Technically, a true story cannot be called a novel.
* Novels are fictional. By definition, a novel is a long, fictional narrative. It's a work of imagination, not a factual account.
* True stories are non-fiction. They are based on real events and people.
However, the line can blur.
* "Novelistic" True Stories: True stories can be written in a style that mimics novels. They might have intricate plots, complex characters, and vivid descriptions, making them engaging and captivating like a novel.
* "Novel" as a Genre: Sometimes, "novel" is used more loosely to describe a long, detailed book, regardless of fiction or non-fiction.
Examples:
* "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot is a non-fiction book that tells the true story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were used in groundbreaking medical research. While based on real events, it's written in a captivating style, making it feel like a novel.
* "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer is another example of a non-fiction book that reads like a novel. It recounts the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young man who abandoned civilization to live in the Alaskan wilderness.
So, while a true story isn't technically a novel, it can share characteristics and be written in a way that makes it feel like one.