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My Favourite Books Of All Time

You know that book that you will recommend to anyone who’s just starting out with their literary journey. That book that you can read and reread and reread until someone’s reading a passage to you and you know exactly what’s coming next, what happened before, and how it comes back to bite the characters in the butt come the second book. 

Today I’m going to share with you guys my top series/books that will suck you in and leave you begging for more.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes Of Olympus/Trials of Apollo (Rick Riordan)

Rick Riordan has been my favourite author for years, and chances are you’ll be hearing a lot from me about Rick and his many series and endeavours relating to Camp Half Blood and the Percy Jackson series. He created this series for his son who was struggling with ADHD and dyslexia, and now it’s a world renowned series with spinoffs, movies (that suck), and more. The three series grouped together here are all technically one big storyline with similar characters and are all based on and around Greek mythology. It’s a pretty famous series already, but let me explain for those of you who have not read it yet. 

The first series (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) follows the story of Percy Jackson himself, who is a demigod (half human, half Greek God). He is the son of Poseidon, meaning he has power over the water (as well as some other cool abilities). He, along with most of his other demigod friends that he meets along the way, have ADHD and dyslexia, since the series was made for Rick’s son. There are five books in this series that all tell the story of how Percy and his friends help defeat Kronos the titan (a being who came even before the gods). You may sometimes see this series abbreviated to “PJO”. 

The second series (Heroes Of Olympus) follows multiple points of view all throughout the series. It follows (mostly) nine demigods: Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Hazel, Frank, Leo, Reyna, and Nico as they try to stop the primordial goddess Gaea from awakening. Gaea is the Greek personification of the Earth. So if the earth literally woke up and had a mind of its own… things would get pretty hairy pretty fast. This series is sometimes abbreviated to “HOO”. 

The third series (Trials of Apollo) follows the god Apollo after he has been cast down as a mortal by the name Lester Papadopoulous. Apparently ancient dead Roman Emperors have come back from the dead and are trying to get power and immortality. Apollo/Lester, along with demigod friends that help him get used to his newfound mortality, have to stop the emperors from obtaining this insane power. And this series is sometimes abbreviated to “TOA”. 

Magnus Chase and the Gods Of Asgard (Rick Riordan)

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (MCGA for short) is not based on Greek myth, but rather Norse Myth. You might already be familiar with the Thor movies, including characters such as Odin, Loki, Thor himself, and many more that reference this mythology. 

After living on the streets since his mother’s death, Magnus dies in his first battle at the age of sixteen and is brought to Valhalla, the afterlife for those who have died a heroic death. He learns he is the son of the Norse god Frey, god of summer, abundance, and wealth. This gives him special abilities that few on Earth (or any other of the nine worlds) have. Each of the three books in this series have their own plot and are very easily distinguishable, but are also part of one big storyline. It has a very diverse cast and very loveable characters, from Halfborn Gunderson, the barbarian, to TJ (Thomas Jefferson) Jr, who died in the American Civil War and is the son to a freed slave and the Norse god of war, Tyr. Each are unique characters with developed backstory and great personalities… 

Honestly, you cannot convince me that there is any series out there more perfect than this one. If you’re starting out in the Rick Riordan universe, this is a must-read — and highly underrated!

The Kane Chronicles (Rick Riordan)

I’ll have to admit, the Kane Chronicles is not my favourite out of all the books Rick Riordan has written, but it is still a great series, intriguing and easy-to-read. 

The Kane Chronicles, or TKC for short, is based on Egyptian mythology, and follows Carter and Sadie Kane on their adventures. Since the death of their mother, Carter and Sadie have been living very vastly different lives. Carter travels around the world with his father Julius Kane, a renowned Egyptologit with many secrets. He is mostly homeschooled and is never in one country for too long. Sadie, on the other hand, lives a calm life in Britain with her grandmother and grandfather. Carter is the more responsible, quieter, older sibling who would rather not rush to do anything and think it out first. Sadie is a wild child, adorned with combat boots and colourful hair. Planning is not a very often-used word in her vocabulary. 

An accident at a museum in which their father mysteriously disappears, they are introduced to a world of magic and deities long thought to be forgotten in history books. Turns out the gods of Egypt are alive and kicking in the modern world.

But if the gods are alive, so are the monsters… and the demons… and Apophis, the chaos snake that could bring about the end of the world… 

The Lord Of The Rings/The Hobbit (J. R. R. Tolkien)

Where do I even start with how incredible this series is?

