Bookish: Top 5 Tuesday – A-B-C-D-E

Hello everyone!

Shanah @ Bionic Book Worm has gone with another themed topic for July’s Top 5 and it’s all about the alphabet! Phew – something I can handle!

This may seem like an easy feat but those letters are probably going to get harder as we move through the weeks. Not every book will be one I’ve read but could be one that I hope to read or, because I think I will eventually struggle, anything that I can find with that particular letter!

Without further adieu…

Alice in Wonderland is one of the most iconic books of all times and although a children’s book it holds strong appeal to adults. It also lends itself to film, TV, video game and other book adaptations – some of which hold onto the whimsy of the original and others which go very dark indeed.

Memorable characters and the most spectacular and bizarre setting to be found in any published book has made this a firm favourite for many, including me.

I have to confess – I don’t like Birdsong. However it was the very first book that popped into my head when thinking of a book for ‘b’ and so I guess it’s sunk into my brain and won’t leave.

I studied this for months and had to write lengthy essays on it for my A Level English Literature course as one module was all about World War I literature. Objectively speaking I know it’s a good, well written book that deserves all the literary praise it gets but the fact that a) I don’t like books about war, b) we had to read it over and over and in great depth and c) it was incredibly depressing has made me not like it much.

Face facts – Neil Gaiman is my favourite writer so a few of his books are likely to appear on this list.

Coraline is a twisted Alice in Wonderland and is fabulous for it. This is a delightfully creepy story for children involving a small, strange door, a talking cat and an ‘Other Mother’ with buttons for eyes. Friggin’ awesome.

If you haven’t watched the movie I would suggest you do so because it is a brilliant adaptation and *whispers* I think I prefer it to the book.

This is a blast from my past. Even the cover. The Demon Headmaster was published before I was even born but I remember it being read to me in primary school as part of reading hour. That’s where we all sat cross legged on the mat and listened to the teacher read.

I loved reading hour and I loved this book. Essentially it’s about a headmaster with a serious desire for control and world domination and an unfortunate gift for mass hypnosis. However his plans are foiled by a band of plucky kids who call themselves SPLAT (Society for the Protection of our Lives Against Them) who are immune to his manipulations.

Another book on the list that I don’t exactly adore but thought I would put on because I’m trying to provide a variety of genres/ categories!

I am not a massive fan of Ian McEwan. You know I totally get that he’s an award winning literary author but I guess I don’t adore literary fiction and I never really care if something’s won awards. Enduring Love popped into my mind because I’ve just finished reading another book about love, obsession and stalking and this book is pretty much all those things to the max.

Any thoughts on the books that I’ve selected? Do you love them, hate them or feel an overwhelming sense of ‘bleh’ about any of them?

I shall see you next week for letters F – J!