Literary alchemy: cross-genre recommendations
Genres have existed as long as fiction itself, and most readers have their favourites. However, there are instances when authors blend genres to create something captivating and truly unique. They borrow tropes, mix tones, and play with conventions in fresh and exciting ways. Whether you’re already loyal to a particular genre and looking to expand your reading, or wanting to try two genres at once, there’s something here for you.
This is by no means King’s most famous work, however, it is one of the most underrated. History buffs will recognise the title as the date that US President JFK was shot. This novel exists not within the horror genre for which King is so well known, but rather between the historical fiction and science fiction categories, following English teacher Jake Epping as he discovers a time portal that leads to 1958. It maintains some of the aspects of horror, but without the killer clowns: it retains King’s signature suspense and emotional depth. Sometimes time travel plots can be tedious to read, but this novel handles it well, making it a compelling blend of thriller, science fiction and history.
The idea for Frankenstein was born when, at the behest of Lord Byron, Mary Shelley created a horror story to pass the time while on holiday in Switzerland. As she developed it into a novel, it became one of the first instances of science fiction. As the genre has grown over the years, the tropes instigated in Frankenstein remain at the forefront, with mad scientists succumbing to their own hubris and monsters brought to life through unnatural means. And while we all know “Frankenstein” is technically the doctor, not the creature; Shelley’s genius is in blurring that line. In many ways, it’s Dr. Frankenstein who turns out to be the real monster.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
This 1990s novel is part fantasy, part comedy, and entirely delightful. Co-written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, it follows an angel and a demon as they rush to stop the Antichrist and subsequent Armageddon following a baby-swapping incident 11 years prior. In addition to the protagonists, there is a host of side characters that add to the hilarity, including an order of chattering nuns, a motorcycle gang turned Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and the last two remaining Witchfinders in the world. The audiobook for this is especially good, not only because it is narrated by God (through the voice of Rebecca Front), but it also features David Tennant and Michael Sheen in their roles as the two protagonists.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Combining romance and literary fiction in a dystopian world, this contemporary novel is often categorised as science fiction, yet I found it better to go into this book not expecting a sci-fi novel. This haunting novel is, in my opinion, Nobel Prize winner Ishiguro’s best, blending haunting literary fiction with romantic undertones. The plot centres around narrator Kathy, now in her mid-thirties, as she returns to the boarding school of her childhood, Hailsham School. She tries to piece together her memories of the silence of the world she grew up in, of alienation and despair. I love how this book lingers on the mind long after you’ve finished it, varying from the classic dystopian trope of ending on a note of hope, but in something more honest and reflective.
Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas
Sarah J. Maas has become one of the pioneering names in the ‘romantasy‘ genre (books that combine romance and fantasy) with her series A Court of Thorns and Roses, but I’m recommending her newer trilogy, Crescent City. With fantasy, there is a tendency to subscribe to medieval-style worlds, but I love it when fantasy elements exist within modern life, and this book is a great example of this, blending newer technology with the magic of angels, demons and fae. The first book of the trilogy, House of Earth and Blood, could be read alone as a murder mystery, following Bryce as she investigates the murder of a loved one. However, once you’ve finished the first one, you’ll definitely be itching to read the next (I read the trilogy in a weekend!)
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