Antinovel

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. A type of experimental literary work that rejects conventional plot, character development, and linear storytelling
  2. A work of fiction that intentionally avoids traditional narrative elements, seeking to subvert or destabilize the usual story format
  3. An innovative novel form that breaks normal storytelling rules by changing or omitting standard narrative structures

Etymology: The term emerged in the mid-20th century as a label for a certain kind of fiction that deliberately rejects or subverts the traditional conventions of the novel. Writers associated with this movement sought to challenge the familiar narrative structures, character development, and linear plots that had long defined the genre. The label helps to capture this experimental spirit, indicating a work that stands in opposition to—or "against"—the established novel form. The prefix "anti-" comes from Greek, meaning "against" or "opposite," and it was attached to "novel," a word that by the 18th century had come to signify a long prose narrative focused on realistic characters and events. The fusion of these parts into a single term reflects a deliberate rebellion against the norms and expectations tied to the novel as traditionally understood. Notable early examples of these experimental works appeared in the 1950s and 1960s, coinciding with broader avant-garde movements in art and literature. Writers such as Alain Robbe-Grillet and other figures associated with the Nouveau Roman in France exemplified this trend, creating narratives that often eschewed coherent plotlines or psychological depth in favor of fragmented or ambiguous storytelling. The label "antinovel" helped critics and readers to identify and discuss these innovations. This term, therefore, serves both as a critique and a descriptor, acknowledging a piece of writing that challenges the reader’s assumptions about what a novel should be. Its usage reflects a moment in literary history when the form itself became a subject of scrutiny and reinvention.