Time to get stuck into these classic novels you always meant to read
THERE are certain novels that just feel incredibly familiar, writes
Giants of literature, they’ve spawned so many adaptations and permeated Western culture so deeply, we can’t help but be aware of them.
However, is it possible you’ve never actually got round to reading these bona fide classics? Maybe you thought you had (but actually hadn’t), or perhaps they’ve just forever been on your to-read list? Lockdown is a great opportunity to finally tick a few of these greats off.
Here are five novels you should absolutely read during, if you haven’t already...
ANNA KARENINA by Leo Tolstoy
WE COULD have easily put War And Peace on this list, but let’s face it: if you haven’t read War And Peace yet, it’s doubtful quarantine will change that. Anna Karenina is another Tolstoy classic, and is arguably a better read. Anna, a bored high-society lady, has an affair with cavalry officer Count Vronsky. Meanwhile, Konstantin Levin, a country landowner pines after his love Kitty.
Set in Imperial Russia in the 1870s, it’s a gripping story of love, betrayal and the burden of society’s expectations.
1984 by George Orwell
SO many aspects of 1984 have become part of common lingo – whether it’s “doublethink”, being forced to believe something that’s obviously a lie, or Big Brother, a reference to being constantly watched by a ruling power – 1984 never ceases to feel timely.
Telling of a dystopian future, where the world is ravaged by war, protagonist Winston Smith lives in a totalitarian state governed by
Big Brother.
Propaganda rules supreme and the Thought Police brutally squash independence of any kind.
Winston works for the ruling
Party and harbours feelings of rebellion, which grow when he falls in love with Julia.
LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott
IF YOU enjoyed the latest movie adaptation of Little Women by Greta Gerwig, now’s the time to get stuck into the book. It’s a funny and moving coming of age tale that follows the four March sisters into womanhood. At the centre is the bold, brilliant Jo, who doesn’t want to be tied down by a husband, and dreams of being a writer.
Even though the novel is set during and after the American Civil War, the themes of family, love and striving for independence still ring true today.
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
WHILE Little Women might be a cosy read, Crime And Punishment is not – but there’s a reason it’s one of the most famous books ever written.
It’s a thrilling and disturbing look into the mental state of St Petersburg student Raskolnikov, before and after he decides to kill a pawnbroker for money. Beforehand, he tries to justify the murder to himself, and after, descends into a spiral of guilt, shame and disgust.
If you don’t believe Russian literature written in the 1860s can be impossible to put down, let Crime And Punishment prove you wrong.
THE COLOUR PURPLE by Alice Walker
ALICE WALKER won the Pulitzer Prize for The Colour Purple in 1983. Set in America’s deep south in the 1930s, it follows the intertwining stories of black women.
Written in the form of letters, it explores the subjugation of women, domestic abuse, sexual violence and racism in Georgia. A harrowing read, but there is so much beauty within it and the relationships Walker portrays.