Books like Whale Fall — picked by fans

It starts with arguably the most famous first line any novelist has ever written, and I certainly couldn’t stop reading once I had absorbed that.

Rebecca is a classic for all sorts of great reasons. For me, the house is a character here. Manderley is as Gothic as I could ever wish for (and I LOVE Gothic).

Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper, is one of the most sinister characters ever written. When this novel was first published (1938), certain subjects were pretty much taboo. In the light of today's increased awareness of people’s differing sexualities, I think it’s probably easier to understand her motives – not that it makes her any less scary.

For me, this is a masterpiece of storytelling that defies genre categorization and puts du Maurier firmly in my top favourite authors list.

I love books that reimagine a story that is well known, challenging reader's assumptions about the characters or the circumstances they find themselves in, while also standing on its own for readers that haven't read the inspiration. JAMES brings Huck Finn's companion to life, giving him wit, intelligence, and agency. I read it twice, back-to-back. Easily my favorite read of 2025!

A truly unforgettable novel, clever and moving at the same time. Confused, lonely, and frustratingly stubborn, Cyrus Shams is his own worst enemy--the best kind of character in my opinion! Newly sober and too smart for his own good, he pours his heart into his writing but neglects the relationships that sustain him. There were times I wanted to shake him, but I never stopped routing for him to find his way, and find peace.

Scattered with Cyrus' poetry, dreams, and imagined conversations, the novel has a gorgeous literariness to it that pulled me right in as a reader. At times, I felt as if the author were on another intellectual plane, but instead of feeling lost, I felt as though my eyes were being opened to a new understanding of the world.

Cyrus immigrated to the US from Iran as a child after his mother's plane was… show more.

This unusual but delightful little novel is a joy to read. When Helen Cartwright returns home to the English countryside after a life abroad, she keeps to herself, avoiding human contact as much as possible as she awaits the end of her life. A chance encounter with a mouse forces her out into the world, upending her solitary routine and setting in motion a chain of events and interactions that are as surprising as they are entertaining. SIPSWORTH explores complex themes of memory and loss in a way that is uplifting without being at all sentimental.

What I loved best about this novel is the oddball cast of characters, each with their own set of endearing flaws and hang-ups. Helen herself is hilariously stubborn, doing the right thing almost against her own will, which makes for many laugh out loud moments. As she sets out on her mission, the… show more.