Can anyone suggest some books for my niece, please?

32 replies

MiddleAgeMiddleEngland · 27/08/2013 13:15

She's just 18, a rather quiet and studious girl (she's lovely!) and she wants to find some new authors.

She's read a lot of Victorian literature, Dickens, Hardy, Brontes, etc, but wants to read something a bit more modern. No scifi, no horror, no fantasy.

She has enjoyed The Curious Incident, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Mr Pip, and a few others. I think she'd like to find a new author rather than individual books if that makes sense, although not necessarily a series.

Any suggestions would be fantastic, thank you. I'm planning to take her book shopping next week.

OP posts:

highlandcoo · 27/08/2013 17:43

What about Rose Tremain? Music and Silence would be a good one to start with.

I love Ann Patchett, and would recommend Bel Canto and State of Wonder in particular.

Philip Hensher's The Northern Clemency, although set in Sheffield in the 70s, is reminiscent of a Victorian or Edwardian novel in its detailed exploration of character and setting . I really enjoyed it.

Also, Jonathan Coe is great. What A Carve Up! is a political satire which she might enjoy.

MrsMongoose · 27/08/2013 14:04

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green! Has been too of the New York Times Bestseller list for over a year, for good reason.

EstelleGetty · 27/08/2013 13:56

If she's read Jane Eyre, she might well like Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. It was written in 1966, and is kind of a prequel to JE, written from the perspective of the first Mrs Rochester. It's a brilliantly told story. I read it when I was your DN's age, and it made me think a lot about women's rights, mental health and colonialism. Rhys's short stories (there are great collections called Smile, Please and Sleep it off, Lady) are fantastic.

For contemporary, she could look at Ian McEwan? I always find his books impossible to put down. They're usually such gripping stories, very elegantly written. Enduring Love, The Cement Garden and The Innocent are brilliant. His latest, Sweet Tooth, was very good too.

Amelie Nothomb's Fear and Trembling (1999), and The Life of Hunger (2004) are very good books I read when I was around 18 too. Beautifully written and lots of good stuff for a young woman to reflect on! Turning into my mum

ChimeForChange · 27/08/2013 13:49

Khaled Hosseini - A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner. Both quite deep books, I laughed, smiled, cried! Very good

ChimeForChange · 27/08/2013 13:46

Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche - her third novel was released this year which I'm yet to read but Half of a Yellow Sun and Purple Hibiscus were great so I have high hopes!

ChimeForChange · 27/08/2013 13:44

The 100 year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

Clawdy · 27/08/2013 13:42

I think she would love anything by Jane Gardam or Barbara Trapido.

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