It’s the start of a new year, and some of you are probably experiencing a bout of homesickness, missing the familiarity of home while still enjoying everything St. Andrews has to offer. So in the spirit of dealing with homesickness, I thought I’d offer up a list of what helps me when I’m feeling down and missing home – my top comfort reads. What could be better than a well-loved read and a cup of hot tea?
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Anne Shaffer
A lesser known literary gem that led me to fall in love with epistolary fiction, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society tells the story of Julie Ashton, a writer who finds herself writing to a native of Guernsey Island and eventually forming friendships with the whole of Guernsey’s Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Isn’t that just a name that makes you want to read more? A moving and genuine epistolary exploration of post-WWII, this book never fails to lift my spirits, and Julie’s infectious and rambling love of literature and the friends it can lead you to is definitely something I relate to.
2. Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn
Again, a rather less-known standalone fantasy novel, Summers at Castle Auburn is the best example of one of my favourite subgenres of fantasy – what Tor.com refers to as kingdom-level fantasy, where the action comes less from war and battles with magical creatures and more with the intricacies of court politics. The story of Corie, a bastard daughter of a rich nobleman who gets caught up in the conflicts of court during her summers visiting her half-sister, who is engaged to the handsome crown prince, this novel is a perfect blend of fantasy, politics and romance with some very unique world-building and a no-nonsense heroine apprenticing as a healer that I absolutely adore reading about. I definitely wouldn’t mind if the novel were turned it to a series, more for me to love!
3. Anne of the Green Gables/The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery
I’m sure Anne of Green Gables is on many a comfort reading lists, with its bright irrepressible heroine and her unlimited imagination and the wonderful world of Avonlea. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of reading of the endless scraps Anne gets into, from accidentally getting her best friend drunk off raspberry cordial or nearly drowning while reenacting Tennyson. The rest of the series is definitely worth a read, and Anne of the Island is also one of my go-to-reads. L. M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle isn’t as well known, but stands out due to the bravery of its heroine Valancy Stirling, who is mistakenly diagnosed with a fatal heart disease, leading her to rebel against her mean-spirited family and finally be happy. Her coming of age journey is a joy to read, and Montgomery’s prose is exquisite as always.
4. Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
Fairytale retellings are one of my favourite genres, and Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones, a retelling of Tam Lin, is one that I would recommend to pretty much everyone. Every time I re-read it, which is often, I just find myself getting lost in the prose and the sharpness of Jones’ characters – she manages to capture the spirit of the original tale while making the novel entirely her own in the story of Polly and Tom, a mark of a truly great fairytale retelling. Her novel Howl’s Moving Castle is another amazing pick, but if I had to recommend another fairytale retelling, it would be Robin McKinley’s Beauty.
5. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
I first read this as a class assignment in sixth grade, and was hooked from the very first line: “The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning.” How could you not read on? A short novella that explores the idea of immortality and its consequences, this novel is considered a classic of children’s literature, and it’s a label I could not agree with more.