This is the second half of my ranking of novels I read this semester. While I enjoyed all three of these I’d put a gap between the top 2 and number 3.
#3– Pudd’nhead Wilson
I’ve written quite a few blogs already on this one but I found the premise to be super amusing. The switcheroo of Chambers and Tom generates plenty of irony which I always enjoy. I was constantly waiting for Tom’s true identity to catch up to him and the ending, while admittedly anticlimactic, achieved that.
#2- The Hate U Give
It had been years since I had sat down and read 200+ pages in one sitting. I didn’t think I would ever do it again but one night I ended up not being able to put this novel down. Revolving around Starr Carter, a teen who watches her best friend get shot and killed by a police officer, I found it to be especially relevant to much of what is in the news today. While I thought the dialogue was a bit cheesy at points it was far from enough to get me to stop reading. Thomas delivers a powerful message, culminating the novel by relating the events within to real life victims of police violence. It has the makings of a modern GAN and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
#1- The Grapes of Wrath
When I first saw the list of novels for the semester I was dreading this one. It seemed like the classic 700 page mammoth that would become a chore to sit through every night. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I paired it with an audio book I found online and started to grow attached to the characters. Normally 700 page books tend to drag on for me yet I enjoyed the length here because I felt more attached to the characters. Alternating the chapters between description and action also kept it fresh as I never felt as though either part overstayed its welcome. Combine this storytelling with themes of desperation and hope in times of struggle and it becomes pretty clear to see why The Grapes of Wrath is heralded as the Great American Novel. I fully agree.
Great American Novels 2020 