Top 5 Books That Make You Think

Sometimes these 'TOP 5' lists really challenge me to crunch everything I read and love. Every time I skim through my Read list, I realize I love more books that I'm allowed to mention.
For books that make me think, I've tried my best to stir things up a bit and offer you guys as much of a variety as I could. So here goes:

5. Suspended Animation by Shweta Ganesh Kumar

Probably my most favorite anthology ever. These simple stories will leave you thinking about how people are stuck in time even though the world is whizzing past them rapidly. Often we hold on to incidents for too long and find the smallest reasons or excuse to talk about them or bring them up.  Few life reflections were made on my part. Review to be up on the blog soon!

4. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Although I wasn't as big of a fan of this series as the other booktubers and bloggers, I've got to say, it did make me think about the whole concept of beauty and the possible extreme levels it could reach in the future. In this world where perfection and beauty are the highest demand with lurking government agenda, being average or normal with flaws is the only way to keep your sanity. Again, if you are someone who is intrigued by concepts like 'who is beautiful and by what standards,' you should definitely check this out.

3. The Moor's Last Sigh by Salman Rushdie

Why a Salman Rushdie book you may wonder. We all know the man is anything but simple. Characters so beautiful and intriguing even in the most hurtful ways makes me want to jump into his stories. However, the reason why The Moor's Last Sigh lingered was for Uma Saraswati. Not a big role but a pivotal one. Enough to wreck havoc like no tomorrow. It's a case that just cannot be closed in my head. She loved him,  she controlled him like a master puppeteer, then why did she hurt him so much? Why did she want to be with him and then ultimately drink poison for her wrong doings? She's one female character whom I could never understand and never forget

2. 1984 by George Orwell

Of course. How could there be a list without me mentioning 1984 by George Orwell. It does make you think for ample reasons. The technological advancements, the security system and the control over people. Forcing them to stay in the system in pure misery void of any personal development, growth or remote chances of encouragement. A genuine pioneer in the dystopian genre. It wouldn't hit you when you read it but once you are through, the severity of it all will stay with you.

1. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov 

Like I've mentioned on some of my older posts, this is not an easy one to digest and thats what also makes it my favorite. Here's a book, written decades ago that makes you feel for a Paedophile. What most people fail to see is that Nabokov is not glorifying his protagonists. They're awful people with terrible choices, he wants you to see that, understand them entirely, feel for them and eventually hate them for what they do. Its a real challenge to just read Lolita and thinking about it after is a different roller coaster ride by itself. Nonetheless, I will not be able to forget this for years to come.

What books made you think? I'd read your favourites.

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Top 5 Non-Young Adult Books

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of Non- YA books I had read so far. I usually gravitate to them more whenever I crave great prose and an abundance of emotional overwhelm.  As much as I love Young Adult fiction for the thrill it gives, It's the Non - YA books that predominantly stay imprinted on my mind for years to come.

Here are my top 5 favourites:

5. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy 

I just finished this book last night. I remember picking it up years ago and abandoning it halfway. What a poignant read! This is a book where you don't love the characters , you observe them. You awe at their mannerism and shock at their moves. Their actions are open yet not short of causing chaos beyond repair. Also something I call a 'conflict read ' because, as I mentioned , their actions and reactions are natural but it manages to yield the most tragic turn of events.  A day does change everything. 

4. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

All of my friends who have read this book have not fallen short of praises. I immediately jumped on the bandwagon too and don't regret it one bit. The characters , irrespective of what social or economic strata they belong to, were warm loving and well rooted. The underlining guilt grows like a creeper. The language is simple with a beautiful intermix of Farsi  mostly to translate the on-going emotions, which I loved. Hosseini is so in touch with his Afghan roots and his introduction of it left me spellbound.

3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson 

Highly explicit, graphic and also, if I dare say, controversial. This book is no fun and games. It's very hardcore in its elements, well researched and thorough in detail. At first, I was skeptical, thinking that keeping in mind all the names and sub plots I would end up losing track of the chain of events. That did not happen! By far the best paced mystery novel I have ever read, with  perfect closure and justifications to all the sub plots. No loose ends and no further questions asked. A must-read for all murder mystery lovers.

2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett 

The book and I have a connection. So it feels like. There is not one character I did not like in the book (Yes, even Miss Hilly). I adored the country accent it was written in. Stockett's ability to have various narratives of the three different women run parallel then converging them and weaving them together with laughter , love and loss is commendable. The stories are their own, the pain and the way they deal with it is heterogeneous. You love them , you laugh with them and you hurt like it was your own .The movie was equally fantastic. Exactly how I had envisioned it. Can we make this a classic already!

1. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov 

*cue gasp* Majority of people could not stomach this book and I completely understand why. For the longest time, this has been and still is a controversial and unacceptable-in-society kind of read. There is a niche audience that has found the true motive and meaning behind Nabokov. He challenges you with words to empathize with a inadmissible love. Something you would never support in real life. His description and language is unmatched.  To read this book one would have to be really open-minded.

What are your favourite Non YA books? I'd love to know!

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