So me and Lolitoads (My Microwave Life) were bored, so we decided to do some themed blog posts for funsies, the first one being our top ten novels. That of course, means, “Top ten novels that I said were my favorite on Facebook.” Check out Morgan’s post (The Criminal Inside of Me) too!
#10.
This is the most fucked up book I’ve read so far. It’s basically about a teenaged couple and the nasty, nasty sex they have. Like, accidentally cutting people up, killing people, and egg fetishes nasty. Pornographic literature is a great thing, though I can’t imagine anyone actually jerking off to this. Regardless, there’s just something satisfying about reading something that’s completely visceral. Blood and guts are mentioned in the same breath as orgasms, and the most memorable parts of the books involve sex near corpses. It’s shocking for the sake of being shocking, and sometimes that’s all I really want to read.
#9.
The more you think about it, the more depressing this book gets. The narrator, a victim of sexual abuse as a child, lives his life detached emotionally and socially, hence the title. He becomes a sociopath, attempts suicide a couple of times, and dies alone. What pulled me in was the ambiguity of the protagonist’s situation — Was he really a bad person? Did he deserve the life he had? Who is to blame? Why I like this book so much, though, is because of how much I related to the protagonist’s insecurity and self-loathing when I first read it.
(Yes, I read this because of Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei, shut up.)
#8.
Exactly as it says above. I honestly can’t remember what happened in this book because I read it all on a car trip, but I do know that I love this book because of how good the characterization is. You’ve got the cat’s master, an not-so-well-off English teacher, and his two friends, a devil-may-care bachelor and a absent minded intellectual. And you read about their lives. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but Soseki’s observations on everyday life are so witty and well written that it’s a captivating read.
#7.
Yes, more angsty books. This one is split into two halves. The first is basically a philosophical exposition that I really can’t remember (seeing a pattern here?) because I read it all at once, but I think it all boils down to people making no goddamn sense. And sucking. The second half is about the Underground Man’s life before he became the Underground Man. Basically, he was poor introvert with no friends, a social failure. Given the chance though, he acts just like the people (and society) he hates so much, which makes him truly pathetic and my second favorite existential character.
#6.
You know how sometimes a story gets passed around so much that after a while it’s accepted as truth, but upon closer inspection it doesn’t really make sense at all? That’s this book. The protagonist returns to his small, backwater Colombian town to investigate a murder that happened twenty-two years earlier, a murder that almost everyone in the town knew was going to happen. Testimonies overlap and contradict– nobody is even sure of how the weather was like that day. I love how gossipy the book is, you get into everyone’s business, and you really feel like you know the town. The story isn’t told in a linear way, but it feels right. I really like this book.
#5.
More existentialism. I think you get it by now.
#4.
This is a really fun book. Romance, political scandals, fabulously wealthy people, badass wise men, and elaborate revenge plots, it’s got it all. The evolution of Edmond Dantes’ character from a naive sailor to an scheming, revenge-obsessed count is great. Is it just me or are there no adventure stories like this anymore?
#3.
MORE EXISTENTIALISM. Apparently, I love this stuff, but I’m getting sick about writing about it. Besides, everyone’s read this in school right? Gregor Samsa is my favorite literary character though. He’s the perfect mix of naivete, sick fuckery (the whole deal with his sister), and pathos.
#2.
No really, I don’t. I remember wanting to punch Murakami in the face because he focused too much on talking about classical music and French movies instead of the goddamn plot, but I can’t remember the second half of the book at all. I cried when I finished it though. Does that count for anything?
#1.
This is my favorite book. It’s a beautiful book. Lolitoads explains it much better than I do.
I Am In Dire Need Of A Butler 