The Rise of the Epic Domestic Novel
In a Guardian essay, author Lisa Owens argues that domestic life is a rich subject for epic fiction, citing works such as Lucy Ellmann's 'Ducks, Newburyport' (2019), Miranda July's 'All Fours' (2024), and Vincenzo Latronico's 'Perfection' (2025). Owens reflects on her own novel 'Natural Disaster', set over 24 hours of maternity leave. She notes that Rachel Cusk faced intense criticism for her memoirs 'A Life's Work' (2001) and 'Aftermath' (2012), while Elizabeth Jane Howard's 'The Cazalet Chronicles' earned adoration. Yvvette Edwards' 'Good Good Loving' (2025) uses a reverse chronology. Ayşegül Savaş's 'The Anthropologists' explores domestic life in a foreign city. Owens concludes that the home can be as powerful and stimulating as any external environment.
Key facts
- Lisa Owens wrote the essay for The Guardian.
- Owens is the author of 'Natural Disaster'.
- Lucy Ellmann's 'Ducks, Newburyport' is over 1,000 pages.
- Miranda July's 'All Fours' was published in 2024.
- Vincenzo Latronico's 'Perfection' was published in 2025.
- Rachel Cusk's 'A Life's Work' was published in 2001.
- Elizabeth Jane Howard wrote 'The Cazalet Chronicles'.
- Yvvette Edwards' 'Good Good Loving' was published in 2025.
Entities
Artists
- Lisa Owens
- Lucy Ellmann
- Miranda July
- Vincenzo Latronico
- Rachel Cusk
- Elizabeth Jane Howard
- Yvvette Edwards
- Ayşegül Savaş
- Tessa Hadley
- Sophie Hughes
Institutions
- The Guardian
Locations
- Ohio
- Berlin
- Germany