When you think about rainy days, what's the first thing that comes to mind? The ideal scenario is probably to curl up with a cozy blanket, a hot beverage, and a rainy day read.
While almost any book is suitable for rainy day reading, there are some that seem particularly made for when it's wet and gray outside. Read on for 5 classic books to match your rainy day mood!
If rainy days make you feel gloomy
George Orwell's classic dystopian is the perfect book to curl up with when storm clouds start brewing. Nineteen Eighty-Four is set in a grim alternate universe where England is called Oceania, and its citizens are controlled and watched by a totalitarian government.
Although penned in the 1940s, Orwell's novel was decades ahead of its time. This rainy day read serves as a warning for what can happen when governments are given too much power over their people.
If rainy days make you feel restless
Rainy days make some people restless, and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is perfect rainy day reading if you want to get lost in an exciting adventure. The Hobbit is a sort of prequel to Tolkien's more serious The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but is also a stand-alone book with its own self-contained adventure.
The Hobbit is one of my favorites for cozying up with on a rainy day. The novel is aimed at children, so the language is simpler and the story more comedic and light-hearted. The Hobbit is a great rainy day read for whenever the rain has you feeling trapped and looking for excitement.
If rainy days make you feel pensive
Beloved by Toni Morrison is one of the great American novels of the 20th century. This Pulitzer-winning book follows the story of a woman named Sethe 18 years after she escapes slavery.
Grim and gripping in equal measure, Morrison's heartbreaking novel explores not only the horrors of slavery in America, but the memories that haunt its survivors. If you're looking for something deep for your rainy day read, look no further than Beloved.
If rainy days make you feel philosophical
Rain, thunder, and lightning can create the perfect environment for a scary rainy day read. You probably already have a fair idea of what Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is about. A scientist named Dr. Frankenstein builds a monster out of dead body parts and brings it to life.
Although Frankenstein can be classified as a horror, it is a philosophical book, too. This rainy day read will have you biting your nails as you debate who you should be more afraid of: Dr. Frankenstein or his tormented monster.
If rainy days make you feel moody
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is rich in moody atmosphere and this makes it a great rainy day read. The story is set against the dramatic backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, and follows its lead character, Jane Eyre, from childhood to adulthood.
On the surface, Jane Eyre might seem like a romance, but the reality is it's so much more. A creaky old house, strange laughter in the late hours of the night, a mysterious man harboring dark secrets—all this contributes to the kind of melancholy ambience of a rainy day.
Do you have books you love to read on rainy days?
Share your rainy day reading list with us in the comments below!