18 Long Books That Are Actually Worth the Time Investment

"A Little Life was excellent! It's a big read . . . but so worth it! It's very emotional, compelling, and thoughtful." — Quand R.

"I felt [the Outlander series] was worth it because I love historical fiction/romance/fantasy. It had a little bit of everything and [the main character] Claire is such a strong woman. She's not one of these characters that you're like, 'Why are you doing that?? I would not do that!' She's a strong woman who stands up for herself in a time when women couldn't speak for themselves very often." — Allison R.

"I just finished The Warmth of Other Suns. So eye-opening and meticulously researched. It should be required reading." — Victoria V.

"[The Heart's Invisible Furies] needed all 582 pages to tell you about all of the ups and downs of Cyril Avery's life. You live in Cyril's world, you get to know him and love him and feel for him. I'm so glad I read it, Cyril is now one of my favorite characters I have ever read." — Ashley C.

"Not one of [A Suitable Boy's] thousand-odd pages felt unnecessary. (Although maybe read it in the three-volume version to avoid wrist strain!)" – Lesley D.

"The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert is 501 pages. I read it about two years ago, and I keep remembering flashes of it, even now. No other book I've read in the past few years has affected me like that. The minutiae she went into about moss, of all things, fascinated me." — Saara M.

"The A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas, the first fantasy/romance series I've ever read. I was hooked immediately and couldn't put the books down once I picked them up. Seven days straight of non-stop reading, and it was so, SO worth it. I actually wished each book could be longer so I could be immersed in that world longer." — Taylor C.

"[Les Misérables] a masterful exploration of injustice and punishment that absolutely holds up today." Rebecca T.

"Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy. The last one, The Mirror and the Light, is 700+ pages, but the whole series is amazing! It's taking me ages, but I never want to leave! In general, historical fiction makes great long stories/series." — Liz D.

"I was so enamored with the characters and the storyline [in War and Peace] that I had to know what happens to them and it was so worth every word." — Stephanie L.

Renae R. called The Overstory "incredibly moving," adding, "I was constantly looking forward to reading more."

Tara C. said,"At 500 pages, [The Starless Sea was way longer than I usually would choose, but I wanted to experience that world." Fellow POPSUGAR Book Club group member Ann D. agreed that this story was worth the time investment. "[T]his has been one of my favorites this year," she said. "At the end, I was feeling so happy and content. Definitely magical."

"75 percent of [Salem's Lot] takes place before the actual horror element really comes in to play, but it built up the suspense and tension so much more." — Elsa P.

"[The Other Boleyn Girl is very well written and just an amazing story. It's such a wonderfully different view of the court of Henry VIII. Totally recommend reading it." — Kara S.

"It took me a hot minute to finish [The Goldfinch] and it can be slow in some parts but it's just so good, in my opinion." — Maxie F.

Cathy C. recommends Doc and Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell. "Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I admire [Mary Doria Russell's] character development and storytelling style," she said.

The Count of Monte Cristo was one of the most frequently mentioned novels that's worth setting aside a big chunk of time to finish. Clocking in at a lengthy 640 pages, this classic will keep you occupied for a while.

Several group members recommended the All Souls trilogy by Deborah Harkness, which was also adapted into a TV series.