Long winter evenings, a stack of comforting books. Cold weather outside, warm blanket. A steaming cup of tea, a cardigan, and the steady rhythm of rain on the rooftop. Christmas break is the loveliest time of the year for reading, not only because we have more time than usual, but also because it’s the season of reading, firelight, family, quiet—in short, it’s the season of coziness.
Coming out of the month of October, I was just wrapping up the last book of my Leigh Bardugo marathon before diving into a dark academia genre with The Secret History and If We Were Villains. Feeling like I needed a break from all that broody angst, I turned for some fresh air in the theology of C.S. Lewis and the heartwarming homespun classic Little Women. Now grab a cup of tea and let’s talk about these books one by one.
Mere Christianity // C.S. Lewis
I love reading C.S. Lewis. Anything he writes has a simple, straightforward air about it. His nonfiction, especially, anchors me in a way that leaves me feeling peaceful. Whenever I return to Lewis’s works, I find myself thinking, “Ah, this is true and right and lovely.”
Mere Christianity is just one such work. Adapted from C.S. Lewis’s radio talks made during World War II, I’d argue that it’s one of the best and most influential theological works of all history. In creating these essays, Lewis aimed to find the common ground of all Christian doctrine and effectively explains the fundamental teachings of Christianity. While the first part of the book argues the case for Christianity, the second part is about Christian Behavior—what it looks like to live a Christian life. It’s wholesome and encouraging and explains a lot of confusing aspects of Christian theology.
King of Scars // Leigh Bardugo
Throughout October, I discovered Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse with the Six of Crows duology, and proceeded to devour the entire Shadow & Bone series immediately afterwards. Coming into early November, I finished up King of Scars, her latest novel in the Grishaverse. I was originally excited for this book because it picks up with one of my favorite characters of the series, King Nikolai Lantsov.
The novel begins immediately after the events of Crooked Kingdom, which sets it three years after the Ravkan civil war of Ruin & Rising. It’s all rather confusing, but suffice to say, there was a lot of potential here. King of Scars follows Nikolai’s efforts to unite Ravka, while also dealing with his own dark magic before it becomes too late. While I’m excited to see where this series goes, nothing can ever measure up to Six of Crows and I can’t pretend I enjoyed this one nearly as much.
The Secret History // Donna Tartt
The Secret History is almost thirty years old, but it was one of the original dark academia novels. It’s been recommended to me multiple times, and considering its brooding, thoughtful subject, November seemed a perfect month to tackle such a story.
The Secret History tells the story of six closely-knit university students who study the classics at a prestigious university in Vermont. At the outset of the story, it’s revealed that one of the six students was murdered by the rest, and the rest of the novel unfolds the tangled web of events that led to his death and the psychological ramifications (a la Crime and Punishment). Quite a long read (and the students tend to make terrible life choices) but still enjoyable.
If We Were Villains // M.L. Rio
If We Were Villains is a compelling thriller about seven thespians who study Shakespeare at a private school (are you sensing a theme yet?). During their senior year, one of their number is murdered—and the rest of the novel untangles the strings of dark secrets that the six remaining students are hiding.
So I’ll cut to the chase: I was intrigued from beginning to end. If We Were Villains was a masterfully crafted novel, full of secrets and compelling plot twists, and if it hadn’t taken such a dark turn at the end, it would’ve been one of my favorite novels of the year. If dark academia and/or Shakespeare is your thing, definitely give this one a read.
Little Women // Louisa May Alcott
After all those brooding autumnal books, returning to Louisa May Alcott’s classic felt like a breath of fresh air. Little Women is a pure and meaningful story about four sisters growing up in Concord, Massachusetts, during the midst of the American Civil War. The novel follows each sister’s coming-of-age, through various mishaps, both comic and tragic, that shape their lives. The latest movie adaption by Greta Gerwig is the best adaption of the book yet. (Also my favorite movie of 2019, so….go see it immediately)
Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World // Cal Newport
Although it’s short and snappy, Digital Minimalism gets the job done: Newport offers digital minimalism as an alternative to our current hyper-stimulated, social-media-addicted lifestyles. He argues that in the modern age, our attention spans have been fractured by the constant distraction of our iPhones. In order to heal ourselves, he argues that we take a more intentional approach to digital technology: spend less time on our screens and more time pursuing meaningful activities that bring us joy. The solution? Digital minimalism.
One of the chapters that resonated most with me was on the disappearing art of solitude—which Newport defines as “being alone with our thoughts without input from others.” Overall, this book inspired me to turn off my phone and be more intentional about spending time with family over winter break. It’s especially helpful going into New Years, as I think about what I want to change about how I spend my time.
Looking back at 2019, it’s interesting to me how my reading trends have fluctuated over the course of the last twelve months. Going into 2020 and going back to college again, I’m really looking forward to diving into deeper classics and analyzing literature again. To be honest, I’ve really missed that this year. I wish I read more classics.
Now it’s your turn. What have been your favorite reads this winter break?
<3 Olivia Grace
