Britannica defines the psychological novel as a " Work of fiction in which the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of the characters are of equal or greater interest than is the external action of the narrative" (Britannica). This particular genre has interested me for a long time. There is a very special way that it conveys the human nature, that I believe can only be accomplished by this genre. Whist we learn about characters through thoughts and actions in most novels, it is very important to note that the psychological novel runs off of these thoughts and less on the action of the novel. You spend every waking moment in a character's head, reading each passing thought that they have. While it is not the most popular genre in the word, I think bringing it more to people's attention will do some good. I think a lot of readers avoid this genre due to the fear of it being boring. However, I am here to assure you that being in a character's mind this deeply, is something that could never become boring to me. It can make a person feel more understood, sane even, to experience such a deep analysis of someone's thoughts.
The first two authors that I can think of to fit in this genre are from two very different eras. Ottessa Moshfegh is a contemporary author, who has come out with multiple bestselling novels in the past few years. Including, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Death in Her Hands, and a little bit older from 2015 Eileen. All three of these novels delve into very different characters, and while there is not a huge amount of action in any of these novels, I believe they can imbue a certain compassion and understanding to the reader. These characters have odd, outrageous thoughts, have very odd habits, and very odd motivations. However, Moshfegh always seems to show the reader why these characters act this way. Why they have this goal or motivation, why they think this way, all whilst keeping the reader in their head. You find yourself cheering on a not particularly good person, simply because you come to understand them in a way that you didn't think possible. Only by using this psychological angle, can you gain this kind of understanding with the reader. I feel, if Moshfegh didn't write such depth into the thoughts of her characters, and only made mere observations of their behaviors, or introduced only passing thoughts, there would not be nearly the same lesson to learn. The reader would be disgusted, almost disarmed by the character's behavior. After reading all three of these novels, I can assure you that I have far more compassion for most people than a previously possessed.
Virginia Woolf is the second author that comes to mind when talking about this subject. To the Lighthouse is one of the most glaring examples of this genre. Most criticisms of this particular novel stem from the complaint that "Nothing ever happens" However, that is the entire point of the novel. You learn about each of the family members, what their thoughts and perspectives are in regards to the same situation. The Ramsay family is fairly intriguing when it comes to their dynamic. Especially the different ways Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay handle James's constant wanting to go to the lighthouse. Mrs. Ramsay assures him they will go on the next warm day, and thinks it best to leave her son happy and with hope. Whilst Mr. Ramsay is endlessly annoyed by this angle of thinking, and doesn't want to give his son false hope. While not as exciting or outrageous as Ottessa Moshfegh, Woolf's beautiful writing and insight will pull you in with little choice in the matter. The modernist era she wrote in produced a lot of novels of this nature, so I feel at this warming up stage of sorts, there wasn't much room to go crazy with your characters.
Simply said, I wanted to shine a light on this particular genre. Encourage readers to pick up something that may not be their usual taste in a novel. It is not for everyone, but I encourage everyone to take a shot at reading it.
Books:
Ulysses by James Joyce
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
All Ottessa Moshfegh novels
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder (This book is outrageous, be warned)
Luster by Raven Leilani
https://www.britannica.com/art/psychological-novel