What is Contemporary Realistic Literature?
Contemporary Realistic Literature is a work of fiction considered believable and set in the modern world (between 1945 and present day). These works of fiction are believable in content and context and contain characters who could be real people leading real lives.
In this type of fiction, the story itself, while made-up and untrue, could potentially take place. Contemporary Realistic Fiction is rooted in the realm of reality and has a high empathy factor. John Green's The Fault In Our Stars is a best seller in this genre of literature.
What makes this genre of literature so unique is it allows readers to easily identify, to empathize with the characters and their life experiences. Readers of this genre will often encounter true-to-life themes that they may have already experienced themselves. As examples, some common themes in modern contemporary fiction are dying and death, love, family life and struggles, sexuality, discovering one's own identity, spirituality, relationships, friendships, among many others.
Because of these recognizable themes, readers often connect personally with a story's characters, learn from their experiences, and compare and contrast how they might deal with these same experiences.