I'm hoping to find some books similar to Laura van den Berg's The Third Hotel. The novel is about a woman who inexplicably has an encounter with her recently deceased husband. But it's neither a horror book (he's not a zombie) or a mystery (the reasons for her encounter are never explained). What I enjoyed about the book was the matter-of-fact manner in which the whole thing happens, and the protagonist's odd behavior in light of it.
I'd call this Kafkaesque, but usually when someone asks for Kafkaesque suggestions you get either substantially more bizarre stories or stories about overpowering bureaucracy, which is fair enough, but what I think makes Kafka particularly interesting is that his protagonists are not passive victims – they get cranky and they act oddly, oftentimes behaving badly themselves.
Other novels that have given me similar vibes as The Third Hotel are Ishiguro's The Unconsoled, Noll's Atlantic Hotel, Ferenc's Metropole, and Kehlman's You Should Have Left, to name a few. And yes, I've read my share of Murakami.
Thank you! I look forward to your suggestions.
by giovannigf