Each year, I try to keep a written record of all the books I have read so that I can look back and reminisce about all of the amazing novels and non-fiction texts I had the pleasure of getting stuck into over those 12 months. For 2023, I kept this list in my Moleskine student planner, repurposing the world map of dream destinations into a 'reading journal'. All of my top ten reads (and the eleventh bonus read- how could I choose just ten?!) come from this list, which included around 70 books, ranging from Golden Age detective fiction, YA rom-coms, historical fiction and Gothic short stories. Here they are!
My top ten reads of 2023
The Night Ship by Jess Kidd 4.5 stars
Call me by your name by Andre Aciman 4.7 stars
Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie 4.0 stars
What writers read edited by Pandora Sykes 5.0 stars
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 4.8 stars
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins-Reid 4.8 stars
Gwen and Art are not in love by Lex Croucher 5.0 stars
Virago Press 'Furies' short story collection 5.0 stars
Now she is Witch by Kirsty Logan 4.9 stars
The Fraud by Zadie Smith 4.8 stars
They both die at the end by Adam Silvera 4.8 stars
Out of my top ten reads, here is some more about my three five-star picks:
What writers read (edited by Pandora Sykes)
This non-fiction gem is a must-read for any budding wordsmith! Collated by Pandora Sykes, 35 writers contribute a short piece on a book which shaped them as a person, influenced their writing or simply brought them comfort- ranging from Elif Shafak and Jojo Moyes to Caleb Azumah Nelson and Naoise Dolan, this collection is a vibrant and fascinating celebration of the power of books, a concept which really resonated with me. The book's format makes it one to dip into whenever you have a spare moment, but I was so enthralled by this insight into the minds of authors that I ended up reading it from cover to cover! I felt a deep emotional connection with the book and its exploration of the different ways in which books show up for us in our lives, and how important the dissemination of literature is for helping people see themselves represented, being open to having their world view changed and anchoring people during challenging life periods. The books chosen by the authors were often picked for the memories they conjured up of who they used to be and the lives they used to live; this again really resonated with me, as it shows that what we read doesn't matter in terms of genre or literary status, but that the true meaning of books comes from their power to enhance our lives in ways we may only understand in years to come- it is less about the book, and more about what it taught us about ourselves or what societal values it allowed us to quietly rebel against so that we could shape our own beliefs and come into our full potential. What writers read made me fall in love with books all over again, and the humourous, sad and unfailingly interesting anecdotes have stayed with me ever since I finished it.
Gwen and Art are not in love by Lex Croucher
The second book of my top three is very different to the first but no less brilliant. Gwen and Art are not in love is a historical YA rom-com with a twist. Set in the medieval world of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Art is about to be crowned king and marry Gwen, whom he has been engaged to ever since childhood. Neither can stand the other, and what's more, Art has a crush on a boy and Gwen has a crush on a girl. They form a pact to pretend to fall in love with one another to cover up for their queer preferences, and chaos ensues. I usually steer clear of rom-coms as I can't stand the cringeworthy jokes and flirting, however the historical element of this one swayed me. I loved both Gwen and Art as protagonists, their charisma and banter leap off the page, making for an exciting edge-of-your-seat adventure. The discussions around queerness felt very authentic, and definitely resonated with me, as they would with many LGBTQ+ people, no matter what stage of their journey they are at. This book brought me comfort and cheered me up during a difficult time, which I think is why it has stayed with me so much (that, and the niche but hilarious burns provided by the characters throughout!) Although the medieval setting isn't much explored in fiction, especially in YA books, it worked for so many reasons, giving the whole book a timeless quality much like that found in the popular feminist Greek mythology retellings. Gwen and Art are not in love brought a smile to my face, whilst providing much needed representation and a super fun narrative which had me rooting for everyone; I can't wait to read Lex Croucher's new novel, out in May 2024!
Virago Press 'Furies' short story collection
My final five-star read of this year has to be Furies, the 50th anniversary short story collection published by the feminist imprint Virago. Each story reclaims a misogynist slur to celebrate what it is to be a woman, amplifying voices from around the world throughout history. The feisty tone threaded across all of the stories ties the collection together, and makes for an empowering read. What I really gained from reading Furies was an insight into what binds women together, but also the knowledge that feminism runs much deeper than simply affording women equal rights. The book covers so many different life experiences and cultures, and each of the protagonists in the stories faces a unique kind of oppression, from racism to ageism to transphobia; there is no one definition of what it means to be a woman, and therefore there is no one definition of feminism and how to enact it. Feminism in this collection is about removing barriers and prejudice so that all women are recognised for who they are, regardless of how they express their femininity; it is about a union of voices campaigning for freedom and the right to exist, caveat free. This really opened up an idea of feminism for me which went beyond the white-dominated call for domestic and professional equality that I had seen before. The collection made me excited for the ongoing feminist movement within the publishing industry- I have always been fascinated by the history of Virago Press as a trailblazing publisher, and so I loved getting stuck into the narratives collated here and learning more about Virago's ethos/mission along the way. Furies is galvanising, fun and thought-provoking: there's not much more I can say other than read it!
That's all for my top ten reads of 2023; I hope you enjoyed seeing what I chose, and I can't wait to read even more amazing books next year!
Commentaires