Seven Stories that Changed my Life

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein is my favourite book of all time!

I read Frankenstein for the first time in high school and didn’t think all that much of it- but when I revisited it when I was seventeen it had a much more profound effect on me. I put the book down and spent fifteen minutes or so crying. The fact Mary Shelley wrote this when she was just eighteen is a testament to her brilliance.

I find myself relating to the creature- his plight that the world shuns and hates him for things he can’t control, and those meant to protect him abandon him, so he finds ways to lash out and gain control of himself and his environment. It’s a tragedy, and totally overlooked by the book’s modern notion where the creature is a patchwork zombie incapable of thought, when the book version is attractive, a genius, and commits violence as a way to feel justice and put two fingers up at a world who cannot accept him. 

I doubt this book will ever be surpassed from my number one spot.

Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik

This is a children’s book, and the first book I remember reading and enjoying. I was a pretty quiet child, low maintenance as I like to put it, and I could read at a very early age, so I could often be found tucked into a little corner with this book, or behind the sofa, reading it over and over again. It’s charming, whimsical, beautifully illustrated, and is probably the reason brown bears are my favourite animal. 

Though my tastes in literature have evolved, this book will always have a place in my heart.

My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi

A pink haired tsundere once said “Manga is Literature”, and I agree with that statement. Plus my A Level English teacher said it was and as far as I’m concerned, the word of Mike Connelly is law. 

I’ve loved superheroes ever since I was a very small boy, my Saturday morning cartoons populated with the Justice League, the Legion of Superheroes, and most notably, the Teen Titans. But as I grew up, people became meaner and the world became crueller, I developed a shy, anxious and awkward personality, and though I still loved heroic exploits, I found myself detaching a little bit from media. 

I got into manga/anime in my teens, and eventually found My Hero Academia. The protagonist, Izuku, is awkward, shy, and relentlessly bullied, but the story follows him overcoming obstacles, facing his fears and becoming a true hero. It was the first time I saw myself represented fully in a character, and as you can imagine I had a good cry about it. My Hero Academia taught me despite my flaws and low self worth, I can rise to challenges, help people, and become the best version of myself possible. The characters are excellent, Izuku, and guys like Kirishima and Amajiki being standouts to me, and the story is fast paced with amazing moments, with a lot of heart and love for the superhero genre. I don’t ever want to stop reading.

Misery by Stephen King

Naturally, as I started to get into horror literature, I found Stephen King. Misery was the third book of his I read, after the ubiquitous It and The Shining, but by far the one that I enjoyed most. I started reading one day at college, couldn’t tear my eyes away, and by the time the book had been put down I was on the bus home and had missed an entire philosophy lecture (I hated philosophy so my time was much better spent). 

What’s best here is that there are no true supernatural elements at play, Annie Wilkes as a protagonist offers no magic hell powers or ghosts or goblins- she’s just a malicious woman that does an amazing job at being suspenseful and building tension. She’s a very real threat- as in, could exist in our world, and that kind of grounded, natural horror fascinates me. I’m very scared to watch the movie because the book left such a lasting impression I don’t want to sully it (King fans know that It movies are NOT book accurate and very irritating). 

Empyre by Marvel Comics

Another superhero story with pictures? I know, scandalous! But hear me out okay?

I only came across this collection recently, but it’s made such a violent impact on my world view, my love of comics, and myself that I couldn’t not talk about it.

I am a bisexual male. In the past few years or so, I’ve been trying to explore that part of myself through the only way I know how, books. I’ve been reading things like the work of Alice Oseman, and other LGBTQ+ stories, because I want to explore these niche narratives- because they not only apply to me, but I had never seen them growing up. In the early 2000’s, I never had any books or TV shows with same sex couples, so now that I have come to terms with my sexuality, especially as someone who’s interested in boys and girls, I want equality in my romances, and in the sort of texts that I would choose to read regardless of its status as an LGBTQ+ story.

Empyre, is such a thing.

I love superheroes and comics, and sure this book features an epic, galactic romp with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, but it also has a gay couple as a central point in the narrative- the relationship, and later, same sex, Jewish space marriage, between the superheroes Wiccan and Hulkling (the latter of which is my new favourite Marvel hero).

Its official- superheroes can like their own genders folks!

This reinforced My Hero Academia’s impression on me, gave me someone to see myself in as a hero, as someone good who helps others, but also likes guys. I feel fully seen by the literature and media that I love the most, so celebrate this comic collection.

Call of the Wild by Jack London

Nature is fun. Sure, I’m pale, don’t like exercise and spend most of my time in front of a screen, but the American Wilderness is a dream destination of mine. I feel natural surrounded by trees and love giant fluffy animals that can rip your head off. Jack London always combines both the beauty and harshness of nature and Call of the Wild is what I believe to be his magnum opus. It’s a stunning read, his love of description, and the humanisation of animals in a story that focuses on the struggles of survival make an unforgettable experience to pick up- and that is hard to put down! It’s a little short, only a few chapters long- I read it in an afternoon. But what it lacks in length, it makes up for as a stunning piece of work that made me feel more connected to my world… and tempted me to take my clothes off, run into the woods and never emerge. 

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Gothic literature really is my calling when it comes to books. I read Dracula at a similar time I read Frankenstein, wanting to get all the classics under my belt. Frankenstein proved the dearer to me of the two big ones, but I cannot deny Draculas style and true excellence. 

Movie adaptations do not do this book justice. Dracula is a slow burn, made of journal entries and letters spanning many months, as opposed to a simple narrative, making the world feel big and real, and making you feel like a journalist sifting through all these accounts to figure out what’s going on- the beautiful story and writing style of Stoker, coupled with the books structure of making you feel included make the tense moments much more extreme and the entire novel feel alive. By far the best character is Mina Harker, the only sane person in the book, and the whole atmosphere of the piece is the archetype of true gothic style. 

Plus vampires are cool- everyone likes vampires.