I know it's the eleventh hour but let me try again-
I nominate The Woman in the Dunes by Kōbō Abe, originally written in Japanese; it sounds intriguing.
From Goodreads:
The Woman in the Dunes, by celebrated writer and thinker Kobo Abe, combines the essence of myth, suspense and the existential novel.
After missing the last bus home following a day trip to the seashore, an amateur entomologist is offered lodging for the night at the bottom of a vast sand pit. But when he attempts to leave the next morning, he quickly discovers that the locals have other plans. Held captive with seemingly no chance of escape, he is tasked with shoveling back the ever-advancing sand dunes that threaten to destroy the village. His only companion is an odd young woman. Together their fates become intertwined as they work side by side at this Sisyphean task.
Goodreads /
Amazon US /
Amazon Canada /
Kōbō at Kobo
I'll use the rest of my nominations on Resurrection and Roadside Picnic. The Manuscript Found at the Saragossa looks interesting too but I have no more votes.