In Cold Blood - Truman Capote

Recommended for ages 16-adult.

I was in two minds about including Capote's famous novel here. On the one hand it is a frightening and at times violent tale which delves into the minds and histories of two cold-blooded murderers. But on the other hand it is a brilliant piece of writing. It is gripping, suspenseful at times (although Capote doesn't overuse the privilege), fast-paced and elegantly written. As one reviewer says it is "as precise as surgery".

If you want to learn to really refine your writing style, read Capote and see how he manages his tale. But make sure that you can distance yourself from crime stories, or you will find In Cold Blood very chilling indeed. As someone who really doesn't enjoy crime fiction, this book was a stretch. Capote's fluid writing style made persevering with his novel worth my while and provided access into the mind of a murderer in the most appropriate ways. Capote doesn't use violence as a tool for manipulating the reader, but the way he writes about it is quite extraordinary.

Best to leave this book to older readers because of its themes, although mature readers 16-ish and up will appreciate its written expression. If you do like crime fiction, then this will blow you away.

Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys

Recommended for ages 15-adult.

Wide Sargasso Sea is a book I have been trying to track down for ages. It tells the story of Antoinette Cosway, better recognised as Bertha in Jane Eyre. I really enjoy reading novels which give the backstory of minor characters in other books I've read, like Robin Klein's short story 'Bluebeard's Daughter', Rhys' interpretation left me a little underwhelmed.

For one, I have absolutely no knowledge or experience of the West Indies, which forms the setting for 90% of this book. I don't understand the race relations which the book draws upon, nor the reasons for Rochester's conquest of Antoinette. I understood that power relations were really important in this book, but couldn't get a grip on the specifics. And the multiple shifts in perspective just further confused me.

On saying all that, the language and imagery is magnificent, and thanks to her writing skill, Rhys is able to transform Bertha from the mad woman in the attic of Thornfield Hall into a tragic-heroine figure. It's an interesting shift in perception. Rochester comes off as being mean, heartless and unconscionable rather than being young and naiive as Bronte presents him. I liked that.

Although I couldn't really appreciate this novel, it is a quick read and it does challenge your existing ideas about Jane Eyre.

Recommended for people who enjoyed Jane Eyre and want to delve deeper into the plot. Best to leave it till you're 15 or 16 so you can understand some of Rhys' subtleties.

The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Recommended for ages 14-adult.

When people ask me what my favourite book is, this one always springs to mind. Nothing beats The Yellow Wallpaper for it gripping narrative, its fearsome character development, and its rich symbolism. And, of course, an ending which will haunt you long after you put it down.

Written prior to 1892, this story was considered a horror story by some readers of the day. It's not, but that's how Victorian readers always felt about books which portrayed women stepping outside their place in society. But even that's not what the story is really about. At the most basic level it tells the story of a woman's mental decline after the birth of her first child and her husband's decision to move the family to an isolated house in the country. As you get into the story, however, you start to see between the layers of the infamous wallpaper and recognise that this book is making all sorts of comments on women's rights, the relationship between men and women, and the care of patients with depression. Every time I read it, I get a new perspective on it. And it still chills me every time I turn the final page.

The version of the story I read came with a few other short stories by Gilman, each quaint but definitively didactic, almost pushy about women's rights. None came close to the mastery of The Yellow Wallpaper. Perhaps because of the very personal nature of this story to Gilman.

Although only a short book, 21 pages, The Yellow Wallpaper has a similar level of complexity as Jane Eyre or Northanger Abbey. But in terms of readability for a modern audience, it is poles apart.

If you love short stories, gothic fiction, psychological thrillers or Victorian literature, you will love this.

I Am the Cheese - Robert Cormier

Recommended for ages 8-18.

I loved this book. It is a gripping, perfectly crafted psychological masterpiece. It's not exactly scary like a thriller, but the ending will chill you and make you want to reread the book from start to finish.

It tells the tale of young Adam Farmer as he attempts to bike to visit his father in hospital many miles away. Interspersed, however with this first person narration is a much more disturbing insight into Adam's life, presented in third-person in the form of a series of psychiatric interviews between Adam and a mysterious character 'Brint'.

All is not as it seems. Adam does not remember who he is or what happened to his parents, and as the interviews progress he becomes more and more sure that Brint is part of the government consipracy that has controlled his family's life for a decade. As the plot thickens, the reader becomes more and more uncertain about who, or where Adam is.

This book eventually causes you to question everything the central characters say, to the point where you, like Adam, trust no-one.

Recommended for kids over 8 years old because the young'uns would probably be bored by its political and psychological intricacies.