VICTOBER 2025 discussion

Katie's challenge is to: read a Victorian book that equates to your favourite modern genre

What are you planning on reading for this challenge? And if you need recommendations, ask here :)

Since I'm all about the mystery genre (the gothic atmosphere and vibe is a great bonus too), I think I'm reading The Woman in White

The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy for the mystery genre.

I am not sure what my favourite genre is. It might be sea stories. In which case I might pick the N-word of Narcissus by Joseph Conrad, or maybe Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.

The Picture of Dorian Gray for a suspense novel and The Trail of the Serpent for a mystery.

I'm not sure at all. My favorite genre is nonfiction. specifically travel or nature writing. I'll have to do some research. people don't seem to recommend many works of nonfiction from this era...at least not that I've seen.

Not sure what my favourite genre is, I read anything and everything :) Since I can't decide I thought I'd do a couple of H.G.Wells from different genres - The Time Machine and either The Wheels of Chance or Love and Mr Lewisham

I'm not sure what my favourite genre is, I read anything, but I am partial to romance. Any suggestions besides the Brontë-sisters?

Thank you so much Katie for this creative challenge!

I love murder mystery and science fiction. So I am planning to read HG Well's The Invisible Man or Arthur Canon Doyle's Hound of Baskervilles.

Can anyone recommend me should I choose The Invisible Man or The Time Machine? I haven't read any of H G Well's novel and it is my first time to dive into his novels.

In the vblog you mentioned authors tackling subjects like Austen. I might try one of those.

This is the most difficult prompt for me, because I don't have a favourite genre. So, I will simply list some options & choose later (some of these books can also fit more than one category):

Nonfiction:
My choice: Cassandra
My recommendation: Selected Essays, Poems and Other Writings

Satire:
My choices: Red Pottage (this will be a reread) or The Semi-Attached Couple and the Semi-Detached House
My recommendation: Belinda and Miss Marjoribanks (I've written about these two on my blog)

Adventure:
My choice: Her Father's Name
My recommendation: Jill (I reviewed this book on my blog)

Feminism and gender roles:
My choice: The Rebel of the Family or The Heavenly Twins
My recommendation: A Struggle for Fame (I loved this book & wrote about it on my blog)

Poetry:
My choice: My Ladys Soul: The Poems of Elizabeth Eleanor Siddall
My recommendation: Goblin Market and Other Poems & Aurora Leigh (I wrote about these two on my blog)

Coming of age:
My choice: The History of Sir Richard Calmady, Volume I or Miss Miles: Or, a Tale of Yorkshire Life 60 Years Ago
My recommendation: The Beth Book (I also wrote about this on my blog)

Children’s books:
My choice: Mrs. Overtheway's Remembrances
My recommendation: The Runaway (I reviewed this on my blog)

:)

I plan to read Anne Brontë’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and watch an adaptation because the Brontës are known for gothic romances with strong female leads.

I can't decide whether I want to go with historical fiction (A Tale of Two Cities!) or mystery (and reread a Sherlock Holmes novel). I visited Paris earlier this year right before the world locked down, so I am leaning towards A Tale of Two Cities... I'm really curious to see how Dickens portrays a non-London environment!

Hi, all! This will be my first Victober. I have not read many Victorian novels so I am very excited to branch out and find some new favorite authors and stories. For this challenge I believe I am going to read the picture of Dorian Gray from Oscar Wilde for the thriller genre. I adore his plays so am excited the most for this one. I also plan on reading Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome to keep things a little fun during the month.

This is the challenge I've had to think about most, not a huge modern books fan, but I think I lean towards spy/detective/murder mystery novels or historical fiction. So maybe a reread of some Sherlock Holmes for this one.

Angela wrote: "I'm not sure at all. My favorite genre is nonfiction. specifically travel or nature writing. I'll have to do some research. people don't seem to recommend many works of nonfiction from this era...a..."

I agree that non-fiction Victorian works are not often discussed, however, generally speaking the Victorians loved writing in general-- letters, diaries, magazine pieces. Here are some non-fiction options I thought of if you need some ideas:

Charles Spurgeon was a highly influential minister and theologian during the Victorian era. His sermons are still widely read today. Even if you aren't religious, his works would definitely be an insight into the era.

John Stuart Mill was a highly influential social economist and philosopher. Like Spurgeon, even if you don't agree with his views Mill's works would offer first-hand insight into the zeitgeist of the Victorian era.

For areas of science you could read works by Charles Darwin or Florence Nightingale I'm sure there are many other scientific essays, diaries, and the like you could find as well; I am personally just less familiar with them.

If you want insight into travel or the greater Victorian empire works by David Livingstone or Gertrude Bell might suit. (Though I have not read these myself, I would assume any travel-themed works from the Victorian era would have an imperialistic bias. I'm not necessarily endorsing those views, but because imperialism was certainly a significant part of the Victorian era, I doubt it could be avoided when discussing world travel.)

For a biography/autobiography slant you could read The Life of Charlotte Brontë Praeterita: The Autobiography Of John Ruskin or letters or diary entries by countless Victorians. Though remembered for his American business, Andrew Carnegie was born in Scotland, and I believe wrote an autobiography as well.

I think I am going with "Armadale" by Wilkie Collins, which is usually considered a sensation novel (and mystery novel.) Thriller is not my favourite genre when it comes to contemporary fiction, but I do like mystery. It might be a good alternative if you want to read something by Wilkie Collins, but you have already read "A Woman in White", or other novels by Collins!

