I'm ready to read adult fiction – where should I start?
Growing up, I always knew that the book world was strictly divided into two distinct categories. The first type had colourful covers, sometimes had pictures, were often new and could be demolished in a day or two. These were my books. The second type often had plain covers, no pictures inside and were invariably old and falling apart. They took weeks to read and you sometimes needed a magnifying glass to make out the tiny font. Those were my parents' books.
When I was younger, I really couldn't see the point of slogging through a grown-up book, not when such instant delights were available on my own bookshelves. Being a conceited little squirt though, I decided to read some of my parents' books to show that I was a big girl who could read big girl's books. As a result I read Neil Gunn's The Silver Darlings and Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye when I was far too young to understand them.
When I was 12 we studied some adult books in English lessons at school but it still took a couple more years before I actually dared to try reading some adult novels in my own time, and then it was simply because I would steal whatever book my friend was reading when I got bored in class. However being a couple of years older (and German!) she tended to read very depressing novels, which meant that the first grown up books I read were dystopias like Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go.
With hindsight, this isn't really how I would recommend starting your first foray into adult literature, so I have compiled a list of Ten Commandments for starting to read adult fiction, except they're more hints than commandments, and there's only nine of them… I wouldn't pretend to have completely shifted into grown-up literature; on the contrary, reading a "big person's novel" is still accompanied by a sense of occasion, and I happily devour teenage fiction at a rate of knots.
I promise though, that when those books on your parents' shelves and in the adult section of the library suddenly establish themselves as readable entities rather than ominous looking ornaments covered in dust, it is an amazing feeling – suddenly, your source of available reading matter has just quadrupled in size without any extra expense on your part!
1. Some books are actually for all ages
You know those books that you sometimes see in the teenage section of a book shop, while in another shop they're in the adult section? Most often spotted lurking in the sci-fi and fantasy section, these books are awkward customers which, quite simply, defy categorisation because they can be read by virtually any age between 11 and 111. Well-known examples of the species include Trudi Canavan's Black Magician and Age of the Five trilogies as well as the fantastic Railsea, by China Mieville. Lesser spotted, but no less brilliant, authors are Chris Wooding and Kristin Cashore, both of whom write swashbuckling tales of fantasy and adventure. However, the king of this genre is surely Terry Pratchett. I would recommend reading one of his standalone books first - maybe Good Omens (written with Neil Gaiman) – before you sink your teeth into his incredible Discworld series.
2. Try short stories
Short stories take a bit of hunting because they're not heavily promoted in bookshops, but they are great way of dipping your toe into the ocean of adult literature. Instead of backing away in horror from the leaden weight of Tolstoy's War and Peace, you can tackle these books a little bit at a time. They are quick to read, and yet often deal with quite complex ideas and emotions. I think of them as a cross between poetry and prose – more accessible than poetry, and less daunting than a long novel. Ease yourself in gently with the humorous –Terry Pratchett's A Blink of the Screen is very good, as is Topics About Which I Know Nothing by Patrick Ness (be warned, the final story is not for the squeamish). If you are feeling brave, Annie Proulx's Brokeback Mountain is utterly beautiful, although I found some of the other stories in the collection rather disturbing, so don't tackle these too young. For the poetic, George Mackay Brown's collection The Sun's Net is exquisite, but my personal favourites are PG Wodehouse's short stories, which are perfection personified.
3. Listen to books
There are those who sneer at audiobooks. Pay them no mind, for they know not what they say. In Jane Austen's time, it was quite common for polite young ladies to read aloud to one another while they sewed, and indeed Austen's own novels work particularly well as audiobooks. So put on your bonnet/breeches, sit in your drawing room and pretend your sister is entertaining you with a chapter before the Bennetts call for tea. Alternatively, those with busy schedules can plug themselves into their iPods on the school bus in the morning.
4. Try the Classics
There are many Classic novels for young adults. Jane Eyre, Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, Kidnapped, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Coral Island are a few of my favourites, for while the plot is suitable for a younger audience, the writing is more challenging than in most modern teenage novels, while just knowing that you've read "A Classic" can do a lot for your self-esteem. Once I'd read a few of the above books, the heavy tomes bound in old leather sitting haughtily on my parent's bookshelves suddenly became much less intimidating.
5. Take your inspiration from film and TV
Have you just seen a film or TV series you really liked? Was that film or programme based on a book? Have you read that book already? If the answers to these three questions are yes, yes and no, then go and read the book. Many adaptations of books are fantastic – Sherlock Holmes, Lord of the Rings, The Three Musketeers and Game of Thrones are my favourites – and yet the books they are based on are equally brilliant, if not more so. Get reading.
