Hi Everyone!
5 Books That...is a feature on my blog where I talk about five books that have something in common or can be grouped together for a certain reason. I usually do about one a month but there is no fixed schedule.
In this 5 books that post, I am sharing 5 Victorian books I love and want everyone to read! This is of course also in honour of Victober, so if you're participating then these are also great picks!
1. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
This was my favourite Victober book last year and it's such an important book as well. It is about Margaret Hale who moves from the south of England, where she lives in a rural village, to the north, which is increasingly industrial. She meets mill owner Mr Thornton, with whom a turbulent relationship begins. She also explores the poorer parts of the city, which provides a fascinating insight into what life was like for those people. This is a truly amazing book and I highly recommend it!
2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
This is my favourite book of all time so of course I'm recommending it! This is one of the most famous Victorian books and I just love it! This follows orphan Jane Eyre as she navigates life, starting out living with her Aunt and then moving to Lowood school, where she lives in atrocious conditions. She then becomes a governess to the ward of a man called Mr Rochester and so much more happens! I love this book so, so much!
3. Great Expectations/Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
I read Great Expectations at the end of 2020 and Oliver Twist in May of this year. I enjoyed them both but my personal preference is Oliver Twist. I think Great Expectations is the more polished of the two but I had read a lot more classics when I read Oliver Twist and so my understanding was better; there were a few parts of Great Expectations that lost me a bit! Having said that, I recommend both of these and you can see my reviews for them here and here. Dickens is one of the most famous Victorian writers and I can't wait to one day read more of his work!
4. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
This was the first Victober book I ever read and I loved it! I didn't find the language hard at all and it was such a comforting read so if you haven't read this yet then you definitely should! There is also a movie adaptation so you can either read the book and then dive back into the story with the movie or vise-versa. It's a wonderful read that will keep you entertained! Note: make sure to get an edition with both Little Women and Good Wives and possibly Jo's Boys too.
5. The Complete Poems of Emily Bronte
This is slightly different because it is a poetry collection by my favourite poet: Emily Bronte. Her poems are so passionate and she was such a genius. I have a whole post about my love for her poetry which you can read here. Some of her poems are based in Gondal, the world she imagined with her sister Anne, and others are reflections on death and nature. They are truly beautiful and I can't recommend them enough. This edition is the Penguin Classics edition which I think is the best edition for her poetry.
Thank you so much for joining me in another 5 books that... post! Happy Victorian reading!
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