postcolonial literature and experimental fiction courses but is not a standard university text in the way Ondaatje's later The English Patient is. No syllabus or Wikipedia data was available in the database, but based on academic knowledge, the novel appears on perhaps 50-100 syllabi — significant for an experimental first novel but well below the canonical tier of Beloved or Ulysses.
Challenging3.5 hours
Start this bookNo. 18 on this list. The Stone Diaries · Carol Shields · 1993
The Stone Diaries appears on 132 university syllabi (53rd percentile by Open Syllabus data), placing it in the middle tier of taught literary fiction — present in postmodern fiction and women's writing courses, but not a universal fixture. Its Wikipedia article exists in only 2 languages, reflecting its primarily Anglophone reputation rather than global canonical status.
Difficult12 hours
Start this bookNo. 19 on this list. World of Wonders · Robertson Davies · 1975
The concluding volume of a trilogy widely regarded as the pinnacle of Canadian literary fiction. Less read independently but essential to the Deptford Trilogy's achievement.
Moderate6.1 hours
Start this bookNo. 20 on this list. Unless · Carol Shields · 2002
Reta Winters is a successful translator and mother whose oldest daughter has dropped out of university to sit on a Toronto street corner holding a sign that reads GOODNESS. Shields's final novel is about the space daughters inhabit, the goodness they seek that the world makes impossible. The prose is lucid and digressive, Reta's attempts to understand Norah leading her through feminism, motherhood, the limits of reason. The ending offers resolution but not explanation; some silences cannot be broken.
Challenging5.9 hours
Start this book
No. 21 on this list. What's Bred in the Bone · Robertson Davies · 1986
Ranked by literary regard among eligible works in the current catalogue. This position reflects the available catalogue evidence.
Challenging9.1 hours
Start this bookNo. 22 on this list. How Should a Person Be? · Sheila Heti · 2012
A defining text of the 2010s autofiction movement, widely discussed and taught. Its influence exceeds its sales.
Easy3.6 hours
Start this bookNo. 23 on this list. Larry's Party · Carol Shields · 1998
Larry Weller, born in 1950, is an ordinary guy made extraordinary by his creator's perception, irony and tenderness. Carol Shields gives us, as it were, a CAT scan of his life, in episodes between 1977 and 1997 that flash back and forward seamlessly. As Larry journeys toward the millennium, adapting to society's changing expectations of men, Shields' elegant prose makes the trivial into the momentous. Among all the paradoxes and accidents of his existence, Larry moves through the spontaneity of the seventies, the blind enchantment of the eighties and the lean, mean nineties, completing at last his quiet, stubborn search of self. Larry's odyssey mirrors the male condition at the end of our century with targeted wit, unerring poignancy and faultless wisdom.
Moderate6.2 hours
Start this bookNo. 24 on this list. Room · Emma Donoghue · 2010
Too recent (2010) for canonical status, but widely taught in contemporary literature courses. Appears on high school and university syllabi for its narrative technique and treatment of trauma.
Moderate6.1 hours
Start this bookNo. 25 on this list. The Adversary · Michael Crummey · 2025
In the rugged landscape of Newfoundland, a man's journey to confront his past becomes a poignant exploration of identity and legacy. As winter's darkness gathers, he must face the complexities of his relationship with his difficult father, and the weight of masculine inheritance that has shaped his life. Through Crummey's nuanced and evocative writing, the harsh beauty of the North Atlantic coast becomes a character in its own right, influencing the narrative with its unforgiving power and majestic beauty. The story delves into the fragility of memory and the ways in which our past experiences continue to shape us. Readers who appreciate character-driven fiction and are drawn to explorations of family, identity, and the human condition will find "The Adversary" a compelling and thought-provoking read. The novel's themes and atmospheric setting may appeal to fans of literary fiction, particularly those who enjoy authors who weave together elements of place, memory, and personal history. As the winner of the Dublin award in 2025, "The Adversary" has already garnered significant recognition for its literary merit. With its richly detailed setting and introspective narrative, this novel is sure to resonate with readers seeking a contemplative and immersive reading experience.
Challenging2.8 hours
Start this bookNo. 26 on this list. St. Urbain's Horseman · Mordecai Richler · 1971
Jake Hersh, a successful Montreal screenwriter, is haunted by guilt, memory, and the legacy of his Jewish heritage. Richler's darkly comic novel examines the anxieties of assimilation and the impossibility of escaping the past.
