2023 Bookish Year in Review

It’s that time of year again! Time to take stock of what I read this year in preparation for a new one. I read 22 books overall, only 5 of which I disliked. This year, I thought I’d divvy up the books I read into categories. In each category, I will list the books in order from favorite to least favorite. And as usual, I will also list my favorites overall at the end.

Category 1: “Kiss me Hardy! Kiss me, quick!”

These are the books that made me cry

• East of Eden by John Steinbeck
  • Still in awe, an epic multi-generational story
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
  • Timeless tale, exquisitely executed
• For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
  • Made me sob the most
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
  • Great, unforgettable characters. Who doesn’t shed at least a few tears at least once?
• The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
  • Sibling relationship, but ultimately not strong enough to be a favorite

Category 2: “Inconceivable!” “Such an exemplary vegetable”

I mixed two references there. Anyways, these are books that I strongly admire for one reason or another.

• Normal People by Sally Rooney
  • Articulated things so well, put into words things I struggled to
• Brave New World by Alduous Huxley
  • So incredibly imaginative and prophetic
• Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
  • I’ve said it multiple times now, but whoever can grip me with a fishing tale deserves my admiration
• Chess Story by Stefan Zweig
  • I love his writing, which is the highlight of the novella
• Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
  • Great way to consume ancient mythology without reading heroic epics

Category 3: Had me in the first half, not gonna lie

These are books that started out incredibly strong, but faltered in the second half 

• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
  • The writing was incredible, but I didn’t agree with how the second half was executed
• The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
  • Fascinating female-centric story, but the second half didn’t hold the same charm 

Category 4: Stains – it does not signify

The worst books of the year

• Mary Anne by Daphne du Maurier
  • Too much political intrigue, not enough character depth
• Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • Read like fanfiction, though it had its humorous moments
• Red Bird by Mary Oliver
  • Not really a nature poetry fan
• 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
  • Too weird, couldn’t really make sense of it
• My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh
  • Mental illness can make you tempermental, not a raging witch

Category 5: “Are you saying I’m fat?” “No! I’m saying the belt is one hole shy of perfection.”

These are books that were middling 

• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
  • Surprisingly engrossing since it’s told in a questionable POV
• Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
  • Well-executed, but didn’t speak to me 
• The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
  • Too much of a travelogue, two of the characters were the main strength
• The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn
  • Could never shake how much she stole from Rear Window, but wasn’t intrinsically awful
• Redefining Anxiety by Dr. John Delony
  • Nothing new, but I mostly agreed with him

As promised, below are my favorites of the entire year, East of Eden leading them off.

Favorites:

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Normal People by Sally Rooney

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck