Reading beyond YA
Studying a novel in secondary school introduces you to new authors, new genres and new eras. Close analysis of a text can be a way to dive deep into a particular book over a term or two. But why stop there? Personally, I love a good coming-of-age YA novel. But in the past year, I’ve used the texts I’ve studied at school as a starting place to explore more widely in the shelves at the bookstore.
It had never crossed my mind to read any modern classics. However, in a literature elective, I found my new favourite author, Shirley Jackson, through her novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle. This gothic mystery thriller written in 1962 tells the tale of Mary Katherine Blackwood, her sister Constance and their unusual ways. Jackson’s endings invariably contain a twist that turns the story on its head. And now, I can’t get enough of her work. I’m busy collecting some of her short story anthologies (Dark Tales, The Lottery and Other Stories, Let Me Tell You) and novels (The Haunting of Hill House, Hangsaman).
In a complete change of writing style, theme and era, I read Alice Pung’s YA novel Laurinda a few years ago, and thoroughly enjoyed its tone and message. But in English class at school I was introduced to her adult novel One Hundred Days. Short-listed for the 2022 Miles Franklin award, it tells the story of 16-year-old Karuna and what happens when she falls pregnant. The book follows themes of independence, search for self-identity and cultural values. I’ve really enjoyed analysing this novel closely, but I now know it would have been just as fun to read it outside of class. So I’m on the hunt for authors who write YA and adult fiction.
And when I think about it, my primary school obsession of Anne of Green Gables had me wearing a pinafore and straw hat for Book Week but also checking out other children’s classics. From the Penguin International Women’s Day Classics imprint came Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, A Little Princess, The Railway Children and Heidi — series like this one help to guide new readers like myself. This one in particular features amazing cover art and are all written by female authors. And once again, these books show how something from school can broaden your horizons.