7 Offbeat Funny Fiction Novels Featuring Quirky Characters
Posted on September 24, 2018
by April S
Welcome to our funny fiction series. We’re highlighting a variety of appeal factors or elements of humorous fiction to help our readers find that next great read (and hopefully a few laughs along the way).
What are you in the mood to read right now? Do you like entertaining books that are less mainstream? If so, you’re in luck, because the books in this blog post feature quirky characters with an offbeat tone.
Exploring Appeal
What are Quirky Characters?
A quirky person is someone who is thought of as unusual – in an interesting way. Quirky characters are typically eccentric and idiosyncratic. They add charm and humor to the stories they appear in and their behavior often ranges from the peculiar to bizarre to whimsical.
What’s an Offbeat Tone?
Offbeat means different from the ordinary, usual or expected. An offbeat tone is conveyed through plot twists, off the wall humor and unique personalities. Books with an offbeat tone include stories that are unconventional or unusual in some way.
Humorous Books to Read
Quirky Characters / Offbeat Tone
1. The Book of Polly by Kathy Hepinstall Ten-year-old Willow Havens resolves to keep up with her aging, crazy-as-a-fox mother in order to keep them both alive and learn the truth about her mother’s long-secret past. Amazon: 4.6* | Goodreads: 4.04* |
AppealGenre: Humorous fiction Characters: Quirky, Sassy Tone: Offbeat Writing style: Engaging |
If you enjoyed The Book of Polly by Kathy Hepinstall, you may also like:
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2. The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen by Hendrik GroenThe riotous journal of an octogenarian who is far from reaching the end of his life traces a year in his care home in Amsterdam, revealing the ups and downs of his misadventures with the anarchic “Old-But-Not-Dead Club” and a longtime crush whom he courted to devastating effect. Amazon: 4.5* | Goodreads: 3.88* |
AppealGenre: Humorous fiction Characters: Quirky Writing style: Engaging |
If you enjoyed The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen by Hendrik Groen, you may also like:
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3. The Relive Box: And Other Stories by T. Coraghessan BoyleA collection of one dozen short stories includes the title piece, in which a “relive box” allows users to re-experience almost any moment from their past, and “The Five-Pound Burrito,” in which a man aspires to make the town’s largest burrito. Amazon 4.5* | Goodreads 3.69* |
AppealGenre: Humorous stories Character: Quirky Tone: Offbeat |
If you enjoyed The Relive Box by Coraghessan Boyle, you may also like:
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4. My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie KinsellaPart love story, part workplace drama, this sharply observed novel is a witty critique of the false judgments we make in a social-media-obsessed world. “New York Times” bestselling author Sophie Kinsella has written her most timely novel yet. Amazon: 4.4* | Goodreads: 3.81* |
AppealGenre: Humorous stories Genre: Romance Characters: Quirky Tone: Offbeat Writing style: Witty |
5. Swimming With Bridgeport Girls by Anthony TambakisFired from his ESPN job after one too many public humiliations, a charismatic gambler reevaluates his circumstances while outmaneuvering the police and a murderous bookie, only to receive an unexpected inheritance that triggers his effort to win back his ex in accordance with a misremembered ending of “The Great Gatsby.” Amazon: 4.3* | Goodreads: 3.59* |
AppealGenre: Humorous fiction Character: Flawed Tone: Offbeat Writing style: Engaging |
If you enjoyed Swimming with Bridgeport Girls by Anthony Tambakis, you may also like:
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6. The Spellman Files by Lisa LutzIzzy Spellman, a twenty-eight-year-old amalgamation of Nancy Drew and Bridget Jones, launches her career as a private investigator while working for the firm of her outlandishly dysfunctional family. Amazon 4.1* | Goodreads 3.88* |
AppealGenre: Humorous Stories Genre: Mystery Character: Quirky Storyline: Character-driven Tone: Funny, Offbeat, Upbeat |
If you enjoyed The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz, you may also like:
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7. Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas AdamsThere is a long tradition of Great Detectives, and Dirk Gently does not belong to it. But his search for a missing cat uncovers a ghost, a time traveler, AND the devastating secret of humankind! Detective Gently’s bill for saving the human race from extinction: NO CHARGE. Amazon: 4.3* | Goodreads: 3.97* |
AppealGenre: Science Fiction Genre: Humorous stories Characters: Quirky Tone: Funny Writing sytle: Witty |
If you enjoyed Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams, you may also like:
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You May Also Enjoy
How to Find a Good Book to Read Includes tips on how to find books you’ll truly enjoy.
Clever With A Side of Sarcasm Books for fans of clever, absurd and sarcastic humor.
5 Funny Fiction Novels Chock Full of Farce and Satire A selection of humorous stories full of farce and satire that are sure to tickle your funny bone.
10 Entertaining Novels That Will Put a Smile on Your Face Novels with light humor and likable characters.
10 Genuinely Funny Funny Fiction Books You’re Sure to Love A variety of funny fiction books – we hope they’ll make you laugh out loud!
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