In the midst of examinations, and deadline pressures, reading for pleasure is almost a luxury—so, with so little time to spare to indulge in new (or old) literature, what are the students of Edinburgh university reading?
- A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke
A perfect gothic horror to start off your halloween celebrations, with twists and ghostly imagery, Cooke’s chilling novel introduces a split timeline between today and 1901, with a haunting atmosphere that’ll keep you turning the page until your face turns blue.
C.J. Cooke is an author, who can effortlessly hook you and disturb you throughout her works, leaving an addiction in her readers to continue purchasing and indulging in her ghastly literary world—especially in the current season of pumpkins, ghosts and pure, petrifying horror.
- The Works of Audre Lorde
Lorde’s poetry confronts and intimidates the truly scary parts of society—the sexism, homophobia and racism that refuse to be put down. With poetry remaining a topic of debate for most, in terms of its enjoyment, it could not be denied that—in our ethnocentric literary communities—Audre Lorde challenges and presents her black female perspective on our world.
Honestly, after reading some of her poetry, I felt intrigued, angry and admirable all at once—her way with words, and her unfiltered emotion left me inspired to recommend her to any audience at any time. She truly compels and is successful at exposing the real haunting parts of our society.
- Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
A Tolstoy classic, with beautiful description and bountiful characterisation. Most definitely not a light read, but when you need a reward following exhausting hours of studying, reading course material and taking mid-term examinations, this novel is the perfect gift, with every character being fleshed-out, with their own in-depth storylines and compelling personalities.
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Another one of Smith’s coming of age stories, resonating with readers and leaving a lasting impression on the youth of our society. For a break between university stresses, this novel is completely perfect as a healthy, and engrossing distraction from the hustle and bustle of our usual lives.
The bittersweet feeling of a coming-of-age story, especially to a crowd barely entering the new academic year, reminds us of why we are all here, completing our degrees and fulfilling our dreams.
- Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
A gut-wrenching story of a Korean family through generations during the world wars, and the Korean war highlights the true horror within our society. Harrowing tales of real life victims, and abuse in our society
This novel significantly resembles the works of Khaled Hosseini, with the similar investment into a character, as you join them on their difficulties, and intense journeys—with an overall sense that they, and you, are running out of time. You just physically can’t put this book down; it compels you to read every single page and every word.
“Photo by Eliott Reyna on Unsplash“