Favorite Reads of 2022
January 12, 2023 | Dara Marie | @thornfield_lane
2022 was a wild year full of changes for me. Because of this, I went through multiple reading dry spells when my schedule got too crowded. My list is not as extensive as it was for 2021, but here are my top books from last year:
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WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING BY DELIA OWENS
I adored this book.
It had been on my ‘to read’ list for a while, but the movie coming out prompted me to secure a copy. I was hooked from the opening page. I loved the characters, the setting, the jumping timeline, the social commentary, and–naturally–the murder intrigue. I’ve heard a fair amount of backlash against it which I can understand, but it was everything I enjoy in modern realistic fiction. It kept me engaged the whole way through and its ending is now one of my all-time favorites. Everyone I have talked to about either the book or movie brings it up because it is perfect. Infuriating, but perfect.
It has a permanent place on my bookshelf and I’m very excited to reread it in the future.
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CLOUD CUCKOO LAND BY ANTHONY DOERR
Anthony Doerr is my favorite modern writer. His All the Light We Cannot See is one of my top five novels of all time and I’ve devoured his work since. His grasp on language and description blows me away. I’ve wondered for years when he would release a new novel and was so excited to hear about this one. I had the pleasure of seeing him speak at the University of Utah for the release of this book back in 2021 and got a signed hardback copy. I waited to read it because I wanted to be able to commit my full time and energy to it. I finally read it while I was on break from school and got my first sunburn of the summer while lost in it in my hammock.
Even if I knew nothing about it–neither title nor author–I could have picked out instantly that it was Doerr. It is the culmination of this previous work in an intricate, beautifully written love letter to stories, science, and anthropology. I remember finishing it while with a friend and I was so wrecked emotionally, she kept asking if I was ‘OK’.
I will wait as long as I have to for his next novel.
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DUNE BY FRANK HERBERT
After saying over and over that I was going to read it, I finally did. Even having seen the movie, I texted my brother eight pages in asking, “What the hell am I reading?” but I managed to settle into it after a few chapters and loved it. I don’t consider myself a huge sci-fi person, but I got so sucked into it, it was all I wanted to do for days. The political intrigue is fascinating and the world is uniquely built. It has an incredibly complex female character as well, so you know I’m hooked from that alone. I’ve already talked a bit about Lady Jessica in my last blog post and will have more to say about her coming very soon.
I’m still debating whether I want to read more in the series. But whether I do or not, I will always hold Dune in high light.
I’m super excited for the movie, Dune: Part Two, to come out later this year!
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THE AENEID BY VIRGIL
I have meant to read this for years, being a Greek mythology fan and writing a mythology story. I was finally forced to have no more excuses when it was assigned for one of my literature classes last semester. And I loved it. It was intense and engaging with lots of battles and Gods. Reading it unlocked many new angles and details for my own writing.
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CROSSINGS BY ALEX LANDRAGIN
This book caught my eye a few months ago while browsing a bookstore and I’m glad it did. It’s an ambitious storytelling experiment where you can read it one of two ways: conventionally (cover to cover), or in an alternative sequence starting in the middle and bouncing around. Apparently, the story changes depending how which way you read.
On the first read, I decided to stick with conventional. On its own like this, it was unique, entertaining, and well-written. I loved the author’s voice and got sucked into the magical realism. I’m excited to revisit it later this year and read it out of order to unlock its full potential. If it does as it claims, it will be a literary triumph.
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PETER PAM BY J.M. BARRIE
I love realistic fiction which often lends itself to heartbreak. Because of this, I love refreshing my mind/reading palette with classic children’s books.
After being very familiar with various adaptations, I finally read the original story and loved it even more. It’s a light, quirky narrative voice that sets up the magic so perfectly. It deserves its title as a classic.
Most fascinating was seeing Peter as a little psychopath rather than the wholesome boy most adaptations show him as. He’s quite the villain and I would love to dive more into understanding him and what inspired it. I highly recommend giving it a go if you’ve never read it.
I’m now on the hunt for a beautiful copy of it for my shelf.
So far, 2023 has been great for me and I’ve enjoyed the books I’ve started. Here’s to a good year and amazing books!
What were your favorite reads of 2022? I'd love to hear from you! You can connect with me through thornfield.lane@gmail.com or on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter: @thornfield_lane.
