The Rise of the Fragmented Novel: An Essay in 27 Fragments

1

Mainstream literary fiction is falling to pieces.

2

This may not be a bad thing.

3

The fragmented novel has been a mainstay of the literary world for the last century. But a new type of fragmentation has come to the forefront in 21st century novels such as Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad (2010), David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas (2004), Roberto Bola…