6. Do English at school
It is fashionable to claim that, whatever the current English literature syllabus is, it does not really help students to appreciate good literature (the definition of 'good' often depending on your political hue). I must say however, that this is not my experience. Over the years, I have studied George Orwell, Virginia Woolf, Margaret Atwood, Annie Proulx and John Steinbeck, plus a variety of playwrights and poets, and it was a brilliant starting point for exploring adult fiction. To begin with, there is the book itself to read (and you do need to read it properly, at home, on your own. Droning through it paragraph by paragraph with 20 other classmates, or merely copying down some key quotations, does not count). Then, there is related reading – other books by the same author, or from the same period or genre. The absolute best thing about this method though is that when your parents tell you off for having your nose in a book yet again, you can say quite honestly, "but I'm not just reading – I'm revising". And if you can remember a couple of quotes from said book, you might even get a few more marks in the exam. What's not to like?
7. Be creative in finding your books
I still find trying a new adult book a bit scary, but the experience becomes positively terrifying when it involves handing over a large sum of money – £8 or £9! – to a bookshop. Therefore, my holy trinity consists of parents' bookshelves, second hand bookshops, and libraries. The first is pretty self-explanatory; if you are lucky enough to have parents who like reading, steal their books. Quick, easy and free, but watch out for domestic warfare when their books start mysteriously migrating into your bedroom. Second hand bookshops avoid this problem, and although you do have to hand over a couple of quid for your book, it often goes to support a charity, so you can feel virtuous instead of guilty about filling up your house with books. Libraries on the other hand, are a completely free way of trying unknown books, with no risk involved. Many libraries also allow you to borrow audiobooks for a small charge, or download them online for free. They are indeed the beacon of civilisation.
8. Know thyself
Carved above the entrance to Apollo's temple at Delphi are the Greek words "Gnothi Seauton" – know thyself. This applies equally to choosing how, why and when you are going to start trying some adult books. You know what you like (though parents, teachers and librarians can give tips if you get stuck) so roll with it. If you like historical novels, start with Philippa Gregory, Hilary Mantel and Alison Weir. If you love Caroline Lawrence's Roman Mysteries, try Lindsey Davies' grown up versions, the Falco novels. If you're a dystopian at heart, head for the classic books that define that genre, namely 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World and The Handmaid's Tale. It's so easy to feel that you should be reading a certain book and yet the only real rule for choosing books is that you should enjoy them. One thing I've learned, and am still learning, is not to worry about whether or not the book you're reading is considered 'clever' or not, but just to stick your head in and read. And don't stress if you haven't read War and Peace, Paradise Lost and the Aeneid by your 16th birthday. There's plenty of time and, as my parents are always reminding me, you can't read everything at once.
9. And finally, whatever you do, don't forget children's books
One of the most wonderful things about starting to read adult fiction, is going back to your favourite children's books and suddenly realising just how fantastic they are. Paddington is no longer just a cute tale about a bear, but a piece of perfection in which not a word is wasted. Artermis Fowl transforms from a fun adventure story into a finely wrought piece of comedy, and for the first time you can appreciate the exquisite pacing, balance of scenario and tightness of plot that makes the Harry Potter series a work of genius.
Whenever I go into a bookshop, I always start in the eight to twelve section and end up browsing around the various adult genres. The whole point of starting to read adult books is to expand your reading horizons, not to diminish them. So don't scorn children's books. They'll miss you – and you'll miss them too.
What books would you recommend for moving to adult fiction? Do you have any horror stories of youthful experimentation to share? Email us at childrens.books@theguardian.com!
Your suggestions
Coreena
I recommend The Wind in the Willows and Watership Down. Both tell tell stories of adventure, friendship and loyalty that adults appreciate when we experience them. Good companionship, fighting for a good cause are things adults do in real life by signing a petition or lunch with a friend (Ratty & Mole). Both are classics that span generations and remind us of important things like love, friendship and the right to choose our destiny.
Pippa
I remember discovering Saki as a 15/16 year old. I got really into short stories, perhaps driven by the TV series based on Roald Dahl's Dark Tales of the Unexpected. Saki's amazing wit and scathing sense of humour really appealed to me as a know-everything teenager, and short and funny was definitely good when the alternative at school was Great Expectations or The Waste Land. I'd also say, you can do worse than go for prize-winners – think Life of Pi, God of Small Things, White Teeth… The more modern language can make a book so much more accessible for a teen, I think.
Corinne
When I was eleven I had read all the books in our local children's library so moved into the short story section. This was a big mistake as I started with Candide by Voltaire (what was that doing there?) then Rabelais and Kafka. Fortunately I moved on to Georgette Heyer and survived to become a school librarian and help others avoid my mistakes!