Books for Break? Isabella Kwon

As a senior writing college apps, I can say for a fact that, at the moment, my hands are full. It is genuinely one of the most exhausting prowesses that I have ever gone through. The line-up of supplemental essays that I need to write never seems to end. I’ve had to give up most of my pastimes, including reading. And I can most definitely sympathize with juniors at the moment, it’s rough but I promise you’ll get through it. Thanksgiving break is just around the corner, a well-deserved break for everyone. During that time remember to take care of yourself and reimburse yourself for the things you love such as reading. Here’s a list of my top three favorite books just as a suggestion for some light reading over the break (plot-spoiler free, I promise).

Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

AMAZING. I don’t think I could put it any other way. You fall in love with the characters, which isn’t particularly a good thing and you end up feeling torn about, considering one of the central characters is Hannibal (the cannibal). I’ve read a few detective/crime-esque novels and this work, by far, was the best. The pacing of the novel is perfect and keeps you on the edge of your seat while also blending in amazing character development.

Even if you’ve already watched the movie Silence of the Lambs, the top-notch quality of the writing deserves a read…. Also, depending on which version of the movie you watched, there could be portions of the novel that the movie glossed over, so this one is definitely a must.

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

Disappointed by Hunger Games? Me too. Here’s the better version.

This is quite literally one of the greatest action novels that I have ever read. Published in 1999 (it came out before Hunger Games),

I found that the great volume of characters was quite peculiar (as many of the books I read growing up focused on a central few, who generally stuck together throughout the length of the novel) as well as the shifting perspectives, and yet both these elements added a whole other dimension to the reading experience.

But be warned… this isn’t Hunger Games. There is no guaranteed survival for any of the characters. Oh, and this suggestion may not be for the faint of heart as there are quite graphic/gory scenes in some parts of the book.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More by Roald Dahl With live-action recreation of the classic Witches by Dahl, I felt that it was only right that I include this “novel” (collection of short stories would be a better description) onto this list. I was genuinely surprised when I realized that these stories are not very well-known. I sure many can agree that Dahl’s children’s books were staples in our childhood. His creativity and imagination still astound me today. Like who could ever imagine a story of a little boy and his adventures adrift on a giant peach with human-sized bugs and don’t get me started on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. These short stories, however, are more mature in regards to the general plotline, but still hold that whimsical charm of Roald Dahl.