Saturday, October 18, 2014

List Land #4: 10 Classic Literature Books That We Loved

Classic Literature has been loved by millions of people around the world, every country has its own form of classics that people study in college and in high schools, they read after they graduate and many more have gotten their inspiration for writing books, music and poetry. In this list we will present 10 books that we loved and read over and over again.

Dracula by Bram Stoker
(Efterpi)

Vampires. What I always loved and conceived as something mystical, dark and completely scary. This book did it for me and, although, it was not unfortunately the first book with vampires I ever read it is by far my favorite. Why? Well, the writing itself is so dark and descriptive with a lot of gothic elements in it that made the reading experiece something I have never experienced before. Vampires should be something scary, something dark ,something like Anne;s Rice Vampire Chronicles not so much as Stephanie Meyer's vampires. If you take in mind that this work of fiction was an original and probably the first book that was written back in the day about vampires, the feeling that you get is pure excitement, all at least for me.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
(Efterpi)

Romeo and Juliet was one of the first classic literature books that I read because of school. To be honest when we did the original text I kind of hated it because I couldn't understand much. Then, years later I read it with a nice translation and interpetation so I came to ultimately love this piece of art. The fact that there was also a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio helped a lot (the movie sucked though), but yeah. 


Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
(Efterpi)

It is a truth universally acknowledged that I love romantic books and pride and prejudice is my all time favorite. It is the love stories of all love stories (mmm maybe but one), and Jane Austen with her humor and wit created a story that lasted for 200 years. A book that inspired so many authors out there to write their own books and made girl swoon over Mr. Darcy (who by the way is not your ordinary lovey dovey guy). I don't think I have to say more.


Persuasion by Jane Austen
(Sharon)

Out of all Jane's books this one is my favourite. Anne, the heroine, is one of the best characters Jane Austen has ever written. She's older than the rest of Jane's heroine and therefore she is much more mature. She knows who she is. The romance is much more mature and Anne faces her choices much more easily using her experience. She knows what she wants.  


Sense and sensibility by Jane Austen
(Sharon)

This is my second favourite of Jane's books. I loved Elinor and Marianne and how they both had sense and sensibility. Between the two sisters Marianne is my favourite of her outgoing and passionate personality. What I love most about Jane's works is that while being romance books their messages still resonate with readers nowadays.

Emma by Jane Austen
(Sharon)

When Jane created Emma she said she's well aware that she created a character most people will not like. As far as flawed characters go Emma is one of the most flawed and unlikable there are, yet, I love her with all my heart. I think that in many ways most of us have an "Emma moments" every so often. It's those times when despite our ideals and things we say we believe in we keep on meddling in other peoples lives. Where it doesn't matter how open-minded a mother is she still wants her daughter to marry someone from a well breed family with old roots, and she won't be that welcoming of the artist with the sorrow filled eyes her daughter brought to dinner.


Northanger Abby by Jane Austen
(Sharon)

Many would say, and I'll agree, that Northanger Abby is one of Jane's lesser works. Still, I remember being in a horrible reading slump when I picked up this book. And I remember being so engrossed in it I couldn't put it down. I finished it in a matter of 3 hours (!!). This book that has a non memorable heroine. This book where the Hero falls in love with her simply because she loves him. This book that laughs at the heavy gothic books of the time. Personally, I think Jane always knew that romance is one of the greatest genres. And in her books, beside criticizing society and it's faults (all with deep love and understanding) she also criticized those that mocked romance and appreciate the more serious gothic books filled with misery and seriousness.


Little women by Louisa May Alcott
(Sharon)

How could one not love little women? The story of 4 sisters and their mother and where life lead them. This one was a classic I had a little hard time reading at first but somewhere it picked up and I enjoyed seeing each of the sisters grow up and find her own path. And how different they all were!


Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster 
(Sharon)

I think there has never been a heroine more lovely and cheerfull than the one in Daddy Long Legs. She's smart and naive and kind and cheerfull and a little selfish and I couldn't help but love ehr and the romance in here. This is one book to "lift you up" on a rainy day. 


Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
(Sharon)

While I hated Withering Heights written by Charlotte's sister I found this one to be mystical, Jane's personality combined with Charlotte's writing created an interesting, dark and mystical plot which easily made it one of the classics I loved and enjoy reading. 

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