This week's Top Ten from
The Broke and the Bookish asks for the Top Ten Most Unique Books I've
Read.
1) The
Diving Bell and the Butterfly – A
nonfiction memoir painstakingly written by a man who is paralyzed in a car
wreck. He blinked out every letter he wanted written.
2) Room – The horrific
nature of this novel is tempered by the way it is told. A kidnap victim has a
child while captive and the reader sees the story unfold through the innocent
eyes of a 5-year-old.
3) Ella Minnow Pea –
This clever epistolary novel uses fewer and fewer letters throughout the book
as certain pieces of the alphabet are banned.
4) The
Arrival – A
graphic novel that manages to convey a gripping emotional story of immigration
without using a single word.
5) Anything by Jasper
Fforde – From his literary detective in the Thursday Next series to the world
of hierarchical colors in Shades of Grey, Fforde creates the most fantastic
societies.
6) We Need
to Talk about Kevin – A book about a killing
at a school that makes the reader question nature vs. nurture. This one is
unique because at the end you’re still not sure whose side you’re on.
7) The
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Our narrator has some form of
autism, probably Asperger’s, which gives him a very distinct view of the world.
8) The Sparrow – Is it a
novel about space travel, religion, xenophobia, culture divides? It’s all of
the above and I’ve never read anything else like it.
9) A Clockwork Orange –
The characters speak in a slang language of their own devising.
12 comments:
When I read Stephen King's Carrie, back in middle school, I thought it was the strangest book I'd ever read because of how a lot of the narrative is pieced together from other "sources".
This is an awesome list! I've never read Diving Bell but OMG the movie. What an incredible, disturbing movie. I loved The Arrival as well. It's been awhile since I thought about that one.
Great list! You've got a really good variety. I've always wanted to read Room, but thought it might be too disturbing.
Room and The Sparrow are on my list too! How did I forget about The Arrival and Jasper Fforde books?? Ella Minnow Pea is sitting unread on my bookshelf - I can't wait to read it! Great list :)
Ella Minnow Pea is one that I keep pulling off the shelf to read but have to put it back for another book WHY IS THERE NOT MORE TIME IN THE DAY? I also recently picked up A Clockwork Orange and hope to read it sooner than later. Just gotta get through that East of Eden first!
Fun list!
This is a great list. I've had Room and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on my TBR list and I put the last two on my own unique books list. Here's mine.
Room is on my list too. Ella Minnow Pea is one of the zillion unread books waiting for me to give it some attention. I agree with Jasper Fforde and put The Eyre Affair on my list, but I think the Thursday Next books lost some steam after the first two or three -- at least I stopped reading them. Maybe now that I've had a break I should go back and try again.
Ella Minnow Pea sounds fascinating and I've never heard of it. Jasper Fforde also made my list and in response to the person who fell out of love with the Thursday Next Books - I kind of agree with you and I recommend trying Shades of Grey. It's my favorite of his now.
Yay Ella Minnow Pea! I put that on my list too. I haven't reread it, so now I'm dying to do so. Great list, Melissa! I can't believe I forgot The Book Thief.
Susan - I didn't even think of Carrie. I loved how that one combined all the different points of view.
Sandy - The Diving Bell movie was soo beautiful and heartbreaking!
Cassie - I think if it had been told from the mother's point of view it would have been. The child's POV was so optimistic and innocent.
Kat - Fforde is so incredibly clever. I think people tend to love him or hate him.
Trish - Clockwork is so incredibly strange. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts.
Keri - They are both great ones!
Anmiryam - I stuck with the Thursday books and I thought 4 and 5 were much better than 2 and 3.
Stephanie Shepherd - I loved the Shades book! I can't wait for the next one.
Heather - I haven't read it in years, I might be due for a reread too!
The Book Thief definitely fits. I am reading it right now. :)
Kailana - I hope you love it!
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