If you’re looking for a novel to read that gets you into the world of tattoos, we’ve curated just the list. Here are our top fiction novels to read.
Tattoos and stories are deeply intertwined. After all, they say behind every tattoo is an interesting story about why the person chose to get it, the meaning behind it and even the place they got the ink done.
If you’re looking to dive into a novel that explores tattoos in the world of fiction, here is our list of five books to check out:
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1. The Electric Michelangelo by Sarah Hall
The story starts with Cy Parks, a tattoo artist from Morecambe Bay and follows his adventures off to Coney Island and makes a name for himself as the “electric Michelangelo.”
2. Papillon by Henri Charrière
A famed book and now also a feature film, Papillon is an interesting tale that is based around the author Henri Charrière’s life. The book follows the story of an escape, a place called the Devil’s Island and the symbolism of metamorphosis woven into a chest tattoo of a swallowtail butterfly.
3. The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
A tale of love and sorrow, the Tattooist of Auschwitz follows the journey of two main characters as they find each other in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps during 1942.
4. The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury
For fans of sci-fi books, this story follows a strange traveller from the future. His body is covered in tattoos that come to life throughout the plot’s unfolding.
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5. The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid
If you like a mystery novel, this one might be perfect for you. Val McDermid builds an intricate tale on the high seas of murder and mystery. After a rainy summer evening in the Lake District, a body suddenly reveals itself covered in inked markings, leaving main character Jane Gresham to uncover the makings of a 200-year-old mystery.
