My Top 5 Favorite Novels
February 28, 2022 | Dara Marie | @thornfield_lane
It should come as no surprise that I love to read. While there are many novels over the years that have impacted me, there are currently five that hold my heart.
War and Peace (1865) by Leo Tolstoy
"We are asleep until we fall in love."
I had always heard of the Russian, over 1,000-page epic but never desired to conquer it. To be honest, it sounded long, slow, and boring. (To be fair, there is a good amount that is). I did, however, love the 2012 off-Broadway show Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 based on a small section of it.
One day in my freshman semester at college, I was talking with a friend about musicals and brought it up. When he learned what it was based on, he asked if I had read the source material. Of course, I had not. He had. His mother had forced him to when he was younger. He went on to rant about it for the better part of an hour, explaining the characters and Tolstoy’s grasp on humanity. By the end, I promised I would read it and asked for it for Christmas.
Man, was my friend right. It was everything he had said and more. Beautiful, tragic, funny, sad, exciting, slow. Tolstoy’s characters are so vivid and realistic. I saw myself in the naïve Natasha, fell in love with the depressed and brooding Andrei, and wanted to hug the awkward romantic, Pierre. While it did take several months to finish and there were a fair amount of parts I felt could have been condensed, I genuinely fell in love and look at it now as one of literature’s purest masterpieces.
All the Light We Cannot See (2014) by Anthony Doerr
“Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever.”
This novel is a Pultizer prize winner and took the author ten years to write. I learned both of these things before I started and it was confirmed to me after only a few chapters. Doerr is a God among writers. His grasp on language and his skill in working it to his desires is nothing short of remarkable. Before you know it, you are connected to the characters and cheering along with every triumph, crying with every tragedy.
It’s, simply, beautiful.
I re-read it recently and devoured it with even more love than the first time. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve recommended it to friends. I was lucky enough to hear Anothy Doerr speak in Salt Lake City in the Fall of 2021, and I spent the whole time listening with wide eyes. If you haven’t read this book, please do. Just be prepared to be in an emotional reading slump afterward.
Jane Eyre (1847) by Charlotte Brontë
“I am no bird, and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
Reader, I had not intended to love Jane Eyre (as much as I do).
Jane Eyre had been on my to-read list forever but it wasn’t until last summer that I finally got around to it. I fell in love with Jane almost instantly when she, as a child, hid in the window seat so she could read in private. (How does it feel to live my dream, Jane?) I connected with Jane on multiple levels and loved her whit. I was wary of Rochester for most of the novel, so I was not expecting to love it since I knew it was a romance novel. However, before I knew it, I was so caught up in the chemistry and beauty of the writing that I was in tears by the end. I read the last two chapters in my family room while my mom was on the other couch. I made so many sighs and whimpers she finally looked at me and asked, “Are you ok?”
“Yes,” I sniffled. “I't’s just so beautiful.”
I am convinced romance died with Charlotte Brontë.
It truly has some of the greatest romance lines, and will forever hold a very dear place in my heart. As you might have noticed, Thornfield Lane’s name is derived from this novel. You can learn more about it by reading: “About my Namesake.”
Rebecca (1938) by Daphne du Maurier
“Rebecca, always Rebecca. Wherever I walked in Manderley, wherever I sat, even in my thoughts and in my dreams, I met Rebecca.”
To my shame, the main reason I initially read this book was because I heard there was going to be a Lilly James Netflix adaptation. In my defense, I had heard of the novel beforehand and found it intriguing enough to one day read. But I did only bump it up on my to-read list because of one of my favorite actresses.
While the book began slow, I was instantly pulled into Maurier’s effortless description and relatable characters. I personally connected to the narrator, Mrs. de Winter. I shared many of her insecurities and anxieties which helped me sink into the story. I was blown away by the way Maurier seamlessly blended romance, suspense, mystery, and psychological thriller all at once. The ending left me speechless and I’m convinced it’s one of the greatest gothic endings.
To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) by Harper Lee
“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird."
Like many Americans, I first read To Kill a Mockingbird in high school English class. I certainly enjoyed it, but for the better part of it, I thought it was long and slow. When I looked back, I really only remember enjoying the courtroom scenes and the ending when the symbolism of the mockingbird was revealed. I read it again several years later in the summer of 2020 after my freshman year in college. #BlackLivesMatter was all over the news as protests intensified. I was on the edge of my seat every day reading the news about the protests’ progress. I felt it was fitting to give Lee’s novel another try. I am so glad I did.
After the first page, I was mindblown by Lee’s sense of characterization and the easy-moving plot pace. I fell in love with Scout and naturally looked up to Atticus. I finished the entire thing within a couple of days with tears in my eyes from its beauty. Since then, it has held a special place in my heart.
If you didn’t enjoy it in high school, I implore you to give it another try with older eyes.
Do we share any favorite novels? I'd love to hear from you! You can connect with me through thornfield.lane@gmail.com or on Instagram, Facebook, (soon) TikTok, and Twitter: @thornfield_lane.
