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What's a good book that unfolds over a short time in-story? No spoilers, thanks. (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Everything takes place over a few hours, or entirely set during the immediate aftermath of an automobile crash, for example?

I'd like to avoid "and it was all a dream", time travel, or similar plot devices if possible.

I'm curious what a novel of any length purposely confined to a strict time window in-story reads like.

Maybe I should be reading more plays.

Thanks.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

Ulysses by James Joyce takes place in a day... 🫠

~~Also, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens takes place in one night~~

Oops, I forgot you said: I'd like to avoid "and it was all a dream", time travel, or similar plot devices if possible

Wow, it's really hard to think of books that only take place in a few hours. The only ones I can think of take place over the course of a day. Yeah, I guess reading plays would be your best bet

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Oops, I forgot you said: I’d like to avoid “and it was all a dream”

But it wasn't! Even if it did inspire the immortal line: " There's more of gravy than of grave about you"

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Plenty of good plays I need to catch up on anyhow

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Plays tend to be very definite in timeframe.

For example God of carnage happens during a dinner iirc? And Death and the maiden during a night or so (except preface and conclusion).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

That's kind of what gave rise to this question. Plays are so succinct and plotted accurate and characterization I was wondering what sort of novels also had that kind of accuracy.

But I haven't read many plays, regardless of the fact that I usually enjoy them for exactly the reason I'm asking.

So yeah, I'll definitely read some more plays, but I'm definitely going to check out some of these novels people are suggesting as well