I've read 92 books this year and it's difficult to thin it down to my top 10 best reads. Not all that many novels commanded my attention in 2014, but I figured out you'd like to read about the ones that did. These ten books failed to make my top 10 Best Reads of 2014, but I'd still recommend them warmly to everyone looking for a reading suggestions. You might even like them better than my top 10 Best Reads, literature being a matter of personal tastes first and foremost. Kudos to the 10 writers included in the following list, you guys made it to the third step of the podium of my 2014 reading year.
In chronological order of publication.
For its reckless exploration of how far can a heist novel go.
For its confident, seamless and layered integration of philosophical elements to the otherwise classic, borderline cliché idea of a revenge novel.
For mixing up countless genres and inluences, and ending up with a 100% fierce and original story nonetheless.
For being a throwback story that doesn't belong in this era of the publication business and that laughs gleefully at the idea of being categorized.
For the fragile and peculiar nature of its minimalistic style and for loading every word with all the meaning it can bear.
For turning mystery and plotting into rocket science and redifining the benchmark for the genre.
For painting a complex portrait out of fragments and writing a story that became organically its own genre.
For writing a novella that dared standing above the confines of a very niche and impenetrable genre, therefore shining a positive light on a century-old writing tradition.
For its good natured self-awareness on what I think it a writing calamity and for challenging my biggest pet peeves as a reader with killer storytelling.
For its deceitful sense of scope and its wonderful character psychology that'll drag you into a visceral reading.
These are all great books, I'm almost 100% sure you'll enjoy them as much as I did. I'll announce my top 10 BEST READS of 2014 on Thursday or Friday. I don't know, because posting can get pretty volatile during the Holidays, so make sure to keep an eye on the page. I'm keeping my VERY BEST READ of 2014 for next week though. I'll announce it on the 30th or the 31st.
In the meantime, read away guys. Read away. It's the Holiday Season. It's not like you don't have time.