Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Every Tuesday, you pick ten books on that week’s topic. This week, we are looking at favorite book settings.
1 / Mythological Fantasy
e.g. Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold, The Broken Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
2 / Scotland
e.g. Witch of the Glens by Sally Watson, Macbeth by Shakespeare
3 / Medieval Europe
e.g. House of Niccolo Series by Dorothy Dunnett, Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
4 / Comedies of Manners / Social Satire
e.g. Quick Service by P.G. Wodehouse, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
5 / Science versus Religion
e.g. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, The Alleluia Files by Sharon Shinn
6 / Gothic Historical (Castle) Mysteries
e.g. Kenilworth by Walter Scott, The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales by Edgar Allan Poe
7 / Books about the Fae
The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope, October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire
8 / Retellings about King Arthur & Knights of the Round Table
e.g. The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf by Gerald Morris, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
9 / Found Families
e.g. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
10 / Folktale Retellings / Folktale Symbolism
e.g. Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor, Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
… And if you have any recommendations on the above settings, be sure to send them my way, please! 🙂
30 replies on “Favorite Book Settings”
Jonathon Strange & Mr Norrell is at the top of my TBR list. I’m very intrigued by the premise! Also, if you love King Arthur retellings, you should totally check out Legendborn. It is not exactly a retelling of the myth, but it incorporates it uniquely. Great list!
Thanks! I’ll check out Legendborn. 🙂 And Jonathan Strange is a long book, but the results are worth it.
Great picks! Many unique settings that I haven’t seen mentioned at all today. I would definitely love to read more books with a mythological setting and of course, fairytale settings are always a win for me!
We think alike! From this list, mythological settings and fairytale settings are my own favorites too.
I loved Kalayna Price’s Alex Craft books, set in a mortal world that borders directly on Fairie. I’d move there in a heartbeat!
Lori
https://fiftytwo.blog/2021/10/11/ttt-favorite-book-settings/
Ooh, nice. I don’t think I’ve tried this Urban Fantasy series. Thanks, will look it up!
The Sparrow was such a good read.
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-favourite-book-settings/
A spectacular read, but also so harrowing 🙁
Great list! I do enjoy King Arthur stories, and Gothic castles.
My TTT: https://bookwyrmknits.com/2021/10/12/top-ten-tuesday-favorite-book-settings/
Gothic castles are the best!
I fully agree with all of these. LOVE THEM!
Birds of a feather… 🙂
Oh so many good ones! 🙂
Thanks! It was fun collating this list.
Yes to Scotland and Europe as well. Also books about the fae. I should really read the October Daye books.
I loved James and the Giant Peach as a kid even though I hardly remember it now!
Same here, Dahl was a favorite growing up. And I really hope you try out the October Daye series, it’s sooo good.
Brilliant list, Lex.
I might have some recommendations for you:
The Pillars of the Earth etc. by Ken Follett and Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones and some more medieval books in my link.
Thanks for visiting my TTT earlier which took me around the world to thirteen countries.
Cathedral of the Sea sounds great. Thanks, I’ll check it out!
I’ve got another Scotland one for you! City of Ghosts. I’m a cheat and will be punished, but I couldn’t wait to start with my audiobook choice for Fraterfest. So I started with City of Ghosts while driving to school today. Set in Edinburgh.
Yea to Gothic Castles all the way!
Wow, City of Ghosts sounds amazing! Set in Scotland + Spooky? Yes! Let me get my hands on it. Thanks Mareli. 🙂
Definitely some fun places here!
All part of my travel list, haha!
I also really love books about the fae and found family stories!
Found families make for the perfect feel-good books (and shows)!
The Sparrow was indeed a good read but SO disturbing. I persuaded my book group to read it and brought my mother to help jump start the discussion but some could not get past the SFish elements.
Not sure I knew you liked Perilous Gard – what an awesome book! Too bad she only wrote two.
Did you know Sally Watson is still alive and writing?
I didn’t know Watson was still writing! But yes, we have talked about Sparrow and Perilous Gard before, and I totally agree with your thoughts on both books.
Such a cool list. What is it about gothic castle settings that is just so interesting right? Have you ever read the Brother Cadfael mystery series? I’ve only read one but did watch the television production of those and they were so good.
Ooh, I’ve seen a few episodes of Brother Cadfael too! Never read the books, but you just reminded me I should complete the show.
I love your list – and you’ve reminded me that I need to catch up with my Toby Daye books.
Lynn 😀
It *is* such a great series, but I just realized we are into Book 15. Book 15! I love the series but I’m wondering how and when it will close.