VICTOBER 2025 discussion

I'm trying to finish The Old Curiosity Shop before Victober, and I want to get a head start of some of Victorian literature. I can never narrow despite knowing there's only so much I can read in a month.

I just started The Claverings by Anthony Trollope. I couldn’t wait until October 1.

I am! I’m not very far in yet (13%), but I love Trollope’s writing and characterization so much.

Elizabeth wrote: "I am! I’m not very far in yet (13%), but I love Trollope’s writing and characterization so much."
Glad to hear it! as that's one of my selected books for Victober. I'm on a quest to read all of Trollope's novels and The Claverings is next.

Now I’m finishing Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boule, and then I want to continue reading The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, that will be my warm up before October 1. Fun fact that i ordered Return of the Native, but they sent me Jude the Obscure. But im not disappointed anyway, because i wanted to read both

AllisonLL wrote: "I am so excited about my first Victober that I found it difficult to narrow down my list. I actually started reading Great Expectations a few days ago, finished right away, and moved on to The Moon..."

I have way too much to read right now so I haven't picked up anything that is included in my Victober TBR. However, I might remove some books from my shelves as I have temporarily DNF-ed some books and have lost interest in others that I don't think I am ever going to actually pick up and read.

I've been warming up! I started reading Gothic Tales by Elizabeth Gaskell. I think they're planning to do a read along with this book, but I haven't seen anything about it yet. I'm also going to read Mary Barton and, possibly, Agnes Grey. I'm looking forward to Mary Barton because I'm interested in the theme of industrialization. Agnes Grey is the only Bronte novel I haven't read yet. It doesn't matter if I don't finish everything in October. I'm addicted to Victorian literature, and I read it all year long.

I've read "Lois the Witch" Love the change of seasons!

I'm so excited for my first October can't wait to get started .
so many great books to read f o r the month which ones to pick such a nice problem to have.

I've jumped in with an audiobook of Gaskell's Cranford read by Davina Porter.

I'm reading a collection of ghost stories Minor Hauntings not strictly Victorian but two-thirds are from that era. It also includes Elizabeth Gaskell's "The Old Nurse's Story". And it's definitely putting me in the right frame of mind.

AllisonLL wrote: "I am reading North and South for the city/country challenge, and I am contemplating reading along with audio. I will have to see who narrates it."

There's one with Juliet Stevenson reading North and South, and it is fantastic. She does such a wonderful job with the local dialects (like Nicholas and Bessy Higgins)--it's almost easier to understand the words listening to Stevenson, than it is to read it in the book!

AllisonLL wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I'm reading a collection of ghost stories Minor Hauntings not strictly Victorian but two-thirds are from that era. It also includes Elizabeth Gaskell's "The Old Nurs..."

It's great : ) I'm still working my way through it but did finish a short sensation-style novel by Florence Marryat The Dead Man's Message which was very entertaining.

I’m a mood reader so I get excited as soon as people start talking about their plans for Victober. Working my way through the Brontë novels I read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall this month (5⭐️). I’ve also started on two anthologies Queens of the Abyss & Classic Horror Tales (neither have any Elizabeth Gaskell but I don’t have a copy of Gothic Tales). 😆

Janet wrote: "I’m a mood reader so I get excited as soon as people start talking about their plans for Victober. Working my way through the Brontë novels I read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall this month (5⭐️). I’ve..."

I've seen 'Queens of the Abyss' looked very tempting, look forward to finding out what you thought of it.

Hi I have also started reading early. I began The Mystery of Edwin Drood last night and am also reading the superb Quincunx by Charles Palliser (not strictly a Victorian Novel but rather a pastiche of Wilkie Collins and Dickens). It is a monster of a book (1100 pages) but so immersive.

I just finished a book, so I'm thinking about getting a headstart and just starting The Blood of the Vampire by Florence Marryat early ^^

I've just finished re-reading "Jane Eyre", and I'm currently reading "The Victorian House" by Judith Flanders which is a non-fiction book about Victorian domestic life.

Alina wrote: "I just finished a book, so I'm thinking about getting a headstart and just starting The Blood of the Vampire by Florence Marryat early ^^"

I'm planning to read that one too, she's a much better, more controlled writer than I anticipated, thought there might be a lot of over the top purple prose in her novels, but if the one I've tried is representative then this one should be really good.

AllisonLL wrote: "I am officially beginning my Victober tonight, so a bit more than 24 hours early. I am starting with Desperate Remedies. I am so excited about this!"

That one sounds very tempting, have fun : )

I read The Small House at Allington this month which has made me even more excited to get to The Last Chronicle of Barset as one of my Victober picks :)

Might even be the first thing I pick up tomorrow

Finishing up a reread of Nabokov's memoir Speak, Memory. Revisited Hard Times earlier this month. Would love to include some more Dickens in my Victober TBR, especially some of his nonfiction/journalism which I have not read, but don't want to overcommit to the point that it spoils the fun. One month per year is not enough for me to satisfy my Vic lit appetite!

My first Victober and I have been warming up with some Oscar Wilde (The Importance of Being Earnest) and H.G.Wells (The Time Machine). Enjoyed them both. But if I had to choose just one of them it would be the Wilde.

I've been warming up by rereading Jane Eyre :)

Book Womble wrote: "My first Victober and I have been warming up with some Oscar Wilde (The Importance of Being Earnest) and H.G.Wells (The Time Machine). Enjoyed them both. But if I had to choose just one of them it ..."

Katie wrote: "I've been warming up by rereading Jane Eyre :)"

Katie wrote: "I've been warming up by rereading Jane Eyre :)"

Nice. Love that book and also The Wide Sargasso Sea obvs.

I've also been doing some warming up xD I found myself in the mood for Victorian literature like never before!! So much that I couldn't get into any other book! So I started The Woman in White and now I have no idea how this chunkster will fit into my already very ambitious Victober TBR 😂

Now its started raining, even a 'chunkster' can be readily absorbed. 😂

Book Womble wrote: "Now its started raining, even a 'chunkster' can be readily absorbed. 😂"

True 😂 Autumn is my best season for reading and for everything else. My mood and productivity increase tenfold! Plus The Woman in White is so gripping that it doesn't feel long at all

Nada wrote: "Book Womble wrote: "Now its started raining, even a 'chunkster' can be readily absorbed. 😂"

True 😂 Autumn is my best season for reading and for everything else. My mood and productivity increase t..."

Agreed! I read it a couple of years ago and I just couldn't put it down. I think I finished it in a week or something :')

Love all the enthusiasm ^^ I also started a few days early and already finished my first Victober book yesterday (The War of the Worlds) :')

Strangely enough, I've been warming up for the last 18 months. During the pandemic, all I've been able to read is Victorian literature, a little sci-fi/fantasy (which I only read occasionally), and a little non-fiction. It's much more fun reading along with all of you, though, so I had to get started early. I'm anxious to finish Dombey and Son so I can get started on something Gothic.

I am so glad it is not just me that gets so excited that they have to start a bit early. Plus two fo my weeks this month are probably out for reading or even audiobooks, so I wanted to pack as much Victober fun in as possible.

I had started Cranford a day early and Disappearances. I also joined Kate's watch along of Young Sherlock Holmes.