The five best books about dysfunctional families, according to Avni Doshi

The subject of Avni Doshi’s first Booker-shortlisted novel was mothers and daughters. Or, rather, the long, jagged legacy of having a toxic mother. In Burnt Sugar, set in the Indian city of Pune, Antara grapples with caring for her mother, Tara, who has dementia. Tara bridled against the constraints of motherhood in Antara’s young life. In flashbacks, we see her abscond from her marriage to join an ashram, where she pursues a relationship with a guru. She also subjects Antara to horrible neglect. How can Antara care for a mother who fell so grievously short in caring for her? The novel was a blisteringly honest, unforgettable study of memory and childhood trauma. Four years after it was published in the UK comes Doshi’s new novel, The First House. It also interrogates trying family bonds – but this time focuses on a troubled marriage. So, what are Doshi’s own most prized books about domestic drama? Here, she shares her top five novels about family dysfunction. A Heart So White by Javier Marias “This book might contain one of the most dysfunctional families I can think of. The first sentence is a rollercoaster, describing a shocking tragedy that occurred before the narrator is born: a young bride is dead and her sister takes her place. “The stories and secrets that unfold from here haunt the present. The author writes about how families nurture and poison their constituent members with incredible depth and clarity.” The Vegetarian by Han Kang “I haven’t heard The Vegetarian be discussed as a novel about family, but in my opinion, it’s just that. The book centers around Yeong-Hye, a woman who stops eating meat, much to the horror of everyone around her. She wants to become a plant; they believe she is mentally ill. “The story is split into three parts. The first is told by the woman’s husband, the second by her brother-in-law, and the third by her sister. When I first read it, I was struck by how strange the people we know most intimately can seem. Yeong-Hye’s insistence on authenticity holds up an uncomfortable mirror to those closest to her.” My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley “The narrator of this novel is the younger of two sisters with divorced parents. We begin with a short burst about her self-centered and particularly grating father before being properly introduced to her mother, who is competitive and envious. “Both parents are completely lacking in any self-awareness. Riley is a genius with dialogue, and the sense of hopelessness is often woven through laugh-out-loud interactions between characters.” Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen “I’ve re-read many of Jane Austen’s novels over the years and most of them have dysfunctional family dynamics at their heart, but the particular breed of madness in the Bennet household is my favourite. “The book has the perfect set-up for familial chaos – five daughters without a dowry to recommend them must find suitable (and hopefully, wealthy) husbands. For many years I was focused on Mrs Bennet’s peculiar combination of paranoia and naivety but later came to appreciate the way Mr Bennet’s humor and easygoing nature actually masked his neglect of his family.” Will and Testament by Vigdis Hjorth “This is perhaps the most harrowing family saga I have read in years, but it is told with incredible subtlety and economy. “After the patriarch dies, a family inheritance dispute unfolds, but very soon it becomes clear that the disagreement is really over a secret that has contaminated their relationships for decades. The sentences in the book are spare, but each word is chosen with great effect. Phrases repeated among family members accumulate meaning and horror. I could not put this book down, and I am in awe of Hjorth’s powers.” ‘The First House’ by Avni Doshi is published by Hamish Hamilton, £16.99