As someone who's trying to achieve a minor in English, I've taken a lot of English classes... and read a lot of books
I love reading; I didn't always, but I can safely say it's been my longest relationship. I love English classes; I didn't always - I definitely didn't always love them - but the English classes I've taken throughout my university career have probably been my favourites. Before you ask why I'm not an English student, I know for a fact that I don't love reading and writing that much.
So, here are some of my favourite books I've read for school. There are a lot that I didn't like, but these were delightful surprises.
You can also check out my Goodreads to keep up with what I've read and what I'm reading!
1. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
 | I read Frankenstein for an 18th Century Literature and Culture English class. Of course, I'd heard about the novel and so on but I never read it because I'm not particularly interested in science fiction, thrillers, or zombies (I thought the monster was basically a zombie). But WHEW, was I wrong! Instead of a zombie, I read about a tragic and intelligent character who yearned for love and acceptance. I was absolutely touched by the monster's story, and so surprised at how human he really is. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Dan Stevens and he is absolutely AMAZING! I will listen to anything he reads! His voices for each character are so distinct and fit perfectly for the characters. He is a perfect audiobook narrator! |
2. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
 | I also read this book for the 18th Century Literature and Culture class. Although I love Jane Austen's novels, I wasn't totally sure that Northanger Abbey would become one of my favourite Austen novels. It's a lot funnier than I expected, and a lot more frustrating than I expected. There are so many misunderstandings and the protagonist's so-called "friends" are not the best for her. I do like the love interest (better than some other Austen heroes), but I've realized he's not as perfect as I originally thought. This book had a different feel from other Austen novels (in my opinion) but it didn't ruin it or affect my interpretation negatively. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emma Naomi and she's great! She has such a lively voice and really put a lot into making it a good performance. |
3. Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang
 | Although not a full book/novel, "Story of Your Life" is an amazing short story. I read it for a Myth and Literature class... and I can't seem to remember what myth this story relates to. I knew nothing about this story or the author, but I'm glad I do now! I think the non-linear storytelling is so well done and clever; I was in the dark until the last sentence! Again, I didn't think I'd enjoy science fiction so much, but I did! I think the story is absolutely perfect and would give a lot to read it again for the first time! I started watching the movie adaptation of the story called Arrival but didn't get very far. My professor told the class about the changes that the movie made from the original and I'm not a fan of them. Maybe I'll give it another try someday. |
4. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
 | Although I didn't read The Secret Garden for a university class, the book was first read to me by my Grade 2 teacher. I was absolutely obsessed; especially after watching the 1993 movie. When I say obsessed, I mean obsessed. I watched that movie religiously for months - maybe even years! I eventually found other obsessions and forgot all about them until I found them again in Grade 11 or 12. There were a lot of things I forgot about (like the racism, depression, grief and abandonment themes in the story) but I also realized and understood a lot of things more since I was older and lived a little bit more. I still find the story sweet and especially nostalgic. I watched the 1993 movie again and cringed at a lot of things (haha), but it was still enjoyable. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Karen Gillan for my second read. She's such a great performer, and I'm so lucky that such a good performance was free! |
5. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (and Zelda Fitzgerald)
 | Again, I didn't read this classic in university; I read it for my Grade 11 English class. This book made me fall in love with English. I felt for the first time, I was really getting and finding the symbolism and the metaphors in writing. I really like the social commentary and how complex the characters are. I also think the glitz and glam of the 1920s (and its seedy underbelly) were a great setting to get thrown into! The imagery was so vivid and the tragedy so unexpected (for me at least). I've soured on the book a bit after I learned F. Scott Fitzgerald plagiarized a lot of lines from his wife, Zelda... Boo. In general, I liked the 2013 adaptation. I wished there was a little bit more jazz music incorporated into the score and soundtrack. I'm a huge fan of Carey Mulligan but her portrayal of Daisy wasn't exactly what I imagined either. A portrayal that was perfect in my opinion was Elizabeth Debicki as Jordan. Not only did the fit perfectly into the 1920s silhouette, but her performance was coy and calculating too! |
6. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
 | Okay, this is the last book that I read in high school! I read The Little Prince in its native French for my Grade 12 French class. It was... a tough read to say the least. However, I loved it! It seems so simple and innocent but it's so philosophical and touching. I cried (somewhat) French tears while reading the end! I sob like a baby whenever I watch the 2015 adaptation... throughout the entire movie too. |
7. The Fatal Marriage by Thomas Southerne
 | Soo, this is not a book/novel but it's a play. But I'm going to count it anyways. I read "The Fatal Marriage" for the 18th Century Literature and Culture class and I really liked it! Reading plays isn't something I usually choose to do but I'm glad I read it! I think it's so tragic and one of the characters is in such an impossible position. I have no idea what I would do either. The comedic storyline was a bit odd, if I'm honest but I don't think it ruined the play. I would love to see a stage performance of this! |
8. The Rover by Aphra Behn
 | "The Rover" is another play I read for the 18th Century Literature and Culture class. The ending isn't my favourite - it made me quite mad, actually - but it was still a good read. I love one of the main character's spunk and the other's gentleness, I'm just sad that she was put through such awful things. My professor showed a trailer for a production of the show in the UK and it looks like such a fun and vibrant show! A totally different feel from just reading it! Because of seeing the trailer, I want to see a performance SO badly! |
9. De Monfort by Joanna Baillie
 | OKAY, OKAY! This is the last play from the 18th Century Literature and Culture class! If you notice my very short Goodreads review: "really interesting, I liked it better than I thought," then you'll know that I liked the play better than I thought! I initially thought it was about the thoughts of a grumpy old man who hates the world... and it kind of is but with more substance and depth. The question of if you can still love your family if they're a murderer is very interesting, intriguing and handled well. I think addressing the idea of grudges and how two people can have totally different perspectives of the same world was so cool to see too! Again, I'd love to see this on stage and see Joanna Baillie's work get more recognition. |
10. The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative by Thomas King
 | Okay, so, this isn't technically a book either, but a collection of Massey Lectures. I read this collection for an Introduction to Non-Fiction Class. I'm not too keen on non-fiction, but this class changed my mind a bit! This book was the first thing we read and I immediately felt how wrong I was about the genre. I think Thomas King's lectures are brilliant, just brilliant. They're so raw, vulnerable, thought-provoking and educational. Although I haven't heard him speak, he seems so well-spoken and like such a great speaker. I really don't have much to say, but I really loved reading these lectures/essays. I really wish to hear him speak in person someday! |
I really love all these pieces of literature I've read for school. In some way, they've changed me in the best way. I hope you're inspired to read at least one of them, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
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