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Quick answer: If you loved The Covenant of Water, try Cutting for Stone, The God of Small Things, A Fine Balance, The Inheritance of Loss, Pachinko and Homegoing. They are sweeping family sagas with history and heart.
Abraham Verghese's 2023 novel follows three generations of a family in Kerala, India, cursed by drowning, with doctors, healers and a historic story. It is long, warm and rich in detail. Readers who finish it want more epic family sagas and doctor stories. These 15 books fit that wish. They include India, Africa and America, and some contain hard themes.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cutting for Stone | Abraham Verghese | Adult | more by the same author |
| The God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy | Adult | readers who love Kerala |
| A Fine Balance | Rohinton Mistry | Adult | readers who like big, human stories |
| A Suitable Boy | Vikram Seth | Adult | readers who like long books |
| The Inheritance of Loss | Kiran Desai | Adult | readers who like quiet depth |
| Midnight's Children | Salman Rushdie | Adult | readers who like magical realism |
| The Glass Palace | Amitav Ghosh | Adult | readers who like history |
| Pachinko | Min Jin Lee | Adult | readers who like family sagas |
| Homegoing | Yaa Gyasi | Adult | readers who like linked stories |
| The Namesake | Jhumpa Lahiri | Adult | readers who like immigrant stories |
| The Lowland | Jhumpa Lahiri | Adult | readers who like reflective novels |
| The Henna Artist | Alka Joshi | Adult | readers who like historical fiction |
| The Kite Runner | Khaled Hosseini | Adult | readers who want an emotional read |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns | Khaled Hosseini | Adult | readers who like women's friendships |
| The English Patient | Michael Ondaatje | Adult | readers who like literary fiction |
1. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Twin brothers born in an Ethiopian hospital grow up in a world of medicine and politics. Verghese's earlier bestseller.
Best for: more by the same author.
2. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Twins in Kerala live through a family tragedy. Lyrical and unforgettable.
Best for: readers who love Kerala.
3. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
Four people share a home in 1970s India, sharing hardship and hope. Sad, funny and humane.
Best for: readers who like big, human stories.
4. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
Lata's mother seeks a husband for her in newly independent India. A huge, warm novel.
Best for: readers who like long books.
5. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
A retired judge and his orphaned granddaughter live in the Himalayas. Sharp and poignant.
Best for: readers who like quiet depth.
6. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
Saleem Sinai is born at the moment of India's independence. Magical, funny and ambitious.
Best for: readers who like magical realism.
7. The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh
A family saga from Burma to India across a century. Rich in history.
Best for: readers who like history.
8. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Four generations of a Korean family in Japan across the 20th century. Epic and emotional.
Best for: readers who like family sagas.
9. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Two half-sisters in Ghana and their descendants across 300 years. Moving and inventive.
Best for: readers who like linked stories.
10. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Gogol Ganguli grows up in America as the son of Bengali immigrants. Quiet and lovely.
Best for: readers who like immigrant stories.
11. The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
Two brothers in Calcutta take different paths, and a family is shaped by tragedy. Sad and subtle.
Best for: readers who like reflective novels.
12. The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
Lakshmi, a henna artist in 1950s Jaipur, builds her own life. Warm and colorful.
Best for: readers who like historical fiction.
13. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Amir betrays his friend Hassan in Kabul and tries to atone. Heartbreaking.
Best for: readers who want an emotional read.
14. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Two women in Afghanistan form a friendship across decades of war. Moving and powerful.
Best for: readers who like women's friendships.
15. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Four people shelter in a villa in Italy at the end of World War II. Lyrical and beautiful.
Best for: readers who like literary fiction.
How to Choose
For more Verghese, read Cutting for Stone. For Indian family sagas, try The God of Small Things or A Fine Balance. For global stories of generations, choose Pachinko or Homegoing. A simple plan is to read a long saga slowly, a chapter or two a night. Many of these books are 500 pages or more, so choose a time when you can relax. Long family sagas reward patience. Make a family tree as you read, and keep a glossary of Malayalam terms if the edition provides one. Audiobooks can be a good way to enjoy a 700-page book over several weeks, and many libraries lend them for free.
Related: The Covenant of Water Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes) · The Water Dancer Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Covenant of Water about?
It follows three generations in Kerala, a family affected by drowning, and a doctor who helps solve it.
How long is it?
About 700 pages.
Is it a good book club pick?
Yes, though the length means it is best for groups that read long novels.
Do I need to read Cutting for Stone first?
No. They are separate books.
Is The Covenant of Water a medical novel?
It includes a lot of medicine, but it is mostly a family saga with history and love.
Are there trigger warnings?
It includes illness, death and some abuse, so read with care.