I have a habit of picking random classic works to read when I can’t decide what book to pick up next. It’s one of the few ways I can force history and culture upon myself when there are so many books about steampunk vampire assassins and other contemporary reads that would otherwise keep me occupied. I’m pretty bad at picking these classic books out for myself. Honestly, it’s sometimes just the first title that pops into my head. I’ve read enough, though, that I feel I could guide people to a nice old book that might actually meet their taste more than something randomly pulled off a shelf.
I’ve selected a few classic books I’ve read before and used them to create this magical book recommendation quiz! Answer these questions, keep track of those answers, (this isn’t a fancy Buzzfeed quiz, you have to tally them up yourselves, people,) and find out which of these books I think you should try based on your answers.
Why do you want to read a classic?
a. For the thrills and chills!
b. For interesting historical perspective.
c. To have a read you can really think over.
d. Because they just don’t right love stories like they used to.
When reading non-classic books, what genre do you enjoy?
a. Horror, supernatural usually.
b. Sci-Fi and Fantasy
c. A good crime thriller
d. Romance
What makes you hate a book the most?
a. Not enough terror.
b. When there’s nothing really imaginative in the whole story.
c. An obvious plot that doesn’t keep you guessing.
d. Characters with no chemistry.
Pick the TV show you enjoy the most.
a. Hannibal
b. Doctor Who
c. CSI
d. Downton Abbey
What do you most like to see in a protagonist?
a. Some who doesn’t lose their head when facing grave peril
b.Someone willing to go anywhere and do anything
c. Someone with a brilliant mind.
d. Some adorably feisty and not afraid to follow their heart.
What do you like most in a villain?
a. The darkest, sheer embodiment of evil
b. Some strange monster unlike anything the hero’s ever seen
c. Someone, perhaps the only one, as smart as the brilliant protaganist
d. A person representing the vices and vindictiveness of “polite” society
What should a setting do for the story?
a. Enhance the eerieness
b. Inspire awe and amazement
c. Provide clues when carefully observed
d. Provide a chance for social commentary
How would you like other people to perceive when they see you reading such a classy old book?
a. Classy and dark
b. Classy and whimsical
c. Classy and smart
d. Classy and romantic
Do you want any animals in the book?
a.Yes. Creepy ones, like bats and wolves.
b. Yes. Really crazy, exotic creatures.
c.They’re not necessary, unless one is accused of murder.
d. Maybe some horses or farm animals for scenery. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter.
How do you want this classic book to end?
a. An epic, horrific battle
b.With a crazy, mind blowing ending that puts a whole new twist on how the book opened.
c. With a satisfyingly brilliant answer that cleverly explains everything.
d. A wedding! No, multiple weddings!
Results:
Mostly A’s: Congratulations, you got Dracula, by Bram Stoker. This classic still managed to terrify me, despite it being written over a hundred years ago. It’s an eerie gothic adventure told through diary entries, letters, and medical logs. If you’ve already read this, or want something else in a similar vein, try reading any of H.P. Lovecraft’s stories or the many wonderful works of Edgar Allan Poe.
Mostly B’s: You got H.G. Well’s Time Machine, one of the first ever popular books to explore time travel. In it, a Victorian gentleman travels far into the future and finds out what species evolved from the now ancient human race. Yeah, Doctor Who probably owes this story a royalty check or two. It’s got great moments of excitement and suspense, and, like all great science fiction, an underlying commentary on fears of the time that provide interesting insight into the story’s place in history. Any H.G. Wells other works are also great representatives of the birth of science fiction, as are the works of Jules Verne, if you are feeling Frenchy.
Mostly C’s: Get out there and grab a copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Few old mystery books will satisfy like these guys. Each story presents a mystery you can’t help but race against Sherlock Holmes to solve. Just because he usually beats you to the punch, doesn’t make these stories any less enjoyable. For other mystery classics, try the true granddaddy of the modern mystery genre, Edgar Allan Poe, whose Detective Dupin was actually the first of the now familiar genius crime solving figures in a story that laid out all the clues for the reader to mull over, or just follow along.
Mostly D’s: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is the book for you. Austen is one of the masters of telling a meaningful romance, with fleshed out characters and exploration of themes and issues beyond who looks hottest, the rich brunet or the rich blond? Over a hundred years later, people still find reasons to connect to and love these stories, so she definitely got something right. Other works to check out, if you already have this one under your belt or just want another title, would have to include any of Austen’s other works or perhaps the works of the Bronte sisters, another bunch of extremely talented romance writers. Really, though, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is coming to theaters soon so you should probably brush up on this one first.
I hope these books are all to your liking, in one way or another. They are just a few of some of the older classic I’ve read, and I’ve read only a very small portion of all the great classic books in this world, so don’t be afraid to explore some more titles on your own on goodreads.com or your favorite bookstore.
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