Whenever I read a book, I find myself inevitably connecting it to a song from one of my cherished playlists. This urge to pair books with songs only deepens with every great read, especially during autumn. Personally, fall is one of my favorite seasons to read in, and I find myself enjoying the act more than I already do in the -ber months. Everything from the coziness of a book to its literary merit somehow heightens in this magical and mystical time of year. In this article, I’ve coupled some of my favorite autumn reads with songs that encapsulate their premise in hopes that more readers will feel the seasonal shift and view it as cosmically remarkable as I do.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte + “Nothing Matters” by The Last Dinner Party
If you’re even loosely familiar with any of the Bronte sisters or their works, you’ll know that the Brontes were famously regarded for their progressive take on Victorian literature. Emily Bronte, in particular, defied traditional Christian ideals and time period-typical gender roles, diving deep into gothic themes with Wuthering Heights. This novel, once considered diabolical and extremely dark, tells the story of Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff—two complex yet toxic figures who fall in love as children when Catherine’s father adopts Heathcliff. “Nothing Matters” echoes the novel’s gothic elements, and both pieces share a raw portrayal of overwhelming passion, a major theme throughout both of these brilliant works of art.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson + “Girl With One Eye” by Florence & the Machine
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to any seasoned reader that Shirley Jackson is making an appearance on this list. Similar to Emily Bronte, Jackson’s work is often characterized as unnerving and often times haunting, perfectly capturing the feeling of fall. In We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Jackson tells the strange yet rousing story of Merricat Blackwood, an eerily unsettling narrator who lives with her remaining two family members as outcasts in their town. Florence and the Machine’s “Girl With One Eye” is a vengeful song that meshes well with the overall events in Jackson’s novel. The speaker in “Girl With One Eye” also seems to share Merricat’s cold detachment from others with lyrics like “I took a knife and cut out her eye / I took it home and watched it wither and die / Well, she’s lucky that I didn’t slip her a smile / That’s why she sleeps with one eye open.”
An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson + “Snow On The Beach (feat. Lana Del Rey)” by Taylor Swift
The romance between the two main characters in An Enchantment of Ravens (Isobel & Rook) can be summed up by the lyric: “weird but f—— beautiful.” As someone who isn’t really a fan of romance, I find this novel surprisingly one of my favorite young adult books. It doesn’t take itself too seriously (much like “Snow On The Beach”), yet it is written masterfully. Isobel, our narrator, lives as a brilliantly talented mortal portrait artist among the tricky and conniving fair folk who are unable to perform any “crafts,” such as painting or cooking. The story follows her adventure through the autumn lands as she is wrongfully abducted by Rook, the autumn prince. This novel is a very cozy and quick read, filled with fantastical elements and expertly written adventures, mirroring the odd yet enchanting narrative in “Snow On The Beach.”
Vicious by V.E. Schwab + “Villainous Thing” by Shayfer James
V.E. Schwab has so many great autumnal books (Gallant & The Near Witch to name a few), but I think that Vicious is one of her best works to date. The story centers around two college students, Victor Vale & Eli Cardale (later “Eli Ever”) who share a strong fascination with each other and their viciousness. A failed experiment eventually leads to something extraordinary that creates a feud between the two, which festers into something more sinister. “Villainous Thing” is a perfect pairing for this novel as it also tells the story of an obsession and fixation so strong that you can recognize the evil lurking beneath someone’s mask–partly because you know them well enough and partly because the same evil lurks within you as well. Vicious is an especially great fall read if you’re into academic rivalries and settings or the found family trope.
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