Top Ten Classic Novels

Today I’m linking up with The Broke and the Bookish’s Top Ten Tuesday again. This week, the subject is the top ten classic books I’ve read. There are some truly amazing classic books out there, from the works of Charles Dickens, to the books by Elizabeth Gaskell. I enjoy reading books written in different historical periods, and I’m fond of many of the classic novels I’ve read. Many of my favourite books come from the same group of authors, and most of them have amazing movie adaptations too. Here are my top ten favourite classic novels.

1. Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen 

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This book is one of the ultimate classics for me. I’ve read all of Jane Austen’s novels, and I really enjoyed them all. Pride and Prejudice is one of my very favourites. The dialogue is witty, the time period is enthralling, and the story lacks neither drama nor humour. This book takes Regency England and really brings it to life.

2. Bleak House

Charles Dickens 

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Bleak House wasn’t a book I originally expected to love. It was thick, the writing on the page was dense and altogether it looked like it was going to be a lot of work to get through. But I was quickly caught up in the story, chasing down the answer to a mystery and following the many tangled threads of the characters’ lives. It’s one of my favourites of Charles Dickens’ books. I also love the descriptions in this book. There are many of them, but they’re so rich that they just add to the story.

 

3. The Moonstone

Wilkie Collins 

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Wilkie Collins is a master of the classic mystery, and his books are sometimes narrated by very unusual characters. This book takes a mystery, and twists it so that the ending is quite a surprise, and the journey there is unexpected. I loved this book the first time I read it, and I’ve read it a few times since then, enjoying it more every time. I’ve read three of his books, and I’ve enjoyed them all.

4. North and South

Elizabeth Gaskell 

 

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I was first introduced to this book by the mini-series actually. I borrowed the series from the library, and after watching it, I wanted to try the book too. Despite the amount of politics in the book, I found that I really enjoyed reading it. The world of the mill town was enthrallingly different from the settings of most of the classic books I’ve read, and the constant friction between the characters kept the book interesting. 

5. Little Dorrit

Charles Dickens

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This is my other favourite book by Charles Dickens. Again, I was first introduced to this book by watching the BBC mini-series adaptation. I’ve always enjoyed the BBC adaptations of classic books, and I enjoyed this one so much I watching it through twice in a row and promptly went on to read and love the book as well. The story of Arthur Clennam and Amy Dorrit, two genuinely good people, is even better in the book.

6. The Woman in White

Wilkie Collins 

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This is another great novel from Wilke Collins. I originally read this one immediately after The Moonstone, having just discovered how amazing Wilkie Collins’ writing actually was, and loved it at once. This book has it all; mystery, romance, adventure, danger, and, as one can always expect from a book by this man, a cast of very interesting characters. 

7. Persuasion

Jane Austen 

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This is my favourite Jane Austen novel. I’ve read it many, many times, and I still love it as much as ever. It’s very different from Pride and Prejudice. The writing is still sharp, and the dialogue is snappy, but Anne Elliot, the main character, is more of the strong, quiet type of girl, overlooked by everyone, but still working in the background to help others and eventually find her own happy ending.

8. Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte 

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I have to admit, I’m not a massive fan of the Bronte sisters’ books. I prefer Jane Austen’s society stories to their darker dramas, but Jane Eyre caught my imagination the first time I read it, and quickly joined the list of my favourite classic books. It’s got dark secrets, a romance (historical romances are the best kind in my opinion), and a main character with a sad past that is almost enough to cry over. It’s a beautiful book.

 

9. Sense and Sensibility

Jane Austen

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I know I’ve now got three of Jane Austen’s novels on my list, but her books deserve their spots. They’re all so entertaining and well-written, and I love all her characters, from the wittiest, to the meanest, to the downright silly ones. What I like most about Sense and Sensibility is the differences between the sisters Eleanor and Marianne. They’re so different, and they hold such different views on love, but in the end, they both get their happy endings.

10. The Law and the Lady

Wilkie Collins

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This is the only other Wilkie Collins book I’ve read, and it’s my absolute favourite. It’s another mystery, but the person solving the mystery is a woman, determined to find the real culprit behind a murder her husband was tried, but never convicted for because of lack of evidence. It’s an intriguing mystery with a very likeable main character. I’ve read this book many times, and right now I’m starting to feel the need to read it again.

Have you read any of these books? What’s your favourite classic novel? Got any recommendations as to other classic authors I should try?