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.

  • fᵣₑfᵢ@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    0·
    8 months ago

    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

    • Leraje@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      0·
      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"

        • Varyk@sh.itjust.worksOP
          0·
          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