Hello everyone,
My next look back at all the books I have read in 2022 is all about which ones have been the most compellingly character-driven. This is always an interesting category to focus on, as it makes me consider certain reads in a slightly different way to what I did at the time.
It is a good feeling to connect with a particular main character or narrator, and be utterly consumed by their voice or perspective. If there is a good plot to go with it, then this often leads to a quite memorable read.
Books can be character-driven in many different ways, as evidenced by the variety of books on this list. Here we go…
The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn
This was an extraordinary book and one of the main reasons for that was reading from the point of view of Nat, the eponymous narrator. The way this is written is so engaging and effortlessly makes you connect with the story with its blend of sensitivity and wit. It is set during the period of the English Civil War and the characters are all well developed, but it belongs to Nat and there are moments that create some emotion too.
Elektra by Jennifer Saint
This retelling focuses on three of the women whose stories are inextricably connected to that of the Trojan War, and what makes it so riveting is that the author conveys all of the many emotions they feel in such a raw and detailed way. You really feel for the cursed Cassandra, while the differing viewpoints and broiling tension between Clytemnestra and Elektra herself is what really drives the story.
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
This prequel to The Hate U Give was a joy to read from start to finish; at times extremely powerful and at others kind of uplifting. It is primarily a coming of age story and the thing that makes it stand out more than anything else is the writing style, told in the first person by Maverick as though he is speaking the words, and you could not make him more authentic than that.
The Woman In The Photograph by Stephanie Butland
This fascinating novel is unmistakeably feminist and uses mixed media and real historical events to tell a multi-layered story over two timelines. The characters themselves are real forces of nature and the theme of photography is used well by the writer in order to create a portrait of her own. The main character is Veronica Moon and her relationships with Leonie in the past and Erica in the present are highly thought-provoking.
The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
There are few more iconic characters in contemporary literature than retired Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo, who tells the story of her life, relationships and multiple marriages to awed magazine writer Monique. She is simply a force of nature, and at times you get swept away by her personality and persuasiveness during her extraordinary recollections.
Have you read any of these books? What are your most character-driven reads of 2022? Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading 🙂
Stephen Reads Books 