Tuesday 7 October 2014

Top Ten Tuesday | Character Driven Novels


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find out everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Top Ten Books For Readers Who Like Character Driven Novels', so let's dive in!

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson: A gorgeous book that not enough people have read. The story is narrated by a former pornographer who survives a car crash, brought on by drunk driving, that leaves him horrifically burned. It's stunning, please read it.

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins: One of my favourite classics, and believed to be the very first English detective novel. The Moonstone's dense, but it's worth getting through; it has a brilliant array of characters, some you'll love and some you'll hate, who really drive the story forward.

Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë: Another of my favourite classics which, like the majority of the books on this list, has a spectacularly ordinary story. There's nothing groundbreaking about the plot, but Agnes brings this story to life. Highly recommended!

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood: For the most part this book tells us a story that we already know - or at least one that we think we know - but what makes it so fun to read is Penelope's narration. A great read for any lovers of Greek mythology.

Persuasion by Jane Austen: Honestly I'm not a big fan of Austen, but there's no denying that in terms of plot Persuasion is probably the weakest of her novels. The story is very basic, but many Austen fans still love this novel dearly because of its character development.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë: If you ignore the odd twists and turns in the plot of Jane Eyre, it's actually a fairly ordinary story. What makes this novel so popular is Jane herself.

Corrag by Susan Fletcher: Another horrendously underrated novel. This book is beautifully written and stars one of the most endearing heroines I've ever come across in historical fiction. It's slow and unassuming, but it's so worth the read.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier: I'm currently reading Rebecca for the first time, and even though I'm only around 20% of the way through it's already a quiet, claustrophobic read. It's up to the reader to decide which character is driving this novel: is it our narrator, or is it Rebecca?

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë: Just like Agnes Grey and Jane Eyre, when you strip Wuthering Heights down to the bare bones there isn't all that much to it plot-wise. It's a story that can be easily summed up in a few sentences, but what makes it fascinating to read is its unapologetic protagonists, Cathy and Heathcliff.

The Unlikely Ones by Mary Brown: I have a lot of bookish friends, and through the blogosphere I know readers all over the world too, and yet I've never met a single person who's read this book. It's a traditional fantasy book; there are knights, witches, dragons and unicorns, and I love it. While it is a story about a quest, it's not a quest to save the world; the only thing at stake is the protagonists' happiness. If you're a fan of traditional fantasy then I highly recommend this book!


Which books made your top ten?

18 comments:

  1. I wish I could read Rebecca for the first time again. It's such a beautiful book! I completely agree with your comments on it!

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    1. I'm really enjoying it so far, but I'm trying to savour it because once I've finished it I think the way I see the rest of the book will change completely!

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  2. I'm planning to read Persuasion very soon, as well as Jane Eyre, they're both in my "read before the end of the year" pile.
    I haven't read Rebecca yet, but I really want to and seeing it on your list makes me want to read it right this second!!
    Great list!

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    1. I hope you enjoy them both! :) I'm planning on rereading Persuasion at some point; I first read it when I was 18 and I loathed it, but I want to give it another chance now that I'm older. I'm really, really enjoying Rebecca - pick it up asap! :D

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  3. Persuasion and Jane Eyre are such good picks. And I've been wanting to read The Penelopiad for a long time now!

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    1. I really enjoyed The Penelopiad, I definitely recommend it! :)

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  4. REBECCA is one of my all time favorite books! And I agree with your thought - Rebecca is so present and such a driving force even though her character isn't actually in the book. I recommend reading REBECCA'S TALE as well when you're finished. It's a great add on.

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  5. Great choices. I really need to read both Rebecca and The Moonstone. I've been meaning to forever, just never got there.

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    1. I love The Moonstone - definitely recommend it! :)

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  6. Persuasion is definitely one of my favorite Austen novels. The story is pretty slow paced, but the characters are great! And the letter!!!!!!!!

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    1. I'm going to try and make myself reread Persuasion soon! :)

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  7. Oh, goody, I've read one of the books on this list--WUTHERING HEIGHTS! It's been long enough since I've read it that I don't remember a whole lot, but the characters did stand out a bit. Thanks for stopping by!

    Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf

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  8. I love your blog title!! Alice in Wonderland is like my FAVOURITE (apart from Peter Pan...but still, nothing beats the good ol' fashioned nonsense of Lewis Carroll). XD I haven't actually read any on your list except for half of Jane Eyre. But I was too traumatised to finish it. Gosh they were so freakishly mean to her as a kid. :|
    Thanks for stopping by @ Notebook Sisters!

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    1. Thank you very much! :D I've always loved Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - it's just so bizarre!

      I know, poor Jane. :( I hope you manage to go back and finish it one day!

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  9. Ooh interesting list. I loved The Gargoyle and definitely agree that more people need to read it! I'm hoping to get time to read Rebecca soon.

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    1. Hooray, another person who's read The Gargoyle! :) I hope you get around to Rebecca soon!

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  10. I really need to read The Moonstone. Or Wilkie Collins' work in general, heh. Thanks for the list! It's given me some ideas...

    My TTT.

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    1. The Moonstone's a great read - I definitely recommend it! :)

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