Summer is just around the corner! People all over are getting ready to drop their school books and find a new, entertaining book to read. The only problem is finding the perfect book. One which can combine merit and entertainment, being both of great literary quality and that can captivate one’s attention. To aid in the search, I will devote this article to giving the best recommendations for a book that is both of great value and fun for summer reading!
Horror/Sci Fi:
Frankenstein:
Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein is an easily approachable and engrossing novel, which is as compelling as it is horrifying. The plot is famous, if a little skewed by the history of its films, and follows the scientist Victor Frankenstein and his appalling creation. Throughout the book, we see the trials and tribulations of both Victor and his creation, as the monster is haunted by his incurable, ghastly appearance and ostracization from human society, and Victor is haunted by the sin of his unnatural creation and the tragedies that ensue from it. Frankenstein is a novel about what happens when human progress oversteps its boundaries with the natural order of the world, and the inevitability of running into the monsters of one’s past.
Jurassic Park:
In a similar vein to Frankenstein’s theme of overstepping nature’s boundaries, Michael Crichton’s hit novel Jurassic Park is a modern story whose fame also results in large part to its film history. The novel differs from Spieglberg’s films in two major ways, one, in the weight of its theme it wants to tell, and two, in the brutality of it. Jurassic Park’s overarching theme of going too far in scientific progress is shown both through the teachings, namely Ian Malcolm and his Chaos Theory, and also through the horror that is shown through the dinosaurs. Jurassic Park is a novel whose reputation as pulp fiction has disguised its true form as a high-adrenaline, gory tale on human hubris in trying to tame primal nature and the bloodshed that comes from it.
The Picture of Dorian Gray:
The adjective which comes most readily to mind at the mention of Oscar Wilde would most likely be “witty,” or “humorous,” and not unjustly. His famous play The Importance of Being Earnest is laugh-out-loud funny, and all of his quips are marked by sarcastic bite and humor. However, this is not the case for The Picture of Dorian Gray, a novel that begins as cozy as any Victorian era sentimental piece, and turns at breakneck speed to Gothic horror halfway through. The plot follows Dorian Gray, having had a portrait made of him by Basil Howard, and his turn to cruelty under the influence of the hedonistic Lord Henry and newfound abilities from his portrait. What follows is an imagery-driven, Gothic work of a promising young man who takes a downward route to sin in the English underbelly. Along with the main plot, The Picture of Dorian Gray is also famous for its thinly veiled homosexual themes, and its subtle critiques of English society.
Kurt Vonnegut’s works (specifically The Sirens of Titan and Slaughterhouse-Five):
Vonnegut is one of the most important postmodern authors in world fiction, and easily one of the strongest authors in American literature. Specifically, I would recommend his two novels The Sirens of Titan and Slaughterhouse-Five. Vonnegut is renowned for his acerbic wit, dark satire, and commentaries on American society, human nature, war, and free will. But the heavy topics he covers do not surmise the nature of his works. Instead, Kurt Vonnegut’s writing is verb-driven and easily understood, making the complex and difficult themes he talks about that much more engaging. The Sirens of Titan follows a man in the future as he, and the entire world, battle for control and free will against a man determined to obtain his own free will through science and schemes. Slaughterhouse-Five follows Billy Pilgrim who, according to the narrative, becomes “unstuck in time” as his life bounces out-of-order from his marriage, to his time as a prisoner of WWII, to potentially real moments where he is abducted by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore. Kurt Vonnegut’s novels are ridiculous, and it is with this ridiculousness that Vonnegut spins his narratives to have enough punch and truth to them that one does not know whether to laugh or sob.
Cozy Works:
Jane Austen’s works:
Jane Austen. One of the most famous names in all of human literature, whose fame has gone so far in shaping the modern world’s tastes, that any attempt at making period piece romances will ultimately fall underneath Austen’s shadow. Under this lens, it is hard to remember how great Austen was disassociated from her lasting influence. Before Austen, romance novelists existed in the forms of Samuel Richardson, Fanny Burney, and Tom Fielding, to name a few. At the start of the 19th century, Austen took steps to follow in their footsteps, with an added emphasis on character depth and especially in creating lifelike, female characters. The power of Austen’s prose would result in some of the greatest works in English, including Pride and Prejudice and Emma, and some of the coziest worlds that, no matter the drama, can not help but make one smile.
The Pickwick Papers:
Perhaps to the antithesis of Oscar Wilde, the first adjectives which might come to the name “Charles Dickens” would be “bleak,” or “serious,” largely keeping in mind the descriptions he has of the poor and suffering in London. While this is certainly the case for novels such as Great Expectations or Oliver Twist, it is most certainly not the case for his first ever novel The Pickwick Papers. Essentially, The Pickwick Papers is the Victorian equivalent to a sitcom. For a reader who is looking for an overarching plot and character arc, The Pickwick Papers is not for you. For a reader more concerned with having a good time, meeting hysterical characters, and laughing on nearly every page, The Pickwick Papers is a masterpiece. To even my surprise, The Pickwick Papers is the funniest novel that I have ever read. What makes the novel so wonderful is its dynamic cast of characters, including Samuel Pickwick, the jolly head of the club, Samuel Weller, his manservant and closest friend, and the conman Alfred Jingle, who only speaks in broken sentences. The novel progresses in short vignettes, as the Pickwick club hops around from place to place, exploring every part of London society, and finding excitement in the most unlikely of places. The Pickwick Papers, despite its humor, also serves as a reminder for the joys of friendship and finding the humor in life and is one of my highest recommendations on the list.
Epics:
The Lord of the Rings:
The famed forefather of the entire fantasy genre, The Lord of the Rings laid the foundations for every single fantasy novel to come after it. The plot follows Frodo Baggins as he explores the rich and epic world of Middle Earth, the pride and joy of Tolkien’s imaginative abilities. He must go on a quest to carry the one ring to Mordor, an evil kingdom, where he must then destroy it. Along the way, Frodo journeys with a cast of characters, including his supportive sidekick Sam, and the wise, almighty, and yet empathetic Gandalf. While not having a great, moral meaning, the depth of The Lord of the Rings comes instead from the unparalleled escapism it offers, the epic traditions it draws on, and its continuation of the mythological hero’s journey.
The Count of Monte Cristo:
Edmond Dantés, after being wrongly imprisoned in the Chateau d’If for 14 years escapes to an island with buried treasure, and finds himself free, rich, and hungry for revenge. What ensues is an epic of over 1000 pages following Dantés as he schemes and exacts his revenge, while combating his own moral compass, creating the single greatest revenge story humanity has ever told. The Count of Monte Cristo is enthralling and powerful in a way that makes its 1000+ page count feel almost too short. For any reader who wants to challenge themselves with a longer novel of depth and thrill, this would be my highest recommendation.
Reading is important, and finding the right book that can balance being great and being entertaining is just as important. I hope this list has helped all readers find their next great, Summer book!
