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In my library: Samantha Shannon

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Still my absolute favorite book. It introduced me to both feminism and speculative fiction. Offred, the eponymous Handmaid, has a voice that teeters between passive observation and suppressed agitation . . . The world Atwood creates is terrifying.

Villette by Charlotte Brontë

It took me a long time to get into “Villette,” as the narrator’s voice was quite unusual: cold, distant, emotionless — but I soon saw Lucy Snowe as one of Charlotte Brontë’s greatest creations. She’s a real enigma. She hides information from the reader and seems to go out of her way to conceal her identity. It’s still the most memorable book I’ve read by any of the Brontë sisters.

1984 by George Orwell

I don’t just love the novel because it’s the “classic” dystopia. It’s Orwell’s characterization I admire. In the dull, wartime surroundings of Airstrip One, the relationship between Winston and Julia — and its eventual collapse — really shines. The characters are human: they break, they turn on each other . . .

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

I don’t think anyone knew London better than Dickens did. I’ve never loved a pair of characters like I love Joe Gargery and Pip. You root for them right from the beginning. I love Dickens’ subtle humour, too, and the tiny details he includes, right down to how Mrs. Joe butters the bread. It gives the world so much colour and energy.