As an avid enjoyer of the autumn season, I can admit that there’s nothing quite like a good book to keep you company in the cold – in addition, of course, to a warm drink of your choice, some cream and marshmallows. In no particular order, here’s a list of my top 5 autumn reads from the last few years.
- Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
Set during a fading summer at the coastal English estate of Manderley, this hauntingly beautiful tale encapsulates everything autumn, with just the right amount of the Gothic. Follow the second Mrs De Winter around Manderley as she is pulled in by the inexplicable influence of her husband Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca.
- The Secret History, Donna Tartt
A dark academia classic, Tartt’s masterpiece describes the lives of a group of Classics students at college after ritual ecstasy drives them to commit an animalistic murder which changes them forever. Full of beauty, betrayal and enough references to Euripides’ The Bacchae to make your spine tingle, this book creates an all consuming environment for the reader.
- Howl’s Moving Castle, Dianne Wynne Jones
Mostly known for its Studio Ghibli film adaptation, the story of Howl and Sophie the Hatter has become increasingly more popular in the last few years, but the novel is no less amazing. This fantasy adventure is jam packed with fire demons, witches and a heart-warming romance to lose yourself in.
- None of This Is True, Lisa Jewell
This might be one of the best thrillers I have ever read. Jewell creates a chillingly complex character in Josie, who is excellent to sink your proverbial teeth into if you’re into psychoanalysis. I promise you won’t come out of this book feeling the same way about the characters as you did in the beginning.
- The Hobbit, J.R.R Tolkien
Written for Tolkien’s children, The Hobbit is, without a doubt, a timeless classic, with some of the most famous opening lines in literary history. If you’re looking for the quintessential fantasy this autumn, and are still tiptoeing around Tolkien, you won’t be disappointed by the array of monsters, elves and wizards this book has to offer. It’s a Hobbit book, and that means comfort, especially if you decide to delve into the rest of The Lord of the Rings later on.
“Lovely memories of the autumn” by Brandon HM Oh is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.