Its always hard to come up with a list of best books of the year, so instead I think in terms of the books I have enjoyed most. These may not have been the ‘best’ from literary perspective, but they are the books which have brought me the most joy or spoken to me in some way. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t whittle it down to 5. So these are my top 6. 4 Fiction, 1 non fiction and 1 a bit of both!
Eleanor Oliphant is Completley Fine by Gail Honeyman
I was late getting to the Eleanor Oliphant party, but I’m so glad I made it. This debut novel is original and clever and insightful and beautifully written. Ultimately this is a book about courage and finding joy and happiness against all the odds, whilst also daring to be different. It is also a book about friendship and love and trust and relationships in unexpected places. And I loved it for that and so many other reasons.
The Clockmakers Daughter by Kate Morton is without doubt the book which I have loved above all others. I adored everything about this book, including the beautiful cover. The writing is poetic, and the characters and story utterly engaging. It kept me engaged throughout all of the 582 pages. The ending is just as beautiful as the beginning and I finished it with big splashy tears running down my face.
Bleaker House by Nell Stevens was a joy to read. The story about writing a novel in one of the emotest corners of the world, entertained and inspired me from page 1. This is a novel about self discovery, and loneliness, about survival and about writing even when you don’t know what to write. Anyone who dreams of writing a novel will be drawn to this. A brilliant book about writing, and the self discipline required to make the writing happen.
Cousins by Sally Vickers From the moment I started this I knew it was a contender for my book of the year. I loved this because of the difficult subject matter, and the bonds formed because of one act performed one member of the family to support another member. There are strong female characters and relationships and the fierce loyalty and solidarity between the women in the family was moving and admirable. An interesting and well told story involving complex emotions and strong family ties.
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim This is beautiful in every way and is the book I read whilst dreaming of warm summers in `Italy. A group of mismatched women all seeking to escape their lives descend upon a castle in Italy. The Enchanted April is escapism at its best and the perfect way to forget a dull English winter. I finished this dreaming of how I, like the characters could escape to a pretty castle overlooking an aquamarine ocean.
I am, I am, I am by Maggie O’Farrell So much has born said about this book before but I found it remarkable. This is exactly as the title suggests, an account of the 17 brushes with death that Maggie O’Farrell has had. A brutally honest memoir as Maggie O’Farrell describes some of the worst, the most terrifying but also some of the best times of her life. A helpful reminder that life is very precious and can change in an instant.
As I look back I realise that all of my favourite books this year featured strong independent women as the central characters! I’m rather pleased about that.
What were your favourite reads this year?