I’ve talked about my love for Tolkien’s works in my Classics post so if you want to read my recommendation there you can. But in a nutshell, The Hobbit is the prequel to the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. 

The Hobbit is about Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit, going on an adventure with a wizard named Gandalf and twelve dwarves, to reclaim the dwarves’ homeland at the Lonely Mountain, which is unfortunately inhabited by a dragon. Along the way, Bilbo finds a magic ring which can turn him invisible, which we end up learning the significance of in the LoTR trilogy. 

The Lord of the Rings is about Frodo Baggins (Bilbo’s nephew) who inherits Bilbo’s ring, and learns from Gandalf, who by now is an old friend to the Baggins family, that this is the one Ring Of Power. It was created by Sauron, a Dark Lord who sought power over all Middle Earth. This ring corrupts all those who have it until they essentially cannot live without it. Frodo, along with eight other members of the Fellowship of the Ring, has to throw the ring into the ‘fires of Mount Doom’ to end Sauron’s reign of fear. 

Middle Earth has such a rich history, so much so that sometimes you forget that one person, J. R. R. Tolkien created this series that has now become an international phenomenon and a classic loved by many. 

Anne of Green Gables (Lucy Maud Montgomery)

This Canadian classic series has eight books:

  • Anne of Green Gables
  • Anne of Avonlea
  • Anne of the Island
  • Anne of Windy Poplars
  • Anne’s House of Dreams
  • Anne of Ingleside
  • Rainbow Valley 
  • Rilla of Ingleside

The story is set in the late 1800s on Prince Edward Island. It’s become such an international hit that there is now the Green Gables heritage site in Cavendish, PEI as well as a historic site for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s childhood home. 

The first book is about how Anne Shirley is adopted by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert by accident. They wanted to adopt a young boy to help Matthew on the farm as he got older, but through word of mouth and a big mixup, they ended up with Anne. Matthew, being the sweet older gentleman that he is, is immediately charmed by Anne. Marilla, on the other hand, would rather send her back.

After Anne finally gets to stay, the story continues, with Anne’s life in Avonlea and in Green Gables as she falls in love with the shores of PEI, while she tries her best to get Marilla to love her, and to be worthy of staying at Green Gables. It’s a story about an unexpected family and finding a home where you might least expect it. 

So there you have it! My top five book series recommendations. If you check them out to read, great! I can’t wait to hear about what you think! If it’s not your style, that’s fine as well! 

Thanks for reading! Subscribe so you can see future posts as they come out, and leave a comment if you feel so inclined!

Life is a story. How will you write yours?

Until next time,

Catherine Khaperska 

Posted on by Catherine

Rating and Ranking: November Reads

November was a very busy month, but I still managed to read a grand total of four books this month! Here are my thoughts and honest reviews on each one. Enjoy! 

To Kill A Kingdom – Alexandra Christo

If you’ve known me long enough, you’ll hear me say that I’ve decided to read a certain book to ‘make my own opinion on it’. When books get popular and hyped up on the internet, sometimes it’s worth it just to pick up the book and see if it’s really worth reading. To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo was popular on Tiktok and across the book-ternet for about a year or so now and has been on my TBR for almost that long. I’m not one to hop on trends, so yes it took me this long to end up reading it! I chose to read it for my English class but that doesn’t ruin it for me at all considering how long it’s been since I wanted to read it. 

To Kill A Kingdom is about a siren named Lira, known among the humans as the Prince’s Bane since she is known for killing princes and stealing their hearts. It is a tradition among sirens to get human hearts on their birthdays, but since Lira is the daughter of the Sea Queen, all her hearts have come from princes. So when Lira breaks this tradition and gets a heart two weeks early, her mother punishes her severely. Angry at the humiliation Lira knows she will now face, she decides to get the heart of Elian Midas, a pirate prince who has a drive to kill sirens, especially her. When that fails, the Sea Queen decides to turn Lira into a human. If she can’t get Elian’s heart by her birthday, she will be human forever, and will never get the chance to be queen of the sea.

I will give this read four and a half stars. I really enjoyed reading it. All the characters were intriguing in their own ways, from the secrets they keep to the witty sarcastic asides to the cold, ruthless threats. Lira is a cutthroat killer with a twinge of kindness, loyalty, and devotion in her, so she is a relatable character even with the crimes she has committed. Elian says he is not a good man, but he has softer traits that make him likeable, and he is a natural leader aboard his ship, the Saad. 

