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Acclaimed Books Set in Seattle

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Seattle is one of only two cities in the country that’s been awarded the UNESCO City of Literature designation. See one big reason the city has earned this honor by reading some of the acclaimed books set here and penned by local authors.

 

Book cover of "This Is How It Always Is" by Laurie Frankel. An orange peel is curled artistically against a warm gradient background. The title and author's name are prominently displayed in bold, white lettering.

This Is How It Always Is
by Laurie Frankel

The New York Times bestselling novelist chronicles the inspiring efforts of a close-knit family to support and protect its youngest member as they come to terms with their gender identity.

Cover of "Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison. Features an illustration of a person on a ladder trimming a giant shrub shaped like an egg, against an orange background. The title and author's name are prominently displayed.

Lawn Boy
by Jonathan Evison

This inspiring semi-autobiographical novel chronicles the coming of age of Mexican-American protagonist Mike Muñoz as he grapples with class distinctions, and cultural and sexual identity.

Cover of "Firefly Lane" by Kristin Hannah. The background is a teal and yellow abstract design. At the top, there's a Netflix logo indicating it’s a series. Text includes "A Novel," "#1 New York Times Bestselling Author," and "Reading Group Gold Edition.

Firefly Lane
by Kristin Hannah

Adapted into a popular Netflix series in 2021, this moving and often funny account of a close female friendship spans three tumultuous decades of trials and triumphs.

Illustration from "Vincent Comes Home" by Jessixa and Aaron Bagley. Shows a fox sitting on a boat, gazing at seagulls and a distant shoreline lined with colorful buildings under a blue sky.

Vincent Comes Home
by Jessixa Bagley and Aaron Bagley

In this children’s book filled with beautiful illustrations of Seattle landmarks, a cat living on a cargo ship travels the high seas in search of what it means to be home.

Cover of "A Wild and Heavenly Place" by Robin Oliveira. Features a lake scene with a canoe and people at sunset, surrounded by trees and mountains. Warm, glowing colors dominate the sky, with floral illustrations around the text.

A Wild and Heavenly Place
by Robin Oliveira

In this poignant elegy to the Pacific Northwest, an improbable pair of lovers follow one another from Scotland to Seattle in the late 19th century.

Book cover of "Written in the Stars" by Alexandria Bellefleur. Features two women embracing in front of a city skyline. The sky is deep blue with constellations. Text includes praise from authors Talia Hibbert and Christina Lauren.

Written in the Stars
by Alexandria Bellefleur

In this LGBTQIA+ rom-com-inspired debut novel, a pretend relationship between two women with seemingly opposite sensibilities leads to a completely unexpected outcome.

Book cover for "Hollow Kingdom" by Kira Jane Buxton. Features a black crow silhouette with a cityscape and Space Needle in the background. Green backdrop with vine patterns. Includes a praise quote from Helen MacDonald.

Hollow Kingdom
by Kira Jane Buxton

A salty-tongued pet crow may provide the key to humanity’s survival of an apocalyptic event in this funny, imaginative sci-fi fantasy novel.

Read More About It

Visit seattlecityoflit.org and download the City of Literature Map and Guide, which details dozens of stories and places that relate to the region’s dynamic literary scene. And listen to excerpts from local stories, read by local Seattleites, in our series Seattle Bookmarked.

This article was originally written for Visit Seattle's Official Visitors' Guide

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