From the moment they step into OHS to the day they graduate, the average student will end up reading around 20 books for English class. So, for anyone looking for a good summer read (or a chance to get ahead), here are seniors’ favorite and least favorite books out of Olympia’s English curriculum.
Best
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Fast-paced, action-packed, and brimming with suspense! It’s no wonder The Hunger Games is one of the most beloved dystopian novels ever. Collins effortlessly creates a gripping tale that engages readers with timeless themes of authoritarianism and survival. According to Sophie Alig, The Hunger Games was “genuinely fun to read and talk about” and “the type of book [she] would read outside of class.”
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Witty, historically accurate, and heartbreakingly dramatic, this novel offers an eye-opening portrayal of the ultra-rich, ultra-desperate, and ultra-evil. “The characters and social dynamics were fascinating, and it being set in the Roaring 20s made the setting really engaging,” Hadley Manista reflected.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Gorgeous prose, undeniable homoeroticism, and plenty of melancholy. And, it’s less than 300 pages! Sam Christy found this novel enjoyable because it was “unlike any other book [she’s] read in school and featured a prominent queer icon as a character and author.”
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
This memoir about Walls’ troubled childhood is equally heartbreaking and inspiring. Its vivid storytelling, memorable characters, and evocative prose linger with readers long after they turn to the last page. Kyleena Rauser explained, “It gave you an up-close perspective of someone else’s life and blurred the lines between the regular ‘good vs evil.’ This book instilled empathy for others, and it was really well-written.”
Worst
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
This book isn’t fun to read in class, nor is it fun to read alone. Its disturbing, violent plot also isn’t realistic. Sam Christy felt Lord of the Flies was “a good idea written poorly.” She continued, “If any other author were to have written it, I’m sure it would have been much more engaging and interesting.”
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Though its plot sounds interesting at first, its delivery soon fails. The “requirement of it as summer reading and unnecessary amount of annotations” made this novel Sophie Alig’s least favorite. Sujith Kadagandla agreed, describing The Scarlet Letter as “incredibly boring” and “a drag to read over the summer.” He elaborated, “Only one or two characters are significantly developed, and their motivations are subpar. The setting is not very captivating, either.”
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Though no senior explicitly commented on this infamous novel, it had to appear on this list. Just mentioning Walden (or its author) will evoke groans throughout an entire classroom. For a guy so into simplicity, Thoreau sure overcomplicates a lot. And with all of his outdated jargon, Thoreau makes math textbooks look interesting.