My favorite genre is Historical Fiction.

I’m going to reread my favorite book of all time: Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell. I’m so excited. I have the audiobook, paperback, and kindle book...so I’m covered. 😂 I’m gonna do audio this time bc I love the narrators voice (Josephine Bailey).

Elida (elidaleser) wrote: "I'm not sure what my favourite genre is, I read anything, but I am partial to romance. Any suggestions besides the Brontë-sisters?"

I don't know if this suggestion is too obvious but I'd recommend North and South. It deals with a lot of social issues as well but there's a strong love story at its heart.

Adrika wrote: "Thank you so much Katie for this creative challenge!

I love murder mystery and science fiction. So I am planning to read HG Well's The Invisible Man or Arthur Canon Doyle's Hound of Baskervilles.
..."

I'm new to H.G. Wells as well - I read The Time Machine for the first time last month and found it really interesting. I can't comment on The Invisible Man, having not read it, but I'd definitely recommend The Time Machine.

Christina wrote: "George Gissing, Workers in the Dawn - I'm going to categorize it as literary fiction, which is my favorite genre, although I saw a blurb describing it as 'late Victorian radical fiction" lol"
Ah! I might read that too. I read 'The Odd Women' on Katie's recommendation and loved it, so I'd like to read another Gissing.

As we're tipping into autumn, I'm in the mood for some crime/mystery, so I thought about reading The Moonstone. But with all the other books I have on my TBR for October, I'm not sure I'll be able to get to it. Am putting it on the back burner for now.

Tibby wrote: "Adrika wrote: "Thank you so much Katie for this creative challenge!

I love murder mystery and science fiction. So I am planning to read HG Well's The Invisible Man or Arthur Canon Doyle's Hound of..."

I also think it will be great as the ratings are good.
Thank you

I read pretty much everything, it's more what takes my fancy, though I am planning on reading Dracula for the month of Halloween, as I have started making October my horror month :)

I would like to read The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins for this challenge. ↟↟

I am thinking about reading The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins but I still haven't decided.

Ligeia wrote: "I would like to read The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins for this challenge. ↟↟"

I read The Woman in White last year and really enjoyed it.

I love a good mystery! I am reading Lady Audley’s Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Following along with Tom Reads Things and Simon.

I love sea tales, both non-fiction and fiction, so I will be reading Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling.

Susan wrote: "I love a good mystery! I am reading Lady Audley’s Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Following along with Tom Reads Things and Simon."
I love that one!

I’m planning on The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.

I have many favorite genre's but for this Victober challenge I pick, The Beetle by Richard Marsh.

One of my favourite modern genres is Horror. So gonna give ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ a go!

I love popular fiction so I'm going with Jane Eyre...because they had a copy of the book at my book store...and I also like coming of age stories...

For the first challenge I decided on science fiction and am listening to, and reading, The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells. I am finding a deeply distressing story and often have my fingers in my ears to pass over certain descriptions. Reading through a post-colonial lense, human and animal rights and ethics.

This was kind of a tough one. Ordinarily I would say my favorite genre is fantasy, but I’ve been reading a lot of feminist-dystopian works lately: When She Woke, Red Clocks, etc, so for this challenge I’m going with The Scarlet Letter, because I feel that Hester Prynne is the foremother of all of the fierce female characters we are reading today.

I'm not sure I actually have a favourite genre (I read pretty widely), but I've been very into nature & travel writing, seafaring literature, and polar exploration for about a year now, so I'll probably stick with that. I'm just gonna say I'll read Wilkie Collins' The Frozen Deep (which is very unsubtle about having been written in the context of the search for the Franklin Expedition) until I think of something else.

For this challenge I am reading A Beleaguered City by Margaret Oliohant; if I like the novella, I’ll add a few short stories for good measure. I love ghost stories and paranormal, have never read this author, however.

I am starting to read the book for this challenge right now. My pick is The island of Doctor Moreau. I am really excited. Wells is usually a hit or miss for me, but this plot sounds like a hit

I don’t have a favourite genre but enjoy mystery and I have been enjoying Victorian sensation novels so I’m gonna go for either ‘Trail of the Serpent’ by Mary Elizabeth Braddon or ‘The Woman in white’ by Wilkie Collins. I’m leaning slightly more towards Collins as I recently read ‘The Haunted Hotel’ and it was great, would highly recommend :)

I chose The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes as I love mystery/detective fiction!

I will be reading Lilith by George MacDonald

I finished The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. This was my first Anne Bronte novel and I found it surprisingly un-gothic and proto-realism. The subject matter would have been deemed inappropriate at that time, thus making Anne's realistic depictions of unseemly situations that much higher an achievement. I look forward to reading Agnes Grey in the future.

I also watched the 1996 adaptation. The few mysteries and gothic elements from the novel were played up to no good effect. The score was inappropriate and depressing. The timeline was changed in a way that undermined the heroine's motives and heroism. I did not like it.

I have to comment on Mrs. Ward's 1920 introduction. Ward claims the only reason to read Anne is to better contrast and comprehend her work with her obviously more famous and gifted sisters. Her condescending and patronizing remarks greatly upset me.

I've just finished Ten Days in a Mad-House by Nellie Bly and really loved it. It is short, but really interesting and impressive.
I've chosen this because one of favourite genres is nonfiction.

I thought Nelly Bly's account was really interesting too, I keep meaning to read her other book...