However I do feel that the romance was a bit rushed. They hated each other so much and then it seemed that one event flipped a switch and suddenly they liked each other and the mutual admiration and pining began. 

However, all in all, this was a great read, and I really recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy, romance, adventure, and fierce action scenes!

Obie Is Man Enough – Schuyler Bailar

I don’t remember where I learned about this book. I think I found it randomly in the library and wanted to read it. I absolutely loved it.

Obie is a Korean-American trans boy who, after getting kicked off his school swim team by his transphobic coach, joins a new team. The book follows his journey as he works towards the qualifications for the Junior Olympics. However, there’s a few setbacks: all his friends were on his old swim team, and now that he’s kicked off, there is a tension and a distancing that there hasn’t been before. The worst is that his transphobic coach’s son Clyde, who used to be his friend, is now being hateful towards Obie, deadnaming and using slurs against him. The book shows Obie’s struggles with transphobia as well as the struggles of growing up as a teen, an athlete, and an Asian-American boy.

Another thing about this book that was interesting to learn was that the author, Schuyler Bailar, is a trans-masc athlete, just like Obie. The NCAA is essentially the league that collegiate athletes in America compete in. Some famous NCAA schools/teams include the University of California at Los Angeles, or UCLA, Bruins, or the University of Florida Gators. Schuyler chose to transition which could have lost him the opportunity to be an NCAA champion, but it didn’t, and he is the first trans athlete to compete in NCAA history. He also has appeared on talk shows and has gotten numerous awards. You can visit his website here.

I will give this a five-star read. However, it does contain sensitive topics and can be explicit (I can’t believe that it’s rated as a 9-13 year old read!). I highly advise you to look up content warnings if you think anything here might be upsetting or triggering, especially for people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community and/or have had past experiences with homo/transphobia. 

Marilla Before Anne – Louise Michalos

I bought this book at a small bookstore in downtown Halifax (thanks, Bookmark!) and even though it was not written by Lucy Maud Montgomery herself, I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Marilla Before Anne is about Marilla Cuthbert and her life before she and her brother Matthew adopted feisty, red-headed Anne Shirley. There is a lot of foreshadowing and hinting at events in the Anne series, and a lot of details that are mentioned once in the series make their appearance in this book. It’s a mix of coming-of-age as well as an Anne of Green Gables fanfiction. 

What I like about this book is that you don’t have to have read Anne of Green Gables. It does help, of course, considering the characters are the same (most of them) and the significance of certain events would make more sense if you’ve read the original Anne book beforehand. But if you haven’t, you can read it just like any old book, and not have any difficulties understanding. 

But one thing that kind of irked me about this book is how much it strayed from canon and the original plot/worldbuilding of Anne of Green Gables. I’ve read another similar book, Before Green Gables, which follows Anne’s story before getting adopted by the Cuthbert siblings. However, while Before Green Gables expanded on what was canon and turned it into a longer novel, Marilla Before Anne puts a completely new twist on how Anne and Marilla end up meeting, and their relationship, which doesn’t match the original plot. Most of the twists were fun and I enjoyed the way that the author here changed certain aspects of the original to make a different story out of what Lucy Maud Montgomery had written in 1908. But there were some that I didn’t quite like because I didn’t like how much of a stretch it was from Montgomery’s Anne book 

I give this book a three-and-a-half star rating. It was enjoyable and I liked the many twists and new perspectives on the original novel, but there were some parts that made me look at the book like I look at some of my maths homework: I understand the concepts, and I get why it works, but it still makes my brain do a double take. 

Everyone has different preferences when it comes to books and book genres, and fanfiction is no different. If you’re someone who likes books that put a spin on classics, or if you like when authors ask ‘what if’ and make a new novel out of that, this twist on the incredible Anne of Green Gables is for you.

The Ivies – Alexa Donne

Before reading: 

I normally don’t read horror or mystery or thriller novels, but I decided to give this one a try. All I had heard about it was that it gave dark academia vibes, which is something I’m interested in. But there is blood as part of the cover image. There is murder and dark secrets involved. I don’t quite know what I’m getting into, but I’m excited nonetheless… 

After reading:

Whoa. 

