Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they will post a new Top Ten list that one of their bloggers over at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join.
The topic for this week is: Top Ten Most Unique Books I’ve Read
There are many ways in which this topic could be interpreted – unique characters, settings, plots…. the list could go on. I’ve taken it to me books that I’ve read and they made me just stop and think. Books that were not quite like ANYTHING I’ve read before. Without further ado, here is my list of just ten of the most unique books I’ve ever read.
- Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews
This book is one that has some fairly controversial subject matter. A woman’s husband dies and leaves her with four children to raise on her own. She goes to her parents to help and they agree – on the condition she locks her children in the attic. It’s one of those sensitive issues – both the bad parenting the other stuff that happens – and one of the first more grown up books I read. I’d not read anything else like this before.
- The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
A cyborg who is still human. Futuristic China. Cinderella retelling like no other. I never thought I’d like this book. It’s so different from other stuff I read and I loved it. Since reading it, I’ve devoured the next two books in the series and adored them! - The Isobel Journal by Isobel Harrop
This book is different because it’s not a novel. It’s – as the title suggests – a journal. I liked it because it was familiar. I saw a lot of myself in Isobel’s journal.
- Ink by Amanda Sun
Most of what I read is set in the West. So it was refreshing and unique to read a book set in Japan. The Japanese mythology interesting and not something I knew a lot about prior.
- Finding Mr Darcy by Amanda Hooten
Love Jane Austen’s heroes? This is a self-help book which examines how to find yourself a partner with Mr Darcy’s good points. It was funny, clearly written by an Austen fan and a unique perspective on dating.
- The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
I read this book recently and adored the bizarre Roux/Lavender family. It’s unique for a number of reasons but the one that stuck out the most to me was how reality was interpreted. People’s emotions shaping their physical selves.
- The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan
This book is adorable. It’s a story told though a series of definitions. Each word is defined by a personal anecdote of the narrator’s and though them we get to see a relationship’s highs and lows. It’s a format I’d not read before and it worked well for this story.
- The Princess Bride by William Goldman
“This is my favourite book in all the world, though I have never read it.” Okay… so maybe I have read it. Once a year every year for the past ten years. It’s one of those books I adore so I’m going to try to reign in the fangirling. What I found unique in this novel was the honesty. Fairy tale like and yet not. The princess doesn’t fall madly in love with a prince and live happily ever after. Life isn’t fair. Princesses aren’t always clever. And giants can have a sense of humour.
- Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
“The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is you DO NOT talk about Fight Club!” Okay – so you may have heard these rules before. I saw the movie, feel in love and then decided to read the book. It’s an odd book. Different from others. Chuck Palahniuk has a distinctive style which is fairly unique. At times disjointed, often bizarre, this book is odd but interesting. I wouldn’t say I loved it but it’d certainly different.
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
This is another of my favourite books. Earth being destroyed to make way for a universal highway. A galaxy president with more than one head.
AND one that I’ve not read yet but am fascinated by just how different it sounds from anything I’ve read before:
- House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
This book was really popular a few years ago. It’s got a lot of footnotes, over 700 pages long and I’ve heard many people describe it as creepy. One for the to-read list and definitely unique sounding.
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I didn’t think I’d be able to come up with ten. I was struggling to come up with one. But I went though my list of books I’ve read and I was able to come up with a lot. Truth be told – every book has something unique about it. Ones that I think are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, others might think fairly ordinary.
Which books do you consider to be the most unique ones you’ve read?
THIS IS MY FAVOURITE LIST SO FAR.
– Cinder is awesome
– The Princess Bride is awesome (I was so confused by the Morgenstern stuff, though…actually believed it until I looked it up after!)
– I was thinking about putting Hitch-hiker’s on my list. Didn’t end up doing it for some reason.
– I really need to read The Lover’s Dictionary. Curse TTT and making me buy more things (I’m kidding, I love it)
– I really want to read Ink as well. It’s a beautiful cover and I’d love to see more diversity in YA.
Love it <3
I have to admit to being a little confused by the whole Morgenstern stuff too – but I still enjoyed it. I’ve also read The Silent Gondolier’s by William Goldman (another “Morgenstern” rewrite) and it’s just as silly and wonderful. But it’s really short. Only 100 pages or so.
I have to admit – I love that you love the books I love! It always makes me feel special when others care about the same things as I do.
You’ve got some brilliant books on your list. Some that I really want to check out. I love the look of The Lover’s Dictionary. I really must check that out.
Lots of cool books on your list! The Flowers in the Attic freaks me out. The whole idea of it! And I just finished Cinder yesterday… and totally put it on my list today! Definitely a unique book for sure.
My TTT
Great list! I loved Cinder and The Princess Bride 🙂 And I’m definitely going to read Ink-I needed a book set in East Asia, for an Around the World challenge and this book is perfect 😀
Ava Lavender is sitting on my shelf right now, waiting to be read! That cover is so gorgeous! I’m not normally one for self-help books, but Finding Mr. Darcy sounds like a fun read. I’ll have to check it out. And, ooh, House of Leaves! I started to read it around Halloween a couple years ago, but school got in the way and I wasn’t able to finish. Maybe this year I’ll get around to it. I’ve heard very mixed reviews about.
I adore the cover of Ava Lavender! It’s so pretty. I’ve heard mixed reviews about House of Leaves before too – but I still kind of want to read it. Did you enjoy it when you started to read it?
Wow, what an incredibly unique list. I had no idea that Fight Club was actually a book. I remember my sisters reading the Flowers in the Attic series when I was young, but I haven’t read those myself. They seemed incredibly creepy. I think I’ve seen snippets of the movie, doesn’t the mother hack of one of the kids hair?
I’ve got a copy of Ink I bought quite a while ago, I’ll definitely be digging it out now to have a read. Awesome list.
I haven’t seen the film…. but there is incest in the novel which I think a lot of people would have trouble dealing with.
I loved Ink. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series. Hope you enjoy it, Kelly!
Fight Club and The Princess Bride are two of my favourite ever movies, but I’ve only read half of Fight Club of the books, despite owning both books! I really need to change that this year.
Gunmen, Raptors and Love Letters – Under The Mountain’s TTT
I love both the movies too! And best thing with the Fight Club book – it’s really short. It’s only about 150 pages or so.
I’ve heard of Ink before, and seen it in the bookstore, but never really picked it up! I read a lot of Western stuff too, so a different culture would be pretty refreshing.
The main character is an American who is now living with her aunt in Japan. So she’s got to overcome the culture divide. You get to see the Japanese culture and mythology though the eyes of a Westerner. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Omg wonderful list! I totally agree with Flowers In the Attic, Ava Lavender and The Princess Bride. I’ve heard so many people talk about House of Leaves, it’s definitely unique but it sounds like such an odd read. Thanks for sharing Kate xx
IT looks really weird. I remember a few years ago everyone I knew seemed to be reading it. And all sorts of bands were writing lyrics based on it… I still want to read it. But it’s one one of those lists that I’ll probably never end up reading 😛