Stories about Stories
This list is for stories about stories, including the more obvious "books-about-books", but also books about who gets to tell stories, what versions of stories become "truth", and other story-based themes. *While not intended to be strictly fantasy, this list does lean heavily into this genre due to my personal reading tastes. **Suggestions welcome!
created by tarahific
last updated May, 2026
Comments
This is such a fun list! So many good titles already. May I also recommend Strange the Dreamer (Laini Taylor) and The Thief (Megan Whalen Turner)?
absolutely!! I will add these! Strange the Dreamer is on my TBR so it's super cool to know it fits here 😊
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez could fit :) it’s part dream, part play, part grandmother’s stories, but somehow all three at once.
I love this list idea! Over 50% overlap as of now 🎉
Oh yay I will add this! It's on my TBR anyway but I didn't realize it would fit here too!
I know there's already two Alix E. Harrow books here but The Ten Thousand Doors of January also fits very well! Also Alif the Unseen, the main character discovers a magical book
Oh please feel free to mention as many Alix E. Harrow books as you want! I will definitely add The Ten Thousand Doors of January! I haven't heard of your other rec but I'll look it up and add it too 😊
Love this list! Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint fits it perfectly (if you're taking recs)
Yes definitely taking recs! I'll add it!
Looooove reading stories about stories
Ooh, I love this list!! If you're open to suggestions, I think Starling House by Alix E. Harrow would fit.
Yes absolutely open to suggestions! And so excited to hear that this fits because reading all of Harrow's backlog is also a plan of mine after loving The Everlasting
This is such a good list! I would recommend The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern which is about a world of stories told through the stories, and Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro, which is about fairy tales and has fairy tales embedded in the text!