That was an adventure. 

I loved it, but it was definitely more of an involved read than I thought it would be. 

The Ivies is about a group of girls at a very exclusive private high school called Claflin. These girls work together to sabotage and expose people in order to get into their dream Ivy League Schools. Each of the girls is ‘assigned’ a university to go to so that they don’t compete against each other in the end. 

The main character Olivia Winters is ‘assigned’ to Penn State by the rest of the Ivies, however she wants to go to Harvard. As a student who is on scholarship instead of having her rich family pay (as do most of the other students at Claflin), she is doing her best to fit in, even if that means joining the ruthless Ivies. 

Avery Montfort is an heiress of a large fortune and is the ‘leader’ of the Ivies. She assigned herself to go to Harvard (duh) but not only is it a great school, her family’s past few generations have been to and graduated from Harvard. 

Sierra Watson is a coding and rowing star, and her ‘assigned’ school is Yale. Margot Kim is a budding actress and her ‘assigned’ school is Princeton. Emma Russo is a modern Renaissance girl, having a very varied skill set. Her ‘assigned’ school is Brown.

When Olivia decides to apply to Harvard behind the rest of the Ivies’ back, she never expects to get in… or Avery to get rejected. A few days later, Emma (who also made it into Harvard) is found dead, and now fingers are pointed towards Avery. Could she kill her friend over a college admission? And is Olivia next?

I loved this book. It was dramatic and exciting, and you never knew who to trust. Everyone seems to have their own motives and their own versions of what happened. What is on the outside is not what’s on the inside in the majority of cases, and when new secrets and new clues are brought up, it could turn the whole case upside down. Sometimes people are likeable, sometimes those same people are bitter and closed off. There’s a sprinkling of romance as well, which I like. 

I will give this book a 4 out of 5. It was my first taste of mystery and I have to say I really enjoyed it! I would recommend it to people who enjoy mystery and who like trying to solve the story’s mystery themselves. Maybe those of you who read a lot of mystery could find this underwhelming, but who knows? I think it’s definitely worth a read! 

So here is my final rating and ranking:

  1. Obie is Man Enough – Schuyler Bailar (5/5 stars!)
  2. To Kill A Kingdom – Alexandra Christo (4.5/5 stars!)
  3. The Ivies – Alexa Donne (4/5 stars!)
  4. Marilla Before Anne – Louise Michalos (3.5/5 stars!)

Alright, that sums up my book reviews for November? Do you agree with my ratings? Would you be interested in reading any of these? Do let me know! 

Thanks for reading! Subscribe so you can see future posts as they come out, and leave a comment and tell me if you plan to do NaNo or not (if you feel so inclined).

Life is a story. How will you write yours?

Until next time,

Catherine Khaperska 

Subscribe to see future posts as they come out!

Posted on by Catherine

Book vs Movie: The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings

Many people by now have heard of Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit. If you haven’t, here’s the rundown.

First published in 1937, the Hobbit has become a world-renowned children’s book, translated into 125 translations (plus 25 revised translations) in 69 languages. 

The Lord of the Rings followed suit, with the series’ first book published in 1954, and the rest coming out shortly after (in terms of publishing, 15 months for three books is quite a short period of time). 

Set in Middle Earth and following the story of memorable characters such as Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, the Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings series is an amazing series.

And what happens with amazing series? They get made into movies.

The Lord of the Rings movies came out in 2001, 2002, and 2003, with the three Hobbit movies following in 2012, 2013, and 2014. They are some of my favourite movies of all time. I normally say ‘the books are better’ when it comes to a book vs movie comparison, but today I’m going to give a very honest comparison of the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit movies vs the books. 

Let’s start with the Book Pros.

Book pros:

  • More detail 

J. R. R. Tolkien loves to describe things in vivid detail, so you get an amazing mental picture of what everything looks like. From characters to landscapes and landmarks, it’s not only reading, it becomes a visual experience. 

  • No deleted scenes

Everything that J. R. R. Tolkien wanted there to be in that book is there… or almost everything, editors tend to cut things that are unnecessary, but the fact that there is more to read means that the adventures don’t seem rushed, and you can truly follow along with the characters. 

