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What do you think sets a book apart as "literary"?
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Psychologically complex characters and a willingness to take on interesting or revealing philosophical, ethical, or other questions about life. Creative language use helps, too, but I don't think it's everything (unusual metaphors I mean, or beautiful or unsettling descriptions, etc.).
Some people exclude genre fiction (mystery, sci-fi) from literary fiction, or even anything that's really entertaining since it's "escapist." I don't agree with this, though.
The poet Keats also had a term, "negative capability," which is the ability to not know the answer or to not be on one side or another side but simply to be willing to sit in ambiguity or even contradiction. This is also something many feel characterize the "literary."
Some people exclude genre fiction (mystery, sci-fi) from literary fiction, or even anything that's really entertaining since it's "escapist." I don't agree with this, though.
The poet Keats also had a term, "negative capability," which is the ability to not know the answer or to not be on one side or another side but simply to be willing to sit in ambiguity or even contradiction. This is also something many feel characterize the "literary."
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