Which Classic Novels Are Actually Worth Your Time?
What was the last classic novel you read?
I recently started to catalogue my books as I read them, strange? Yes, I know- especially considering apps like Goodreads have been as popular as they have been over the past decade. Nevertheless, I have resorted to good old pen and paper listings. Not only does this feed into my time without internet daydreams, it also gives me the endorphins of physically ticking a box.
Are you a big reader of classic novels?
Upon conversations with my friends, I have found that many don’t read classic novels because they seem too… daunting. Which I can assure you, if you are a reader, is not the case. Listen carefully, classics (for all my annotation and dog-ear lovers out there) are a treasure trove of highlightable sentences.
Do you remember the first classic novel you ever read?
Most of us have dabbled in the classic world, whether it be class required reading, a gift and therefore an obligated read, or maybe you are a full fledged fan of timeless novels. My first classic novel was Rebecca, by Daphne De Maurier. I was 11, and 12 years later it still lingers in my mind. The gothic atmosphere freaked me out massively, but (perhaps I’m a bit of a literary masochist) those are often the best kinds of books.
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Are there any classic novels you’ve read recently?
In July I finished The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, and let me tell you, with over 700 pages of concise font, I was glad to be finished. Don’t let that suggest I didn’t enjoy it, it was my second 5/5 read of 2025. I loved it! Published in 1943, Rand writes of her philosophy of Objectivism: an uncompromising defence of self interest as the engine of progress.
‘I love you Dominique, I love you so much that nothing can matter to me- not even you.’
(p.522)
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What are some accessible short classic novels, for non Classic readers?
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson: I will never not recommend this book, it is perfect! It is a mere 182 pages, and the perfect haunted story. I would suggest saving it for your autumn read as it is creepy and fitting for Halloween. I love this novel so much I have read it three times, and each time it gets a solid 5/5.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: First published in 1890, this novel shocked its audience when it was later read aloud in Wilde’s trial, which condemned him with the unjust crime of being a homosexual. The novel itself is beautiful, and a must read for anyone who enjoys aestheticism and gothic literature. I gave this a 4.5/5.
Blood and Guts in Highschool by Cathy Acker: I have always been wary to recommend this book to anyone as it deals with some pretty graphic content, but it was a book just disturbing enough to make me fall in love with it. A voice of post punk feminism, Acker places the perspective in our protagonist Janey as she grows from childhood abuse into a surreal world of gangs, prostitution, and anarchic freedom. Written in an almost hallucinatory way, the writing is both captivating and disturbing, I simply could not put it down. I gave this a 4/5.
What’s your favourite classic novel?
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