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Rose Hitchens shares five m ust-read n ovels she believes we should all curl up on the sofa with at this wintery time of year. The grey, gloomy days of winter are the perfect excuse to stay inside, wrap yourself up in a blanket with a hot drink and indulge in a good, hearty book. As the chilly weather starts to take over, starting a new book is a superb way to give yourself a break from your screen and catch up on some classics. Whether you’re looking to distract yourself from the cold, fill in the downtime between university lectures, or simply increase your brainpower, here are the books you should be reading this winter.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath has been raved about for years and years by bibliophiles across the literary world. And yes, while it may seem cliché to include it on this list, I promise that it is deserving of every piece of praise that comes its way. It really is an essential novel to have in your arsenal. This semi-autobiographical account is the only novel ever published by American author Sylvia Plath and chronicles the life of protagonist Esther Greenwood as she slowly descends into mental illness. Haunting and harrowing, the book’s raw insight into the realities of mental illness and the grapple with your own self identity have so much detail poured across every page that its status as a piece of classic literature is so well deserved. The Bell Jar is not just a must-read book simply because it is a classic, but because its subject matter was so ahead of its time and creates one of the most gritty and realistic looks at mental illness that no other book, in my view, has quite managed to match.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens A new release this year, Where The Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens has completely taken over the literature world as the hottest book of 2021. After getting tired of hearing my friends rave about this book, I finally decided to give it a read. I can assure you, I was not disappointed. Set deep in the marshes of North Carolina, the novel follows Kya Clark as she slowly loses all those around her and is forced to raise herself, isolated from society. When a murder is suddenly committed, Kya becomes the main suspect, the plot following her reintroduction into a society she had left behind years before. Murder-mystery, love and heartbreak all unify in this unique coming-of-age novel which has already become a modern classic and is set to be adapted into a movie in 2022. With its distinctive and original plot, Where the Crawdads Sing appeals to a wide range of readers. So, if you’re keen to impress your friends by flexing on your knowledge of new and popular literature, pick up a copy and start reading!
Emma by Jane Austen This list would not be complete without including at least one classic book to get you through the winter season. My personal favourite classic happens to be Jane Austen’s Emma, which I feel is an easy read for anyone who is looking for an introduction to classic literature. Set in the fictional town of Highbury, the novel follows Emma, a quick-witted young woman who meddles in the love lives of those around her, all whilst attempting to evade marriage herself. Despite being published over two hundred years ago, Emma is an amazingly hilarious and astute commentary of marriage which was way ahead of its time. Jane Austen had such a talent for creating strong, well rounded and complex female characters, and Emma is no exception to this.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you’ve definitely heard of The Secret History by Donna Tartt. It has been praised for inventing and popularising the ‘Dark Academia’ aesthetic and has been popping up all over social media due to its gripping and noteworthy plot. Published in 1994, The Secret History follows a group of classics students attending an elite arts college in Vermont. This tale ties together murder, mystery, love and Ancient Greek references aplenty, to the background of some of the most beautiful descriptions of the autumn-winter seasons you’ll ever read. In short, this is a modern-classic which contains everything you could possibly want from a murder-mystery novel.
Misery by Stephen King Stephen King is one of those authors whose work you have to read at least once in your life. As the ‘King of Horror’ he’s written some of the classics, including IT, Carrie and The Shining, all of which have been turned into highly successful movie adaptations. If you’ve committed the sin of not yet having read any Stephen King, his 1987 classic Misery is the perfect thriller for this winter season. The plot follows author Paul Sheldon as he awakens seriously injured following a vicious car crash. The twist? He’s been kidnapped by his self-proclaimed ‘biggest fan’, who won’t allow him to leave. This is the perfect read for anyone looking for a thriller that will grip you from start to end. Trust me, once you pick up this iconic novel, you won’t be able to put it down. By Rose Hitchens Page Design by Chiara Crompton