Challenging8.7 hours
Start this bookNo. 27 on this list. Annabel · Kathleen Winter · 2011
In the remote Canadian wilderness, a child is born with both male and female characteristics, sparking a complex and deeply personal journey of self-discovery. Raised as a boy, Wayne, or "Annabel," grapples with the constraints of his assigned identity, yearning for the freedom to express his true self. As he navigates the challenges of adolescence in a small, traditional town, Annabel's desire for autonomy and authenticity ultimately leads him to the city, where he hopes to escape the suffocating expectations of his community. Kathleen Winter's writing is lyrical and introspective, weaving together themes of identity, belonging, and the search for self. With a nuanced and empathetic touch, Winter explores the intricacies of Annabel's experiences, creating a rich and immersive portrait of a life lived on the margins. The writing is evocative and contemplative, inviting readers to reflect on the complexities of human identity and the ways in which societal norms can both shape and constrain us. Readers who appreciate character-driven fiction and are interested in exploring themes of identity, community, and self-discovery will find Annabel a compelling and thought-provoking read. The novel's introspective pace and poetic language may appeal to fans of literary fiction, particularly those who enjoy authors like Michael Cunningham or Jeffrey Eugenides. Shortlisted for the Women's Prize in 2011, Annabel has garnered critical acclaim for its sensitive and nuanced portrayal of a rarely explored aspect of human experience. With its unique blend of poetic language and unflinching honesty, this novel offers a powerful and moving exploration of what it means to be oneself, and the courage it takes to forge one's own path in life.
Moderate7.5 hours
Start this bookNo. 28 on this list. No Great Mischief · Alistair MacLeod · 2001
Historical novel/family saga. The narrator Alexander MacDonald guides us through his family's mythic past as he recollects the heroic stories of his people: loggers, miners, drinkers, adventurers; men forever in exile, forever linked to their clan. There is the legendary patriarch who left the Scottish Highlands in 1779 and resettled in "the land of trees," where his descendants became a separate Nova Scotia clan. There is the team of brothers and cousins, expert miners in demand around the world for their dangerous skills. And there is Alexander and his twin sister, who have left Cape Breton and prospered, yet are haunted by the past. Elegiac, hypnotic, by turns joyful and sad, No Great Mischief is a spellbinding story of family, loyalty, and of the blood ties that bind us to the land from which our ancestors came.
Moderate5 hours
Start this bookNo. 29 on this list. Solomon Gursky Was Here · Mordecai Richler · 1990
The Gursky family saga sprawls across a century of Canadian history, from Arctic exploration to Montreal's Jewish community to international intrigue. Richler's wild, ambitious novel mixes fact and fiction, tragedy and farce, in a portrait of Jewish experience in the New World.
Challenging14 hours
Start this bookNo. 30 on this list. Lullabies for Little Criminals · Heather O'Neill · 2008
Baby is twelve years old, raised by her heroin-addicted father in Montreal's roughest neighborhoods. O'Neill tells her story in Baby's voice, innocent and knowing at once, her childhood compressed into encounters with pimps, social workers, and the brief kindnesses that cannot save her. The prose is lyrical and unflinching, the degradation rendered without sentimentality. The novel won the Canada Reads competition for its portrait of survival, a girl navigating a world that offers her nothing but herself.
