A Year in Review: 2024 Book Awards Winners
(I totally didn't forget about this)
Hello again! To take a look at my nominees, check it out here:
FAVORITE CLASSIC: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
I tried to read Jane Eyre in high school and it didn’t stick, and I had been hesitant to pick it up since then. This summer I decided to revisit it, and I am so glad that I did. Jane Eyre is, in my eyes, a perfect novel. The characters are beautifully fleshed out and the plot is simple yet compelling enough to keep you hooked. Returning to this novel at twenty-three made me appreciate the titular Jane much more than I could have at fifteen.
FAVORITE NEW BOOK: Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney is new to me this year. Over the summer and into the fall I quickly read through all of her literary offerings and loved each and every one of them. CWF really stood out to me. At times a truly devastating and frustrating read, each character in this novel was so tragically and unabashedly human. I felt like I was looking into a mirror when it came to the protagonist. Do with that what you will.
FAVORITE SHORT BOOK: split between Franny & Zooey by J.D. Salinger and The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami
![The Strange Library [Book]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!y8b0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7120c2c6-d9e3-4a1d-b1e4-e083e1ebd320_1688x2513.jpeg "The Strange Library [Book]")
I truly could not choose between these two. They are so distinctly different from one another, and it ultimately didn’t feel right to try to choose which one was “better.” Franny & Zooey was brilliant. The two protagonists are witty, infuriating, and wonderful. Salinger excels at these character studies of these two siblings. The Strange Library was fascinating and weird. It is truly Murakami at his best.
FAVORITE NONFICTION: No Name in the Street by James Baldwin
This was nothing short of brilliant. James Baldwin is a visionary. In this book, he shares his thoughts on several historical events that he lived through and had close personal connections to, such as the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X. He describes the Harlem that formed him, the March on Washington, and his experiences in Europe, Hollywood, and the American south.
LEAST FAVORITE: Bunny by Mona Awad
This book was terrible. Truly a waste of my time. I couldn’t believe I managed to stomach it until the end. I’m sorry if you are a fan of this novel, I understand that it is quite popular and well-regarded, and I genuinely mean no disrespect when I say that it was easily the worst novel I have read in the last ten years. None of the characters were compelling in the slightest, the plot made no sense, and everything about the writing was tepid and lifeless. I hope I don’t ruffle any feathers with this one. But hey, if you really loved this novel you can feel free to turn me into some zombie rabbit.
OVERALL FAVORITE: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
This novel was one of the finest novels I have ever read. It follows, in letter form, an aging pastor in the town of Gilead. He is dying, and he endeavors to write a series of letters to his young son that he can read one day when he gets older, as he will have to live his most formative years without a father. Robinson masterfully meditates on religion, death, family, and hardship in the most beautiful way. Her prose is beautiful, and she approaches difficult topics in an unflinching and careful manner.
FAVORITE ESSAY: “Dispatches from the Land of Erasure During a Genocide” by Philip Metres
A truly illuminating and harrowing read. Metres blends fact with poetry to create a haunting atmosphere in this piece. Read it here.
I read a lot of really great things last year, and I’m excited to see what 2025 holds in terms of literature. Thank you all for sticking around.
