Doctor Jeckyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

This disturbing tale, set in Edinburgh is of a respectable upstanding citizen who transforms into a debauched, out of control, monster. The tale mirrors the city itself with its dark cobbled streets and underworld juxtaposed against the grandeur and stately tradition of the castle and the Royal Mile. Stevenson explores the duplicity that lies within us all – the good and evil that we all have the potential to let loose! http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/46/86/frameset.html

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

This novel, set in the First World War, follows a young German boy as he goes into the trenches to fight for his country. Paul sees many of his friends die on the battle field and starts to question the point of war, honour and what it is to be a soldier and a man. This is a classic, thought provoking novel which has lasted the course of time.

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/allquiet/

The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen

Louis Drax is a boy like no other. He is brilliant and strange, and every year something violent seems to happen to him. He has always managed to survive - to land on his feet, like a cat. But cats have only nine lives, and Louis has used up eight, one for every year." "On his ninth birthday, Louis goes on a picnic with his parents and falls off a cliff. The details are shrouded in mystery. Louis's mother is shell-shocked; his father has vanished. And after some confusion Louis himself, miraculously alive but deep in a coma, arrives at Dr. Pascal Dannachet's celebrated coma clinic." The Ninth Life of Louis Drax is the story of a family falling apart, told in the vivid voices of its comatose son and Dr. Dannachet as he is drawn into the Draxes' circle. Full of twists and turns, this is a tale of the secrets the human mind can hide.

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

This is basically the tale of a man who is approaching middle age but behaves like a teenager. He owns a record shop and loves making tapes and listing ‘top ten favourite …’ much to the disgust of his long-suffering girlfriend. The reader follows him through his gradual realisation that he can’t be 25 forever and maybe he doesn’t even want to. This book is very engaging and fun to read. It is narrated in the first person, so you really feel close to the main character (even though you might not like him very much!)

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

On seeing a portrait of himself, Dorian Gray decides he never wants to grow old and makes a deal with the devil: Dorian maintains his external youth and beauty while his portrait ages. As his life becomes more and more debauched, so the portrait depicts Dorian’s real nature while he continues to charm people with his good looks. Self obsessed Dorian is counter balanced by his witty chum, Lord Henry who provides some light entertainment in this exploration of truth, beauty, mortality and the human spirit

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Although this novel is regarded as one of the ‘cannon’ of English Literature, when it was first written many people regarded it as fickle and trashy. Elizabeth Bennett has an embarrassing mother, desperate sisters, a frustrated father and a sinking feeling she will never find true happiness in her society. The book vividly depict the trials facing young girls of the 19th Century with humour (yes- honestly!) irony and a good dose of old fashioned romance.

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pride/

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

Set in the near future this story examines the hideous consequences faced by mankind in a world where genetic engineering has run rampant. Though frequently grotesque and very dark there is a steady stream of humour that runs throughout the book, which means that although it is large its easy to read. It is a highly topical read and many of the fictional abominations created by the scientists in the book are now being talked of on the Internet as if they really exist. Who knows......