Tuesday 13 March 2012

My Top 5 YA Trilogies

Since it's impossible for me to review all the wonderful books I've read over the years AND have some sort of life (even if it mostly revolves around reading new ones), I decided to do a little feature on some of my favourite YA trilogies! The comments are mostly just my impressions, but I've also put a link so you can nip over to Goodreads for a summary if you aren't familiar with the series. Anyway, without further ado, number 5...


5. Garth Nix: Abhorsen
Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen
It's actually been quite a while since I read these books but, like another trilogy that's going to pop up later in this list, they were staples of my childhood. I read them over and over again and those battered old copies on my bookshelf at home show it! I usually tend to favour the first book in a series but in this case it is the second, Lirael, which I always enjoyed the most. I loved reading about her adventures in the library (needless to say the Clayr's library held more than just books!) and I was hopelessly jealous over The Disreputable Dog. The. Disreputable. Dog! Come on, just that name sums up how much you need to read this series!

4. Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay.
I'm willing to bet this one came as no surprise! Like everyone else and their mother I loved The Hunger Games, and am waiting with bated breath for the film to come out (not long to go now!). It's possibly a little bit sadistic but I absolutely love dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction, and The Hunger Games is definitely up there with some of my favourites. From the beginning these books refuse to let up, once you start reading it is just impossible to put them down. I am not a fan of love triangles but I really liked both Peeta and Gale (unusual for me as I'm usually quick to take sides!). It's hard to believe that anyone could have missed The Hunger Games series now, especially with all the film hype, but it definitely live up to the reputation.

3. Diana Wynne Jones: The Castle Series
Howl's Moving Castle, The Castle in the Air, The House of Many Ways.
I absolutely had to get one of my ultimate favourite authors, Diana Wynne Jones into this list! I first came across her after watching the Miyazaki anime adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle and whilst I loved that, the actual book just blew me away. What I love most about DWJ is her deceptively simple prose and convoluted plots, which are always pulled together in the most magical way at the end! And of course like anyone else who has read these books I can't help but adore beautiful, infuriating Howl. Who can say they don't love Howl? Whilst actually quite unrelated to each other in ways, these three books tie together nicely and are all equally brilliant in their own ways, though I have to admit have a soft spot for the one that started it all.

2. Patrick Ness: Chaos Walking
Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask & The Answer, Monsters of Men.
What can I say about these books? I've been recommending them left, right and centre ever since I started The Knife of Never Letting Go. There's a lot of YA Dystopian novels about these days (as we all know) and as much as I adore a whole lot of them, Chaos Walking easily takes the crown for me. The series gripped me throughout and I loved Todd's unique voice, but I have to say my favourite character by far was his brilliantly simple-minded and heartbreakingly loyal dog, Manchee. I've never met a more realistic "talking" animal in fiction before; he really is the quintessential pup! Characters you can't bear to let go of and a pace that never lets up, I just cannot recommend these books enough!


1. Philip Pullman: His Dark Materials
Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass.
It was a hard choice but it just had to be this at the top of my list. I first read His Dark Materials when I was about 11 but I've read it countless times since. It used to kill me how much I wanted my own daemon- and it still does! What I love about HDM is that despite being a "children's" book it doesn't skirt around difficult issues. There are certain scenes in Northern Lights which chill me more than any horror or thriller, and some in The Amber Spyglass which break my heart more than the most tragic romance. Philip Pullman was my ultimate inspiration when I was a child and I won't be losing my admiration anytime soon! (PS: never talk to me about golden compasses... it's called an alethiometer! ;)

3 comments:

  1. This is a great idea though I have no idea how you managed to narrow it down to 5 choices! I love The Hunger Games, too. I was a strict Gale fan but after reading the series again, I kind of like Peeta, too lol.
    The Castle Series is on my 'to-read' list. My little brother and sister adored the Studio Ghibli movie adaptation and once I found out it was based on a book I thought I have to read them!

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    1. Haha it definitely wasn't easy to narrow it down! I hope you enjoy the Castle Series when you get around to reading them. :) As much as I like the movie, the book is definitely even better!

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  2. Really good picks! A couple that I hadn't come across but sound very interesting!

    Love the blog. We are now following you. Check us out at http://bookluvrshaven.blogspot.ca/. We would appreciate the follow back! :)

    Lily & Erin

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