Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Book List Meme: Favorite Genres


One of the hardest things for me to do is pinpoint my favorite genres, much less Three Favorite Genres for this week's Book List Meme.  I like to dip my toes in many different genres and there are very few that I like unconditionally.  Still, Rebecca demands a list so let's see ...

First, I'll say Neo-Victorian novels -- The Meaning of Night, The Somnambulist, The Quincunx.  This is why I need to read Sarah Waters as soon as possible.  Supposedly she's one of the best!

Second, I'll go to the source and choose Victorian Sensational novels -- East Lynne, The Woman in White, Lady Audley's Secret.  I love them all!

Finally, I think I will go with Classic Mystery novels -- Agatha Christie, Josephine Tey, Ngaio Marsh.  There's very few bad apples in all of their many, many novels.

What are your favorite genres?  Are you partial to any of the ones I love?

Making mental reading lists,
K

10 comments:

  1. I don't have favourite genres, I like far too eclectic a range of books. I have a few genres I dislike: romance, chicklit, misery memoirs and autobiographies.

    Sarah Waters - I can recommend Fingersmith and Affinity. I have The Little Stranger in my TBR pile.

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  2. I demand, huh? ;)

    I am an eclectic reader and I love most genres but I do still have my faves. I have to admit I don't even know what Neo-Victorian is. Is that sad? I attempted The Woman in White last year but couldn't get through it. I admit, though, that sometimes it is my frame of mind when I pick something up rather than the book and I will probably attempt this one again one day.

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  3. i guess my 3 favorite genres would be -- Literary fiction; contemporary fiction and mystery/thrillers, although I do need a good dose of non fiction.

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  4. I'm slightly ashamed to say that I don't even know what you mean when you write 'Neo-Victorian novels.' I'll have to go look up those titles and see...

    Nice list!

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  5. I've read a bunch of Victorian Lit lately, but Neo and classic. Good stuff!

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  6. +JMJ+

    Would "Neo-Victorian" also be "Steampunk" or do you mean Historicals set in the Victorian era? (I'm afraid I don't do much reading in either subgenre, so I can't tell anything by the titles you've shared!)

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  7. Tracy - I have Fingersmith, The Little Stranger and The Night Watch in my TBR pile. I'm having a hard time choosing though!

    Rebecca - Haha! I blame you for my decision making troubles. Neo-Victorian are modern books written in the Victorian period and the Victorian voice. They could almost pass for contemporaries of Dickens.

    Diane - I wonder how many bloggers would choose non-fiction as a favorite genre ...

    Cecelia - Neo-Victorian, as I mentioned before, are new books set in Victorian eras with incredible attention to Victorian detail and language. It's steampunk without the tech. ;)

    Mrs. Deraps - I can never get enough Victorian lit!

    Enbrethiliel - Steampunk is a sub-genre of Neo-Victorian. General Neo-Victorian are historical novels but have been given their own genre -- I think because there's been a glut of them recently.

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  8. I wonder how many bloggers would choose non-fiction as a favorite genre ...
    I would, Kristen! (as you can tell from my very first blog, my booklist for this year). But maybe I'm just weird.

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  9. This goes so far in explaining why we don't overlap much with books!!!

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  10. Tracy - I'm glad you would! I love the variety that this community has and sometimes wish there was even a bit more.

    Jenners - Yeah, probably. :)

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