  • More relaxing

It’s true that reading causes us to feel a lot of emotion such as excitement or sadness over a death or another such event, but reading overall is calmer than watching a movie because there is auditory input (hearing the music and the dialogue and other sounds), visual input (watching the characters on-screen) and it can get overwhelming at times. Reading allows you to slow down and take your time, and process what you need to before continuing

  • Appendices

The Lord of the Rings books specifically have appendices at the end of the Return of the King (Book 3) that highlight family trees and other parts of history from Middle Earth that have been referenced in the story itself. It also has a timeline of events so you can see realistically the time everything took (spoiler alert: the events of the Lord of the Rings take about 20 years to complete) and there is also a bit of an epilogue in that timeline so you see what happens to the characters after the story ends. 

I do want to say, though, that I don’t know if every edition has these, I just know mine do!

  • Maps

The beginning of the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings books have maps in the beginning so you can see what the world layout looks like, and it is so aesthetically pleasing… movies don’t give you that! You can see the mountains and the labelled cities, and so so much more. 

Now the movie pros!

  • Visuals

The visuals in the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings movies are stunning, there is no doubt about it. The films were shot in New Zealand, and the mountains, cliffs, fields, are simply incredible. The cast do an amazing job portraying their characters, and the costumes are truly reminiscent of the world the story is in. There’s even a Hobbiton set tour that you can go on in New Zealand, and it’s actually the same set that was in the movie. 

  • Music

The Lord of the Rings/Hobbit soundtrack is one of the best soundtracks, in my opinion. It adds a level of either mystery, or homey-ness, or darkness depending on what scene you’re watching. The score is composed by Howard Shore, and contains such incredible, iconic songs such as Concerning Hobbits and The Nazgul. 

The music really helps you feel like you’re in Middle Earth alongside these characters, no matter where you are in the story. 

  • Pronunciation Guide?

If you’re reading, you only know how to pronounce things in your head. Have you ever had the experience of only pronouncing something in your head, and then you say it out loud and it sounds weird? Well, movies can take some of that embarrassment away. There are many elvish or dwarven names that can be harder to read, so watching the movie can take away the sting of mis-pronunciation.

  • Faster

It’s easier and faster to watch a movie in a couple hours than it is to spend what could be weeks reading a long book. So if you’re someone who’s attention span isn’t that great, or are a slow reader, then you can experience the story without having this long ordeal trying to read the books.

So, here is my brutally honest opinion and comparison of the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings movies and the books. What do you think?

Thanks for reading! Subscribe so you can see future posts as they come out, and leave a comment and tell me if you’ve read the books, watched the movies, or plan to do either (if you feel so inclined!).

Life is a story. How will you write yours?

Until next time,

Catherine Khaperska 

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The ‘Classic’ Dilemma

Anyone who’s a reader has heard the term ‘classic’ book, or ‘classic’ literature. A ‘classic’ is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as something that is either ‘serving as a standard of excellence or of recognized value’ or ‘historically memorable’ . 

Now when people think of classic literature, titles such as Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, 1984 by George Orwell, or Jules Verne’s 20 000 Leagues Under The Sea come to mind. But there are so many other titles out there that it can get very overwhelming. So, the question is: where to start?

Well, you’ve come to the right place!

Here are five recommendations (all of which I have read) of readable, entertaining classic novels to get you started on your journey to discovering classic literature. 

  1. The Hobbit/The Lord Of The Rings (J. R. R. Tolkien)

What is a hobbit, you may ask?

They are “a little people, about half our height (…). Hobbits have no beards. (…) They are inclined to be fat in the stomach, they dress in bright colours (…). [They] wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly); and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day if they can get it.)” – J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

The Hobbit is not only an amazing classic read, it’s also written as a children’s book, so it’s easy to read and easy to understand as well. The Hobbit follows the story of a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, who goes on an adventure with thirteen dwarves and a wizard to the Lonely Mountain, to defeat a dragon named Smaug. 

The land of Middle-Earth, in which this takes place, is a fantasy world to end all fantasy worlds, filled with a rich history and many kingdoms and races and conflicts. 

The Lord of the Rings, on the other hand, is a trilogy that follows the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring as they go on a journey to Mount Doom (basically the equivalent of hell) to destroy the One Ring, an artefact that has terrible power and consumes all those who possess it. 

It is a more complex series (by which I mean it is filled with a great many more descriptions and can be tedious in places) but it is definitely worth it if you’d like to give it a shot!

