Our Favourite Reads of 2023

As we kick off 2024, what better way to celebrate the New Year than to reflect on our favourite reads of the previous one? We saw some fantastic novels published this year, and we were also reminded of some timeless classics that will never get old.

Whether you enjoy a period drama, biographical tale, or a complex, emotive story, we have something to tickle your fancy. Take a look at our top 5 favourite reads from 2023 below.

Parisian Days, Banine (translated by Anne Thompson-Ahmadova)

If you’ve been keeping up-to-date with our latest reviews, you may have seen our recent thoughts on Parisian Days. The author, Banine, tells a compelling and magical tale of her life during the Roaring Twenties, where music, fashion and culture transformed due to changing societal perspectives.

Banine’s background and early life is incredibly intriguing. The granddaughter of two famous millionaires, she was forced into marriage at the very young age of fifteen, as a fee exacted for the freedom of her father who had been imprisoned after the fall of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1920. Banine followed her father to Paris shortly before her eighteenth birthday, abandoning her husband, and that’s where her story truly begins.

It’s not always an easy journey, Banine faces many challenges as she tries to navigate her new life, but it makes for an insightful and witty read – one we thoroughly recommend.

A person sits on a sofa and reads a book.

The Midnight Library, Matt Haig

If you’re looking for a beautiful, thought-provoking story to dive into, this is the novel for you. Published in 2021, at the height of the pandemic, The Midnight Library took the world by storm, becoming the most-loved book of 2021 and winning the Goodreads Choice Award for fiction.

The story centres around Nora, a thirty-something-year-old whose life jumps from one bad situation to another. She’s lost her job, no longer speaks to her brother, and her cat has passed away. The pain leads her to make a decision to take her own life, but what follows is a journey of self-discovery, and a chance to undo her regrets and try out each life she could have lived.

This novel stands as a great reminder to never hold onto regrets and do things to please other people. You never know where life will take you.

A Shared Silence, Lalla Romano

Another brilliant read we reviewed this year, A Shared Silence delves into a lot of complicated themes, including loss, war, and heartache. Set during the Second World War, the novel follows Giulia, a young woman living in Italy who must leave her home alone to escape the bombings and dangers posed by war.

It’s a delicate read that divulges heartbreaking emotions, but it’s an incredibly insightful and compelling story that largely mirrors the experiences of the book’s author, Lalla Romano.

Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

A timeless classic, Pride and Prejudice continues to delight readers with its sharp, witty characters and exploration of themes (social expectations, for one) that are still relevant in today’s society. It has been adapted for TV and film multiple times and has even been the inspiration for a comedy-horror zombie novel.

The story follows our heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, who, along with her four sisters, must marry to secure their futures. Elizabeth is strong-willed and determined to marry for love, but twists and turns will prove the journey challenging and, at times, heartbreaking.

One thing we can take away from this powerful love story is to never judge a book by its cover!

A stack of vintage books next to some wire-framed glasses.

August Blue, Deborah Levy

Named Best Book of the Year by TIME, Vulture, and the BBC, August Blue delves into themes of loss and identity to create a timeless, thought-provoking piece of literature. The author, Deborah Levy, has previously been shortlisted twice for the Booker Prize, so if that’s not a good enough reason to read August Blue, we don’t know what is.

Elsa M. Anderson is a concert pianist and former child prodigy, now in her thirties. One day, at the height of her career, she walks off stage mid-performance in Vienna. Fast forward to Athens, Elsa watches a similar-looking woman, practically her double, purchase a pair of dancing horses that she wants. From here begins a journey across Europe, as Elsa grapples to understand who she really is, while being shadowed by the elusive woman who bought the horses.

It may sound a bit unusual, but its mystical and emotive narrative makes it a fantastic read.

A person reading a book on a window ledge.