Recommendations: Classics

Friday 20 January 2017

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
If you're after something a little more thrilling and easier to read than, say, Wuthering Heights, you need look no further than this modern classic. Following Merricat, her sister Constance, and their Uncle Julian as they survive in a town that hates them, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is full of ups and downs, unreliable narrators, and mystery. It's hard to say much more without giving away the essence of the plot, but trust me in that this will not disappoint. 

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
There's a reason why A Streetcar Named Desire is cited as one of the best plays from the last century. Despite being so short, you're instantly transported to 1940s New Orleans with Blanche, a character you can't help but feel pity for while simultaneously wanting to shake some sense into her. Powerful, raw, and deeply concerned with family and mental illness, Williams will leave you thinking long after you've walked away.

The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
A little darker than the others on this list, but no less gripping. Again concerning women and mental illness, this short horror story is both an excellent introduction to classic horror and Penguin's little black classics. A snippet of classical literature that will not bore you or become a chore to read - definitely worth the 80p.

4 comments:

  1. Classics can be pretty hard for me to read - so I always love looking at rec lists for classics! I don't think I've read any of these books before - but I have heard of A Streetcar Named Desire - some of my classmates had to study it, and none of them really complained about it, so I have to assume it can't be horrendous, right? Now that you've discussed it more in depth though, it definitely sounds more interesting to me - family + mental illness are two aspects to any story that will have me reading!
    Thanks for sharing, Charlotte! <3

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    1. Streetcar is actually fascinating when you have to study it - I enjoyed it more when we had to start analysing it! But all three of these focus quite heavily on mental illness, although they never explicitly state 'chracter x has this'. We Have Always Lived in the Castle is also fantastic for sisterly relationships, if that's what you enjoy!

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  2. I've made it my goal to try to read more classics this year, so thank you so much for these recommendations! I'll definitely have to give these a try. :)

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    1. You're welcome! Hopefully you get to them, as they're all very short!

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