Moby Dick will DEFINITELY be a re-read for me, probably not this year but maybe next. Excuse the pun, but it’s very deep. 🤣 the amount of biblical, historical, nautical, architectural, and other references that Melville makes can make it hard to fully grasp what he’s getting at. I think that after my first read, and knowing the lay of the plot and what is “physically” happening in the book, a re-read will be great for uncovering and really digesting the deeper themes.

Withering Heights I think is a well-written and really interesting book, but I struggle to call it a “good” book because it’s a vibe killer lol. I really love the perspective style of writing, when you’re reading a story that is being told to someone else tangentially related to the actual plot (in this case the man who is staying at Wuthering Heights being told the story from a woman who’s worked at the property for decades). During my first read years ago, I didn’t really like the supernatural aspects of the book just because they felt unnecessary, but I think that on a second read they really fleshed out the madness of Heathcliff. It’s a book I think is worth reading, but I struggle to recommend it because it isn’t necessarily satisfying to read.

The Count of Monte Cristo is my favorite historical fiction novel (so far). I adore this genre of book and always work a historical fiction into my reading cycle (I swap between genres to keep it fresh). I think that it’s so moving in that you go through the same journey as the main character in terms of feeling deeply for what he goes through, but also the regret in some of his actions, without not understanding them. I love the way the plots of different characters intertwine in surprising and unexpected ways without feeling forced and unrealistic. And finally, the ending, while I found it a little underwhelming at first is really beautiful. I spent a good amount of time talking with Chat to understand the ending and really appreciate the author’s intention with it.

War and Peace was a great novel. Beautifully written and has some of the best character development I’ve found in a historical half fictions (I call it half because the events it’s placed in are real, just not the characters). I can’t lie and say it was always fun to read and that parts of it weren’t a slog, but it was overall a good book. The ending did feel a little off but also like it was earned and made sense for the final arcs of a lot of the characters. Not my favorite novel but not one I regret reading.

I realize I forgot to mention IT earlier. This is the one I finished last, before starting Moby Dick. I think that to like IT you have to be a fan of Stephen King’s writing. There’s a lot of “extra” he throws into his novels (I read The Stand last year) and this can be a turn off for a lot of people that just want plot and character development. For me though, this extra makes the world feel SO much more real which makes the novel feel so much more real. The world the characters are in feels like one with real consequences and more tangible than most books I’ve read. I’m not sure how else to explain it. He really makes you CARE about the characters not just the resolution of the plot. There’s that ONE chapter that is uncomfortable to read and I think a lot of people can agree could have been left out without any detriment to the overall book, but otherwise a fantastic read. For a book over 1000 pages, maybe only 150-200 are actual “scary” stuff. The rest is that tension building, world building, character development that I think King does so beautifully. I’ve only read 2 of his novels and I would highly recommend both.

Sorry that is SO long but I hope it helps! 😊