  1. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)

Pride and Prejudice is such an iconic and well-known title when it comes to classic literature.

It’s one of the first titles that people think of when they think about classic literature, and with good reason! It’s been made into various film adaptations (17, in fact!) and there have been numerous modern retellings. 

Pride and Prejudice is the story of Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bennet and Mr Darcy. They meet at a ball when Mr. Bingley (Mr. Darcy’s hot and also conveniently eligible friend) moves into town and invites the Bennet family. 

At first, Lizzie and Mr. Darcy do not get along. They bicker, and make snide remarks about each other and each other’s families, and so on and so forth. But as the story progresses, with all its ups and downs, you learn to care for all the characters and root for them as they grow and flourish. 

  1. Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus (Mary Shelley)

Fun Fact! Mary Shelley is believed to have invented the genre of science-fiction, however the term itself was not introduced until the 1920s.

Victor Frankenstein was a natural scientist; a biologist, if you will. He was obsessed with the idea of being able to create life. And he succeeded! He created what is now known as ‘Frankenstein’s Monster’, an eight-foot-tall creation out of old dead body parts (ew!), chemicals, and a mysterious spark. 

You’d think that Victor would be so proud of himself to have created life, but alas, that was not the case. Victor had spent so much time on his work that his physical health was in a decline. But other than that, he was also so ashamed and terrified of his creation that it very nearly broke him. It was ugly. Hideous, even. 

As you read, you end up sympathising with the monster and feeling nothing but terrible pity for Victor himself. Told from interesting points of view and in a tone that is quite easy to understand (even if the text comes from 1818), Frankenstein is truly a worthy read for one of your first classics. 

  1. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)

I think we can understand what Jane Eyre is about just from the title, and you’d be right. 

Jane Eyre was adopted by some distant family members, but wasn’t as loved as the other blood children of her aunt. She went to a low-quality boarding school and had to witness many terrible things, but when she graduated and got better opportunities, she finally found a job as a governess for an orphaned girl named Adele at a place for Thornfield Hall, which is run by a mysterious man named Mr. Fairfax. 

Jane Eyre is a story about picking yourself up and making a life for yourself through many ups and downs. You can care for the characters, and follow the story quite easily as well. 

The book was originally published with the author’s name as ‘Currer Bell’ instead of ‘Charlotte Bronte’ because in that time period it was more likely than not that a book would sell if it were written by a woman. The Bronte sisters (Charlotte, Emily, and Anne) all wrote and took up male names (Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell), until 1850 when they revealed themselves. 

Definitely check out Jane Eyre if Victorian England and romance are things that interest you!

  1. 20 000 Leagues Under The Sea (Jules Verne)

Jules Verne is one of the most well-known authors of the 1800s.

He wrote many books, including Journey to the Centre to the Earth, Around The World In 80 Days, and many more. For the sake of this recommendation, I will be talking about 20 000 Leagues Under The Sea.

A league is a nautical measurement which is equal to about 4.828 kilometres. The ocean is definitely not 20 000 leagues kilometres deep (that’s a lot of water pressure to sustain) but the title of this classic refers to the distance travelled around the world while being underwater (and that is a big, big distance).  

It falls under the category of science fiction but it is also one of the books that is so ahead of its time that it could be released in the modern era and still have technology too advanced for us to comprehend. 

20 000 Leagues is narrated by the French scientist Pierre Aronnax, who finds himself aboard the Nautilus with his trusty Conseil and master Canadian harpooner Ned Land after they fall overboard their ship and are unable to get back onto it. The Nautilus is a futuristic, high-tech submarine capable of surviving extreme depths and going speeds almost unthinkable to our modern times. The Nautilus is run by Captain Nemo (yes, like the fish, but moving on) who has not set foot on land in a long time and has his own dark secrets from his past. 

I have not yet read the sequel, The Mysterious Island, but it is filled with new characters and more of the Nautilus’ adventures. So if you’re into underwater adventures, fascinating technology and intriguing characters, 20 000 Leagues is for you!

Now you’re all set to get started on your classic reading adventure! Leave a comment down below which one most interests you! If none do, comment your interests below as well and I’ll do my best to get you started on a recommendation!

Thanks for reading! Subscribe so you can see future posts as they come out, and leave a comment if you feel so inclined.

Life is a story. How will you write yours?

Until next time,

Catherine Khaperska 

Subscribe to see future posts as they come out!