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 books we wish we could re-read as if for the first time.
Come to think of it, this is a rather difficult topic. I thought of books that had lost their sparkle? Perhaps because I grew older, or perhaps because I already know what happens in the end. Most mysterious! So here I am, trying to figure out a list. With reasons.
1/ Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie. I loved the audiobook version way back in 2013, but have not revisited this since then. I think I worry that it may not be as good this time around.
2/ Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. I love Mantel’s portrayal of Tudor history, so well-researched, so brilliantly written. Yet, I’m not sure I’d read this again at 653 pages.
3/ Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott. Everyone knows Alcott’s Little Women, but Eight Cousins for a younger audience is wonderful. I wish I could go back to 14 (?) and read this all over again.
4/ The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. My memory is hazy about this one. But I think my 8-year old self loved this book by Blyton the most. Ahem, especially all the picnic food they used to eat.
5/ Anything by Thomas Hardy. Hardy’s work is so emotive, so realistic. But seriously, he was also Tragedy King. I know I’m not going to read those again, I know it will end in tears.
6/ Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. This is a beautiful book. The audiobook was even better — the whole story still stands out in my mind, which (unfortunately) means I can postpone the re-reading a bit.
7/ The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells. I think this was my gateway necromancy book. (Yes, there is such a thing.) A good book, but not sure how much re-reading potential.
8/ The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss. You know, I used to write (really bad) fanfiction on this when I was kid. I wish I could go back and re-discover the castaway magic of this one.
9/ Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. I think I was melted by this star-crossed affair when I first read it. But over time, my awe for this one has seriously dwindled. An unpopular opinion, I suppose.
10/ And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. Such a superb mystery, mixed with some superb psychoanalysis IMHO. But the first read means I already know who did it. Er, not the butler!
Well, there’s my list! Which books do you wish you could read again for the first time?
36 replies on “Ten Books To Re-Read (Or Not)”
I haven’t read any of these books except Romeo & Juliet which I really just don’t like and I’ve never found it romantic at all. I still think Romeo is a bit of a wimp in how he died but that’s an opinion.
I tried reading one of Thomas Hardy’s books once but it was so depressing…
I agreed with you that some books are just not meant to be re-read. I think when you’re a kid or a teenager, books are more exciting than when you’re an adult but mostly because every book is new to you while as an adult, you sort of know too much and that kind of ruin some books, at least, for me. There are certain books I read when I was young that when read today, I wouldn’t have enjoyed them now.
Have a lovely day.
Yes! I hear you on Romeo. Gah, what a mess that story/ play is.
I’ve never read Eight Cousins. Someday I should!
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-wish-i-could-read-again-for-the-first-time/
If you like(d) Anne of Green Gables, I think you’ll like Eight Cousins and its sequel.
Gateway necromancy book? Sounds like a unique read! Plus, after Murderbot I’ve been wanting to read some of Martha Wells backlist. I’ll have to pick that one up.
That’s the book where I first heard about Martha Wells. I still have to try out her Raksura series, but Death of the Necromancer was wonderful steampunk fun (the first time!).
I need to give her Raksura series a try one of these days, I keep looking at it…
I’ve never read any of Agatha Christie’s work! I need to fix that. Here is my Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
There are some wonderful movie/ TV versions for And Then There Were None. See if you’d like to begin there with Christie!
Here’s a funny: I read And Then There Were None years and years ago; it was my first Agatha Christie and I really enjoyed it. Then, just a few years ago, I decided to read it again. And I sort of remembered the twist, but not who the murderer was! So, it was like I was reading it again for the first time. 😀
Now that worked out pretty well! I’m wondering if that would be the case for me too with other Christie books? Worth a try!
Great list! I share your opinion about Romeo and Juliet. As a teenager, I found the story a bit uncomfortable. Juliet was supposed to be, what, 14? And she was willing to commit suicide over a guy she knew for what, 2 minutes? No thanks!
When you get the chance, I hope you stop over at my blog and take a read: https://readbakecreate.com/10-books-i-would-love-to-see-as-a-movie/
Eeps, I’d quite forgotten the age part! And I remember they used to pick up that play during school (almost) every year too, it’s like Shakespeare wrote nothing else.
I loved Swiss Family Robinson as a kid. I read it on a trip to Florida and it’s one of those books where memories of time and place are indelibly intertwined with that book… 🙂
I really should read some Christie!
Seriously!? I’m so happy to meet another fan of Swiss Family Robinson. I used to be so crazy about that book, my fanfic was called French Family Flaminson. Bwahaha. 😂
That is awesome. 🙂
Ah you’re reminding me I still haven’t read Ancillary Mercy! 😂 It was on my August TBR but I’ve been reading very slowly this month so I doubt I will get to it in the next few days…
Haha. I remember chatting about that with you! Maybe we’ll end up re/ reading it around the same time. 😃
Spinning Silver was a big favourite of mine.
Likewise, it’s a great book!
I loved the TV series of ‘And then there were none’ but wish I’d read the book first! And I think I liked the Wolf Hall books but couldn’t make my mind up, doubt I’d read them again though either.
There’s a great TV adaptation of Wolf Hall too. Might be worth a try instead!
Reading Ancillary Justice again was worth it. Parts of it I didn‘t remember, so that was a bit like reading it for the first time.
Yes! I remember us chatting about that during your recent Reverse Readathon (I think that was the term?). I only remember Breq’s characterization, such a wonderful hero.
I’ve got Death of the Necromancer on my “soon” list and I’m very excited for it.
That sounds awesome! I remember it being on the longer side, but it has some great scenes and an amazing plot. (As far as I can remember.)
I thought about doing this topic – it is an interesting one because I do have some books over the years that I’ve reread and loved – I think they would probably be on my list because I’d like to experience that feeling of overpowering love for the story and writing, to feel that again for the first time rather that the feeling of revisiting an old friend. So, Rebecca, Jane Eyre, Lord of the Rings, etc.
Lynn 😀
You’re right! Rebecca and Jane Eyre would have been perfect for this list– and LOTR too. It was a difficult topic alright. I had to wrack my brains a lot over this one actually.
And then there were none just missed my final list. It is the best Agatha Christie and I have actually read and saw the BBC adaptation more than once, but now you KNOW what happens. Not quite the same as reading it for the first time, no.
Spinning Silver is still on my TBR list. Romeo & Juliet – nope, won’t read it again. Just watch all the remakes and read all the “based on”…
I haven’t spoken to you in a couple of weeks, I do hope you are well! Things are good here, it’s been a bit crazy, but not crazy enough to warrant any complaints.
Halo! My reading slump shows very little signs of going away, and I have really *struggled* to blog at all. Thanks for checking on me, and hope all fares well with you!
I totally hear you on And then there were none… and all those retellings of R&J out there. But I envy you — the first reading experience with Spinning Silver is to be savored, esp. if you can get the audiobook. 🙂
I haven’t read any of these except the Agatha Christie one.
In that case, I do hope you’ll try Spinning Silver, which is such a gem of a book.
I don’t know about rereading Wolf Hall, but I might have to rewatch the miniseries adaptation. 🙂
That’s actually a great idea! 🙂
I love your list! “Anything” by Thomas Hardy? For the moment I thought there was a book by Hardy I haven’t heard of! I also want to re-read The Swiss Family Robinson, and I guess re-reading And Then There Were None will never match that first read!
Haha, sorry about “Anything” — but I did mean any and all of his works! Swiss Family Robinson was so good — I had an illustrated edition and they went adventuring with all sorts of iguanas and tree-houses etc. <3