Hello all! So, after my little trip, I’ve been feeling a little Wanderlust… but since I can’t go far at the moment, I thought it might be fun to take a (digital) bookish trip round the UK, stopping off in places that are special to me. I was completely inspired by Book Nook’s brilliant interpretation of Top 5 Tuesday, so I highly recommend you check that out!
Confessions of a Justified Sinner– this is not only one of my favourite gothic books, it’s also strongly evocative of Scotland. To me, this captures the creepy atmosphere better than any other book. One of my favourite parts is a particularly chilling scene set up on Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh- in fact, I remember reading it when the mist came down over the city and only seeing the peak just rising above it and thinking “this is a little too real”. Soooo moral of the story is beware the devils in Scotland 😉
Peter Rabbit– like Book Nook, I had to pick this one. Beatrix Potter reminds me of the Lake District, possibly the most beautiful part of England. I went there as a child and I have fond memories of the magic of the place, especially as it felt like stepping into Potter’s world 😀 Also, Beatrix Potter understands that the way to a reader’s heart is through their stomachs 😉
The Hobbit– this may seem an odd choice for people (including me) who grew up with New Zealand as Middle Earth- BUT since Tolkien actually based his descriptions on the English countryside, I felt it was very apt for this list. Particularly as I distinctly remember the first time I read the Hobbit, then going for a walk in some woods near where I lived and (bearing in mind I was a child at the time) running delightedly yelling “wow this is Mirkwood!!”
A Darker Shade of Magic– cos I’m a Londoner and all of these Londons are perfection. Yeah, it’s not by a British author, but that doesn’t matter. No one could have captured the city more authentically! (well, aside from the magic 😉)
Peter Pan– I mean, I’ve got to include this, it’s one of my favourite books. Plus, he’s rather a famous resident in Kensington Gardens.
La Belle Sauvage– keeping to the realms of fantasy, I could hardly ignore Lyra’s Oxford. Northern Lights was hugely influential on me as a child and I can tell you Oxford definitely reminds me of Pullman’s novels!! (or, technically speaking, his books remind me of Oxford- but shh I won’t tell if you don’t 😉)
Return of the Native– really, I could’ve chosen any of Hardy’s books to represent his Wessex, but this one felt fitting for its heightened romanticism. If you do fancy going in search of Hardy’s Wessex, then you won’t actually have to look so hard- head down to Dorset and you’ll find many of the spots in his novels (and his life). I was lucky enough to do a tour once with school and highly recommend it!
Frenchman’s Creek– Du Maurier has always been the queen of making her landscapes feel like another character in her books. And I could easily have chosen the moors in Jamaica Inn or the memorably dreamlike Manderley in Rebecca, but none are so special to me as the rugged Cornish coastline depicted in her Frenchman’s Creek. I can easily picture the smugglers and spirit of Cornwall from all the descriptions she snatches in this book. I adore it.
And finally…
Carry On– I have no idea if Rainbow Rowell has ever been to Watford, but it is the most hilarious thing that she chose it as the place to set her HP parody. Intentional or not, it’s bloody hilarious.
So, have you read any of these? And what are your favourite books about your home country? Let me know in the comments!
Confessions of a Justified Sinner– this takes me back so much. As you may (or may not know) I went to uni in Scotland, so was lucky enough to study a lot of Scottish literature. This happens to be one of the most striking, underrated gothic stories I have ever read. I really don’t want to spoil anything- only give you a taste- there’s murder, there’s madness, there’s mystery and there’s potentially even devils… (it also makes me laugh, which I often forget and catches me by surprise every time)
Picture of Dorian Gray– I have loved this book ever since I first read it. Then I read it again and again and again. It never gets old. This book has a little taste of everything- romance, tragedy, wit, moral questions, an intense plot… and all of that packed into a short space. This is actually something I’d recommend to virtually everyone, because I see something in it for every sort of person.
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde– this is just a great story. Sure, I know there’s a lot of depth to it, yet what gets me every time I read this one is how dramatic the story is– which is great if you have to read it loads for uni 😉 No matter how many times I read it, I was never bored.
Turn of the Screw– I’m really not into creepy books, yet I’m glad I had to read this at uni. I love books that pit madness against the supernatural- so you’re never quite sure how reliable the narrator is and there’s a surprise at every turn. Admittedly, I’m easily scared and had to turn on *ALL THE LIGHTS* half way through, just so I could get to the end.
Frankenstein– I know a lot of people aren’t keen on the writing style for this but OH MY GOODNESS I LOVE IT. It’s no surprise since it is rumoured to have been edited by Percy Bysshe Shelley himself and naturally I am a huge fan of the Romantic poets (especially the later set). The language is succulent and exquisite- it’s exactly the kind of lyrical prose I enjoy most. On top of that, the story is engaging, I was invested in the romance (I know, me and no one else) and I frankly love the moral questions it deals with. Incidentally, that leads me onto…
The Golem– the myth of the Golem is the said inspiration for Frankenstein’s monster- yet they are very different stories. Where the drive for creation in Shelley’s story is hubris, the myth focuses on love and fear. Bashevis Singer perfectly adopts those elements in one of the most beautiful and heartfelt books I have ever read. It’s short and poetic, tying history to legend. I adored this book and it led me straight into the arms of one of my mother’s favourite writers.
Dr Faustus– not only do I love the language in this play, I love the ideas at the heart of it. The puzzle of Faustus’ pride and the question of ambition have been something that’s fascinated me for half my life. I love the tussle here with literal devils, as Marlowe plays out the inevitable rise and fall of hubris.
Macbeth– since we’re talking of hubris, what better play than Macbeth? I read recently someone saying they didn’t like it cos Macbeth’s an unpleasant human… well duh. The point is that it captures the fallible human nature in us all- the part which strives and the part which falls short. I love this play, partly because it captures that struggle in us all and partly because it’s got plenty of sheer entertainment.
Lorna Doone– speaking of entertainment, I love this book. I know it’s not a technically perfect book and I doubt it’ll blow people’s minds given how obvious some of the plot points are- but back when I encountered this the first time, I’d never read anything like it and thoroughly enjoyed the story (incidentally, the BBC adaptation is no masterpiece either, but it sure is fun!)
Armadale– this is also a lot of fun. Like most of Collin’s work, it does have a slightly mysterious, dark feel, though it’s not supposed to be his best. It is, however, one of those books which has stayed with me for one reason or another- it could be the adventurous, exciting spirit, it could be the complex plot, or it could very well be that it has a villain beyond compare!
Peter Pan– if you want to talk about staying power, this book is pretty unforgettable. At this point, the character and story have slipped into common parlance, so I really have no need to explain the appeal of a boy who never grows up and who can fly! I will say that I happily admit to suffering from just a teensy bit of Peter Pan syndrome- and I make no apologies for that 😉
Alice in Wonderland– ahh one of the wackiest books in history- I adore it! As nonsensical and eccentric as can be, it’s also highly imaginative and oddly relatable. I think I’d have to be “mad, mad, mad as march hares” not to love it!
the orang-utan librarian 