Top 5: Classics

A feature where I tell you my top five books by genre. 

This time we are talking about my favorite classics! Now, I am one of those people who enjoys reading classics. Some of my favorite books are from this genre. However, I do not believe a book is necessarily good, just because it’s a classic (but that’s a whole other discussion: coming soon). God knows I’ve read some really boring ones. But I am going to share some non-boring ones with you. So here are my Top 5 classics.

5. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

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I can totally understand why some people don’t like this. I, however, am completely in love with it. Before I read the book, I had a deeply rooted love for the story itself and the movie (2005 version, I ADORE it), so liking this book came naturally for me. I love the dynamic between Lizzie and Darcy, and I love Elizabeth as a character. I think Jane Austen wrote women who were really ahead of their time, which is another bonus. Check this one out if you like hate-to-love romances and a twinge of period drama. 

4. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

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Another long time favorite. I read this way back in middle school and I loved it ever since. It was the first time I read a “serious” book and the first time I thought that someone “gets it”. Our main character is a really, really pretentious teen who is having a deep, angsty identity crisis. And I love everything about it. I love pretentious characters and settings (just in books though) so again, I was bound to like this. Check this one out if you want to get back to the angsty feeling of hating the world and feeling like no one can understand you. Good times.

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

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Another more modern classic like Catcher and another story about a young boy trying to find himself. This is a heartfelt story about a teenager who finds his place and it’s done masterfully. The writing is fantastic, the characters so relatable and the story is at times sad, at times happy, but it’s always beautiful. I love the movie as well, but I think the book is kind of darker and less hopeful. Check this one out if you want the prototype of a coming of age story, with a twist. 

2. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

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The first two places are reserved for Russian classics! I can’t even begin to explain what this book is about. It’s everything at once. It’s a satire of Soviet life, and it’s deeply influenced by Stalin’s regime. It mixes fantasy and realism in such a complex, but spectacular way. It’s one of those books you’ll read and be completely in awe about. And a little confused. But still so completely amazed. Check this one out if you want to read something unlike anything you ever read or will ever read. 

And drumroll…

1. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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I love Dostoyevsky. I think his writing is superb. This story follows a man who has to come to terms with the things he’s done and the whole book is basically a look at his inner turmoil. Raskolnikov is torn between what he wants or believes to be and between what he really is. It’s a story deeply rooted in symbolism and has so many layers to it. It’s a book that opens up so many questions and keeps you wanting to discuss the possible answers forever. It’s a story that reveals so much about the human condition and it’s one of the most intelligent and amazing books I ever read. Check this one out if you want to read something spectacular. 

That’s my list! Also you can check all of my previous Top 5 posts if you want to see some of my faves in other genres. As always, I’d love to hear your favorites in the genre, so let me know about your favorite classics!

xxx

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