A snowbound weekend is the perfect time to find the book or series that will carry you through to Spring.
For me, winter reading requires a novel with enough grit for a deep dive. Now more than ever, I admit to my use of literature as an escape hatch, and I would love to share my escape routes with you – so I’m offering a few suggestions ranging from classics to fantasy and more:
Herman Melville’s Moby Dick – I’ve always wanted to read it, and it’s actually very readable! I have to admit that when I got to a passage that spent dozens of pages describing the biology of the sperm whale (I think it was the sperm whale), I gave up. This was a few years ago; maybe it’s time to pick it up again. I’ll keep you posted.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude – I had heard that the book was difficult to navigate and very – well – very big. Challenge on! I was engrossed in a story that is laced with magic as it shows us the seven generations of a Colombian family. If you want to start a quality read that will keep you engrossed while the snow flies, this is the book for you.
Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” – the series which includes The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass is a perfect winter choice; it’s complex and original, with worlds that almost match our own.
Any of the mystery / gothic series posted on my Series page would be great winter reading material. (Hover on the Series link in our red main menu and chose any of the series from the dropdown.) You could start with the Amelia Peabody series – Amelia’s world is the furthest removed from our present circumstances, and all of the characters are witty and mildly unscrupulous (but good at heart).
Do you have a go-to winter read? Feel free to share in a comment.