Top Ten Most Unique Books I’ve Read

“Top Ten Tuesday” is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!



This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is the Top Ten Most Unique Books I’ve Read.

I’ll be the first to admit that I had quite a difficult time with this week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt. Ultimately, I ended up having to search back through my reading history long before Pop! Goes The Reader was little more than a twinkle in this book blogger’s eye and the result is a strange amalgamation of nearly every genre, age group, and literary style imaginable. Some, like Shatter Me, Ask The Passengers, Mrs. Dalloway, House of Leaves and A Clockwork Orange, were included because of the manner in which they were written. Some, like American Psycho, were included because of their rather unconventional protagonists. Some, like Cinder, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, The Lost Girl, and Invisible Monsters, were included because of the sheer creativity of their basic premise. The best ones of all combine some combination of above. Whether they encompass one, or even all, of these qualities, there is no doubt in my mind that these books are ten of the most unique publications I’ve ever read. While my experience with some of these novels might not always have been positive (I’m looking at you, Mrs. Dalloway) I’m thankful that these books allowed me to broaden my horizons and gain a better understanding not only of the infinite possibilities inherent in literature but of the vast scope of the human imagination as well.

As always, these choices are listed in no particular order.

1) Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2) Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

3) American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

4) Ask The Passengers by A.S. King

5) The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

6) Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

7) The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

8) House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

9) A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

10) Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk

32 Responses

  2. You would not believe how badly I want to read A Clockwork Orange. Every time I go to any bookstore I see what editions they have because I hate the American cover that they’ve been selling. I really want to get the one you featured, but I haven’t gotten around to ordering it online yet. SOON! I also almost put Cinder on my list, but The Lunar Chronicles has been on my TTT for like the past 3 weeks so I restrained myself. But, this is a great list! <3
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  6. What did you think about lost girl? I hated it! :/ It was definitly as I had expected..

    And whta about House of Leaves?? I would love to read that some time soon! I think it would crazily great

    Reply

    1. I don’t know that I felt strongly about The Lost Girl one way or another. I was impressed by the basic premise, however. It was such a unique concept.

      As for House of Leaves, I couldn’t finish it. As interesting as the narrative style was, I found it next to impossible to follow and after attempting to read it more than once eventually gave up. I guess you could say it was a little too unique for me 😉
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    1. American Psycho is definitely a challenging read, but it’s one of the few books that is narrated by a villain that isn’t presented as an Anti-Hero. Unlike Dexter Morgan, who is a serial killer but sticks to a very specific ‘code’ or series of rules, Patrick Bateman in American Psycho kills without reason and without conscience. There are a number of violent and disturbing scenes, but it’s certainly one of the most unique books I’ve ever read.
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    1. I’ll be the first to admit that The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer won’t be the right book for everyone, but it’s definitely unique and memorable. I’m eager to see how the series concludes. I believe the final book in the trilogy, The Retribution of Mara Dyer, is set to be published in November 2014, so you still have plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the series before then in case you were curious 🙂
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    1. Just be sure to prepare yourself for American Psycho – It’s an interesting reading experience to say the least! I’m not ashamed to admit that I had to put the book down on more than one occasion in order to gain some perspective. I read it a number of years ago and there are certain passages I still remember as clear as day because I found them so upsetting and/or shocking.
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Hi! I’m Jen! I’m a thirty-something introvert who loves nothing more than the cozy comfort of home and snuggling my two rescue cats, Pepper and Pancakes. I also enjoy running, jigsaw puzzles, baking and everything Disney. Few things bring me more joy than helping a reader find the right book for them!

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