Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
This Week’s Topic : It’s a Valentine’s Day Freebie!
Lets spin this one around and look at some books that are in ways the opposite of happy and romantic. Want to give your Valentine a total bummer gift because you are just that kind of sado-masochist? Or are you just anti-Romance in general? No judgments here, because I have just the books for you!
If you want a book about….
- the worst wedding ever? Check out Storm of Swords. It’s a party the north will always remember!
- having a really public affair and all of the consequences of it? Can’t get any better than good ole Anna Karenina and her mess of a life.
- why having premarital sex as a lady will doom you forever? Why that’s going to be Tess of the D’Urbervilles.
- a husband who is losing his mind and being a major asshole in the process? Sounds like The Shining is going to be right up your topiary garden.
- heartbreak, infidelity, and death? This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz will make you hurt.
- struggling with impotence and feeling disillusioned with life? The Sun Also Rises not only handles those important issues, but it’s a romp across Europe as well!
- the soul crushing injustices of having your body and emotions controlled? You might want to grab The Handmaid’s Tale for that.
- the most depressing family situation ever? The Road is going to bring the exact opposite of joy to your heart.
- getting sweet, sweet revenge on your ex’s new family? The Count of Monte Cristo will satisfy all of your cravings for retribution.
- watching your loved ones pay for your stupid mistakes? Pick up Frankenstein, and you’ll get not only that, but a secondary hit to the gut about being utterly alone in the world!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Have any totally non-romantic and/or bummer books you’d like to add? Let me know in the comments!
What a fantastic way to turn it on its head! My favourite of your picks are Anna Karenina, Storm of Swords and Tess! But any of them would work to totally bum someone out!
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Thanks! I figured there are enough happy posts with the holiday this week, why not do something a little different?
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Well it’s a great idea!
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I loveee your list. Will keep this in tabs, in case any of these scenarios happen.
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Thanks! I figure it covers most anti-romantic bases…
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The Shining…holy crap, yes!
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This is a fantastic take on the topic! And I have to agree that none of these would make for romantic gifts!
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Nice list. I added Gone Girl on my list this week.
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Great idea. 🙂 Game of Thrones seems to have a lot of terrible weddings.
My TTT:Marie @ Pages to Explore
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That it does indeed!
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How about Gone Girl? When I first started to read it, I thought it was a romance. No chance of those two characters writing a marriage how-to anytime soon.
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I saw that one on someone else’s lost earlier today and had totally forgotten about it! It’s my #11 for sure.
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This is How You Lose her was featured on my TTT because I did a list of characters I’d never go on a date with, haha. Absolutely not a book to give a valentine!
My TTT: http://brownbooksandgreentea.com/2016/02/09/5-literary-characters-id-never-date/
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I love the theme you chose. (I did Galentine’s Day myself—not really into Valentine’s Day, on the whole). I’ll contribute Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller. Everything in that book is “festering,” “rancid,” “putrid,” lice, maggots, cockroaches, vomit. SO much sex, and yet it’s the least sexy book I’ve ever read.
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Oh man that sounds absolutely perfect for this list! I don’t think I’ve read any Miller before but if I need to hit a “festering” quote I think I know where to go now…
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