Books are subjective and can be a very personal topic for some. They can leave an impression on a young mind, or offer guidance in a time of need – as well as providing pure escapism from reality.
Having read these books at all different stages in my life, these are the three that have felt the most life-changing to me.
Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid
During my final year of school I read this as part of my final English dissertation. I had decided to write a comparison of McDermid’s reimagining of the Jane Austen classic with the original. I had for a couple years been tempted and intrigued by Austen’s books but was somewhat intimated to pick them up. Once I started reading McDermid’s modern retelling that was based on Cat (Catherine), a home-schooled girl who spends her summer in Edinburgh during the Fringe Festival. Here she navigates the world of young love, social climbing and her independence. The book is largely inspired by Gothic mystery and it was a real treat to read, I truly felt transported and could relate quite heavily to the character. It also offered me an introduction to Austen’s work and meant I no longer felt any trepidation about reading her novels.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
I read this book during Covid and it had been on my list for quite some time before I got to it. It was recommended to me by my mum and she felt I’d enjoy it because I had studied history at university. The book follows the lives of two Afghan women whose lives have become connected in tumultuous modern Afghanistan. Mariam is an illegitimate child who has been married off at a young age and later finds an unexpected friendship with Laila, who is also taken in by Mariam’s husband. But as Afghanistan descends into war, their lives and their bond are tested by hardship and tragedy. I think this book really opened my eyes and allowed me to have more of an insight and appreciation of different cultures. Hosseini, who is also the author of The Kite Runner, writes so eloquently in this beautiful yet poignant story.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
I recently read this while on holiday and at somewhat of a crossroads. A friend recommended it to me and said it had offered her some guidance at a time when she most needed it, and that was enough to convince me. The Midnight Library by follows a woman who is struggling with unhappinesses and discontenment. When she finds heself in a magical library between life and death, she is forced to explore all of the “what could have beens” in her lifetime. Here she learns a huge lesson about what it is she truly wants from life and it’s a very relatable read. The book details on some home truths about life that we all know but sometimes need to be reminded of, realising that you have to choose the path you want to go down and it’s not all up to fate. I would recommend this book to anyone as, as much as it is about a dark time in life, it’s told in a light and humerous way.