Curated Reading Lists
These are brief, starter reading lists to introduce foundational themes.
If you find these interesting, check out our full Reading Guides in the Shop.
Humiliated & Insulted
Dostoevky
A deeply emotional novel that explores love, suffering, compassion, and the psychological effects of poverty and social injustice. It's a powerful introduction to Dostoevsky's insight into human nature and the resilience of the human spirit
A Tale of Two Cities
Charles dickens
Set during the French Revolution, this novel examines sacrifice, justice, revenge, and the consequences of social inequality. Its unforgettable characters and timeless themes make it one of the greatest historical novels ever written.
Aeneid
An epic that follows Aeneas' journey to found what would become Rome, blending adventure with profound questions about duty, destiny, leadership, and sacrifice. It remains one of the most influential works in Western literature and philosophy.
Why I Recommend The Castle of Otranto
I recommend The Castle of Otranto because it is the novel that gave birth to the Gothic genre, shaping countless stories that followed. While its supernatural events and dramatic twists may seem unusual to modern readers, they introduced many of the themes we now associate with Gothic fiction: haunted castles, family curses, hidden identities, psychological fear, and the tension between reason and the unknown. Beyond its historical importance, the novel explores timeless questions about power, fate, ambition, and morality. It reveals how fear and the desire to control others can corrupt individuals and destroy families. Reading it also provides a deeper appreciation of later writers such as Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, and even modern psychological thrillers and horror. If you're interested in understanding where Gothic literature began and how stories can use mystery and the supernatural to explore human nature, The Castle of Otranto is an essential read.