Moderate6.2 hours
Start this book
No. 31 on this list. Washington Black
Esi Edugyan · 2018
No. 32 on this list. Half Blood Blues
Esi Edugyan · 2011
No. 33 on this list. Station Eleven
Emily St. John Mandel · 2014
No. 34 on this list. Sea of Tranquility
Emily St. John Mandel · 2022
No. 35 on this list. De Niro's Game
Rawi Hage · 2008
No. 36 on this list. Scar Tissue
Michael Ignatieff · 1993
No. 37 on this list. Fugitive Pieces
Anne Michaels · 1997
No. 38 on this list. Study for Obedience
Sarah Bernstein · 2023
No. 39 on this list. News of the World
Paulette Jiles · 2016
No. 40 on this list. Far to Go
Alison Pick · 2011
No. 41 on this list. Motherhood
Sheila Heti · 2018
No. 42 on this list. Consolation
Michael Redhill · 2007
No. 43 on this list. What I Know About You
Éric Chacour · 2023
No. 44 on this list. Held
Anne Michaels · 2024
No. 45 on this list. Do Not Say We Have Nothing
Madeleine Thien · 2016
No. 46 on this list. Aliens & Anorexia
Chris Kraus · 2000
No. 47 on this list. Pure Colour
Sheila Heti · 2022
No. 48 on this list. The Glass Hotel
Emily St. John Mandel · 2020
No. 49 on this list. Airborn
Kenneth Oppel · 2004
No. 50 on this list. The Push
Ashley Audrain · 2021
No. 51 on this list. I'm Thinking of Ending Things
Iain Reid · 2016
No. 52 on this list. The Stone Carvers
Jane Urquhart · 2001
No. 53 on this list. The Winter Vault
Anne Michaels · 2008
No. 54 on this list. Gods of Jade and Shadow
Silvia Moreno-Garcia · 2019
No. 55 on this list. Open, Heaven
Seán Hewitt · 2025
No. 56 on this list. The Living Realm
Jordan Tannahill · 2026
No. 57 on this list. The Silent Wife
A.S.A. Harrison · 2013
No. 58 on this list. Bunny
Mona Awad · 2019
No. 59 on this list. Bad Cree
Jessica Johns · 2023
No. 60 on this list. Coexistence: Stories
Billy-Ray Belcourt · 2024
No. 61 on this list. Days of Feasting and Rejoicing
David Bergen · 2026
No. 62 on this list. All's Well
Mona Awad · 2021
No. 63 on this list. Dayspring
Anthony Oliveira · 2024
No. 64 on this list. We Spread
Iain Reid · 2022
No. 65 on this list. Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead
Emily Austin · 2021
No. 66 on this list. How It Works Out
Myriam Lacroix · 2024
No. 67 on this list. Water for Elephants
Sara Gruen · 2006
No. 68 on this list. The Creep
Michael LaPointe · 2021
No. 69 on this list. Son of Nobody
Yann Martel · 2026
No. 70 on this list. I Hope This Finds You Well
Natalie Sue · 2024
About this list
These 75 books are the highest-scoring eligible literary novels from Canada currently in the catalogue. By literary regard, it opens with The Handmaid's Tale, Friend of My Youth and Runaway. About 445 hours of reading in all, for the 72 with measured lengths. Difficulty runs from 46 to 62 out of 100 for the middle half of the list; the summit is Fifth Business at 77.
This list is ranked by literary regard, with a consistent order for equal scores. Membership follows authors and co-authors, not translators or editors. Catalogue coverage and the historical canon both limit what this list can represent, and genre labels are the catalogue’s own, gathered into broader kinds.
When we matched the Canons dataset to our catalogue in October 2026, our canonical-status scores rose with the number of school curricula, publisher series and lists in it that cite a work: the median score was 72 for books one such source cites, 84 at two, 88 at three, 92 at four and 93 at five or more. Prizes are left out of that count. Outside the state curricula, the dataset’s sources choose mostly from what has been translated into English or French, so it is a weaker check on other literatures. Source: Canons (Andrew Piper), CC BY 4.0
Questions people actually ask
- What are the best literary novels from Canada?
- By literary regard, which weighs canonical status, critical standing and influence, The Handmaid's Tale, Friend of My Youth, Runaway, The Love of a Good Woman and Fifth Business lead. ReadingRate ranks 75 such books, each with a difficulty score and a reading-time estimate.
- Where should I start with literary novels from Canada?
- Start from difficulty, not from rank. The most approachable books on this list that still carry top literary regard are Runaway by Alice Munro (about 5.5 hours), The Love of a Good Woman by Alice Munro and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.
- How hard are literary novels from Canada to read?
- Most of this list sits between 46 and 62 on ReadingRate's 100-point difficulty scale, where 40 to 55 is moderate. The summit is Fifth Business at 77. Every entry carries its own score, so a reader can pick a great book at a difficulty they will finish.
- How is this list ranked?
- On literary-regard data: how canonically established a work is, its critical standing, and its influence on later writing. It is not a readers’ poll, which is why recent bestsellers rarely appear. Membership follows authors and co-authors, not translators or editors. A list that is not a genre list keeps to literature (fiction, poetry, drama and philosophy), with philosophy taking no more than one slot in five while there is literature left to rank; every list holds at most three works by one author.