David Szalay’s 'Flesh' follows Istvan from his boyhood in Hungary to his later years in London, and what stays with you isn’t the geography but the way his inner world unfolds. The writing lingers on details like the things we think but rarely say, making his journey feel both singular and strangely familiar. This is a book that honestly captures the sweep of a whole life, not through big events, but through the intimacy of thought and memory.

Perfect For:
When you're in the mood for a novel that feels lived-in.