plottwist

Mary Shelley

The Geneva and Alpine settings are characters themselves. Shelley's descriptions of nature are sublime.

Herman Melville

Better as an audiobook. The language is meant to be heard. It has a biblical rhythm to it.

J. P. Steed

This book saved me as a teenager. It told me someone understood. That's what great literature does.

Bram Stoker

Gothic literature at its peak. Every horror writer since owes a debt to this novel.

Matt Haig

Enjoyed it but felt the ending was predictable. The journey was more interesting than the destination.

Charlotte Brontë

Some dated elements but Jane's spirit transcends her era. She would thrive in any century.

Emily Brontë

The second generation story mirrors and redeems the first. Brilliant structural choice.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

A masterclass in showing vs telling. The symbolism is rich without being heavy-handed.

Herman Melville

Took me three attempts to finish it. On the third try, everything clicked and I understood the hype.

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Reading it in the original Spanish was a revelation. So much wit gets lost in translation.