As students with hectic schedules, we often forget the simple joys in life. For me, it’s reading. During my busy schedule, a healthy escape is to get lost in a great novel and appreciate the literary works that are highly regarded. Whether you read or not, anyone can pick up a book and suddenly become enthralled with the words on the créme pages. Throughout 2024, I have read over fifteen books of all genres, and if you want to get into reading, this article may have the one for you. Here are the top six books I’ve read this year.
“The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath
“The Bell Jar” is a literary classic and novel by Sylvia Plath. It symbolizes mental illness and underlines the oppressive patriarchal nature of what it’s like to be a woman in the 1950s. The protagonist, Esther Greenwood, is a college student who dreams of becoming a poet. Throughout the story, Greenwood faces encroaching mental illness and enters a psych ward while navigating an identity crisis and having trouble finding her sense of self.
This novel is a literary classic relatable to young adults navigating life and trying to find themselves. It’s a raw and honest look into mental health and being a woman in a man’s world. As someone who has had mental health issues in the past, I found that I related a lot to the protagonist and the fig tree metaphor. I highly recommend reading it; it may be difficult if you aren’t an avid reader, but it is worth the shot.
“Women Don’t Owe You Pretty” by Florence Given
This feminist, progressive book discusses body image, toxic beauty standards and self-esteem issues. It is hard to put down and discuss the dated narratives issued by the patriarchy. The novel helps to push out negative projections and insecurities. This book inspires women to be their authentic selves and defy the social norms society expects of us.
“Tender Is The Flesh” by Agustina Bazterrica
“Tender is the Flesh” depicts a dark, dystopian society in which a virus contaminates all animal meat, and society turns to cannibalism. Protagonist Marcos is a human meat supplier and navigates his issues and past trauma living in this strange new society. This horror novel was often complex to read; it made me feel disgusted yet enthralled by what is regarded as normal in this post-pandemic world. However, this may only be the case for some in a book that portrays humans as products or meat. This book can sometimes be so gross that it puts me in the “gross but can’t look away” scenario. However, I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the details implemented. !
“Serial Killers and Mass Murderers” by Nigel Cawthorne
This book may be for you if you’re a true crime lover. Cawthorne takes the reader into the true stories of some of the most notorious crimes serial killers have committed around the world. He dives into the gruesome details of infamous serial killers such as Richard Ramirez, Marylin Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, and plenty more. As a true crime lover, I was personally hooked throughout the book; I learned about criminals who aren’t as famous and have done some insane things. My favorite read of 2024 would be this one. It may be gruesome, with many significant details about each crime committed, so I would read cautiously since there isn’t a trigger warning.
“The Woman In The Window” by A. J. Finn
This thriller brings on the fall/cold weather vibe. Set in New York, Anna Fox, a once well-known child psychologist, is agoraphobic and under a significant amount of stress and medications. The book starts slow but has several twists and turns toward the end. As an avid reader and lover of thriller novels, this book was interesting, even if it dragged the storyline to the end, following the decline of the protagonist’s mental health. If you like sudden twists and turns, then this may be the book for you. If you prefer movies over books, I recommend watching the film with Amy Adams on Netflix.
“The Institution” By Stephen King
This may be your book if you are into horror and science fiction. It is quite entertaining, even for someone who does not often read science fiction novels. It’s a super tense thriller that was often hard to put down. Don’t be swayed by the length and thickness of the book, “The Institution” was a swift read and very engaging. 12-year-old boy genius Luke Ellis is kidnapped from his home after his parents are murdered, and he wakes up in an institution where children of all ages are subjected to intense experiments and tormented by the workers. Stephen King did well with this novel. It was very entertaining and had me on the edge of my seat. This may be the best of King’s newer books, and I highly recommend this novel to those interested in his recent work.
As you finish classes and have plenty of free time, consider picking up a novel or two. You never know what you may find at your local library or bookstore. In the age of social media, there are so many ways to clog up your free time, but nothing compares to the satisfaction of reading a great piece of literature and curling up in front of the fireplace during the winter season.
