What I’m Reading This Fall
If a book wants to make it onto my ‘To Read Shelf’ toward the end of the year, I’m going to need it to be either:
- Cosy and cheerful
- Cold, dark and brooding
Bonus points for settings that evoke falling orange leaves and chilly forest walks.
Here’s what I’m reading this autumn:
Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
For English countryside with a good amount of menacing fairy folk, Lud-in-the-Mist is our next stop. Mirlees’ first and only fantasy novel, beloved by the likes of Neil Gaiman and Michael Swanwick, treads the line between charming and spooky – making it perfect this close to Halloween.
You can read my review of Lud-in-the-Mist here on my site.
Circe by Madeleine Miller
The Greek climate might not seem suitable for an autumnal read, but there’s no denying that herbs & potions, scheming Gods and a harrowing origin story make for perfect witchy vibes this season.
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter
Pivoting to something a little more cheerful with Beatrix Potter – rabbits wearing coats and stealing into gardens, painted in beautiful watercolours, may be exactly what I need. Plus, short reads are always welcome. I picked my copy when I was visiting this cosy Broadway bookshop in the Cotswolds a few weeks ago and have been saving it for a chilly afternoon.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
I was worried about this one, the holy grail of dark atmospheric fiction (according to the internet) and the very core of the ‘dark academia’ aesthetic. I’m roughly half-way through and so far it hasn’t disappointed. The wintery New England setting and mysterious but menacing cast of characters have made it the ideal moody read this autumn.
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
The fictional village of Cranford embodies the essence of a small country town clinging to the past. Written in a time of great societal and industrial change, this heightens the sheltered feeling of Gaskell’s rural town, and the homely feeling of small, community driven settlements that now seem like a rarity.
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Remaining in the same time period for this final entry, but shifting to the Gothic, we have a series of firsts: the first great sensation novel and the first English novelist to write a detective novel in English. We’re in good hands with Wilkie as he leads us through through mystery and sensation by a series of witness statements meticulously laid out but difficult to unravel. I can’t wait to close out the spooky season with this one!
What are you reading this autumn? Have you read any of the above? Let me know in the comments below.
