To reread or not to…
27 February 2018
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic is :
Books I Could Re-read Forever
I don’t tend to do a lot of rereads so I’m going to split this between those books that I have read a few times and consider to be comfort reads and those books that I would like to reread to see if I love them as much as I did on the first read. The most obvious ones for me are:
- Lord of the Rings by JRRTolkien – I love LotR
- Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier – this book is so good and I love DuMaurier’s writing
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – this is a book that simply begged me to read it every December. How could I resist.
- Dracula by Bram Stoker another firm favourite.
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – early gothic science fiction/horror
Five books that I would like to reread to see if I still love them:
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
- The Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
- Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
- The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
What book is your comfort read?
I don’t re-read a lot either. I’ve always wanted to read Dracula, and have a few beautiful editions, but never have. I see that Kindle in Motion has a version out now and that might be a fun way to read it. I also can’t believe I’ve never read The Hound of Baskersville. Need to remedy that. It seems like such a normal choice for me!
Two books that I love and highly recommend. Both perfect for the autumn and the darker nights.
Lynn 😀
Interesting that you have so many classics on your list! I don’t reread anymore, which is a shame. Now that I’m seeing all these posts, I’ve thought of a bunch of books I want to read again😁
Yeah, I don’t tend to reread a lot any more but if I did I imagine I’d go back to my earlier reads. Which is curious really.
Lynn 😀
Great choices! I loved The Northern Lights by Philip Pullman (Though it was called “The Golden Compass” here for some reason)
Yes, I remember that but for some reason I’ve got used to called it The Northern Lights! Strange. Similar with Outlander/Cross Stitch – I never used Cross Stitch any more.
Lynn 😀
I don’t tend to reread either. Rereads always worry me a bit in case I don’t love them as much.
My thoughts precisely.
Lynn 😀
I’ve read all of these except 3 and 4 on your second list. I would read them all again! 🙂 Great choices!
And are they books that you’ve fancied reading at all?
Lynn 😀
Some classics in the first list, there! And i have Woman in White and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell on my to-read list. SO MANY BOOKS. Like you, i don’t do much re-reading–not enough time!
Exactly – not enough time and plenty of new books.
Lynn 😀
Well, of course you would place Tolkien at the top of the list! 🙂
(and I would have too…)
Even though re-reading appears to steal time away from the books we want to explore, meeting again with “old friends” is always a pleasure and a joy, indeed.
I know – I really wish that I made more time for rereads.
Lynn 😀
Lynn, I would also love to re-read Rebecca, Dracula, A Christmas Carol and the Sherlock Holmes tales, but I didn’t put them on my list as I have yet to re-read. Something to look forward too. 🙂
It’s good to have books to look forward to isn’t it – even rereads which are lovely to return to.
Lynn 😀
I couldn’t agree more! 😀
I don’t reread any more – but eerily, I have reread Rebecca, A Woman in White, Jane Eyre and A Christmas Carol. A great list, Lynn:)
They’re all fantastic classics.
Lynn 😀
I can’t believe I forgot to put LOTR on my list. That’s one I’d definitely love to re-read.
Such a good book – I reread it with a readalong group and it was so much fun reading all the different POVs.
Lynn 😀
I wish I had time for rereads. I just keep reading new books. lol.
Yeah, me too these days. Just not enough time in the day.
Lynn 😀
Much of Tolkien’s books are on my reread list. I don’t know how many times I’ve reread The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. However, his Children of Hurin I can only reread once in a while. That novel is a kick to the gut, a stab to the heart, with a story more tragic than any Shakespeare tragedy. Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain series are rereads for me. It really is a beautiful series full of celtic myth, magic, and tales of heroism. It also has a lot of heart and humanity choked into it, as well as words of wisdom. Shame Disney butchered it with their adaptation of The Black Cauldron. These are just a few books, out of many, that I reread. A well written book offers new surprises, things overlooked, when you go back and reread it.
Oh yes! I must also say that I have reread Robin Hobb’s Farseer trilogy and plan to reread it many times more. It’s my second favorite fantasy series to Tolkien’s work. Hobb has the unique ability to not just make readers care for the lead characters, or just secondary characters, but the most minor of characters. She can talk about a character in one or two chapters, who you’ll never see again, but have that character stay with you. In fact, it’s a bit cruel. She makes you hungry to know more about these minor characters, showing that they have their own importance and are of value
I’ve only ever read the first book by Hobb – and I really enjoyed it – so I hope to catch up one day.
Lynn 😀
I do enjoy rereading but have fallen into the trap of wanting all the new books – and of course I can’t possible keep up. I’m hoping to cut back my review books over the next few months so maybe I’ll be able to fit in some revisits.
Lynn 😀
It’s weird, I just can’t bring myself to reread classics. Too many bad memories of high school Lit I guess 😀
The Hobbit was ruined for me in school – fortunately I put the experience behind me and reread it again not that long ago – it was lovely (but I do prefer LotR).
Lynn 😀
I love Frankenstein. I really want to do a reread of Jane Eyre. I actually hated it as a teen, but I want to see what I’d think of it now.
I’m the opposite, I loved Jane Eyre first time and feel almost scared to tackle it now in case I don’t feel the same. We should both give it a shot.
Lynn 😀
Oh The Hounds of Baskerville was my favorite when I read Sherlock. I think it is that one story that I’ve watched in so many different adaptions before even reading the true story.
Haha – I’ve watched a few adaptations to be honest – I love all the old black and white Sherlock series. They’re so good with all the shadowing.
Lynn 😀