VICTOBER 2025 discussion

Happy Victober all! I'm starting off reading Barry Lyndon by Thackeray. What are you reading?

Wilkie Collins's Armadale lots of twists and turns, and dastardly deeds.

Jane Eyre - a favourite re-read

Starting off with The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins as I wait for my copy of Desperate Remedies by Thomas Hardy to arrive.

I decided to kick off Victober with The Blood of the Vampire by Florence Marryat ‍

I'm going to finish The Mayor of Casterbridge this weekend

Started last night with North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Started and just finished Agnes Grey, which I really liked! Also finished the audiobook of The Yellow Drawing Room by Mona Caird. It was very short and quite interesting. Off to start Vanity Fair now.

I am alternating between Wives and Daughters on audio and my physical copy to start! So far I am really enjoying it.

The Woman in White, my first Wilkie Collins! He goes off on these social commentary tangents that haven’t been too long so far, it’s interesting.

I'm reading The Beetle by Richard Marsh. I'm planning on reading Armadale next.

The Haunted Hotel - Wilkie Collins

Reading Villette by Charlotte Bronte

I've started out with the group read of Gothic Tales, and I'm thinking of pulling my copy of Victorian Fairy Tales off the shelf this evening for a perusal.

I have that one too and been thinking about reading it, can't find it at the moment though, redecorating and everything's covered in dust sheets. But it looks like a really great collection.

Alwynne wrote: "I have that one too and been thinking about reading it, can't find it at the moment though, redecorating and everything's covered in dust sheets. But it looks like a really great collection."

I've had it on my shelf since 2016, and I know at the time I picked it up more for the fairy tale aspect than the Victorian one. I'm looking forward to digging into it!

Anki wrote: "I've started out with the group read of Gothic Tales, and I'm thinking of pulling my copy of Victorian Fairy Tales off the shelf this evening for a perusal."

Thank you for bringing my attention to this! Looks very interesting.

I started The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

Starting with The Last Chronicle of Barset by Anthony Trollope. I couldn't resist after reading The Small House at Allington last month!

Anki wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I have that one too and been thinking about reading it, can't find it at the moment though, redecorating and everything's covered in dust sheets. But it looks like a really great co..."

Yes, I love reading old fairy tales too.

I just started Daniel Deronda by George Eliot. Quite an intriguing opening two chapters!

I'll be finishing Jane Eyre and Salem Chapel by Margaret Oliphant, which I started in September. First full book will probably be Trollope's The Claverings.

Started today with Lorna Doone along with Gothic Tales! ☺️

Started today with The Woman in White my first Wilkie Collins.

Happy Victober! I've started with the Cranford Chronicles (Mr. Harrison's Confessions specifically) and Gothic Tales- so much Gaskell! 😄

Elizabeth wrote: "I just started Daniel Deronda by George Eliot. Quite an intriguing opening two chapters!"

This is one of my favorite classics! Hope you enjoy it 😄.

I am reading The Woman in White and loving it so far. I have read some reviews that said it gets boring in the middle. Please, someone who has read it already, tell me this isn't true. I am really hopeful on this one that I will love it.

I’m reading ‘Lady Audley’s Secret’, a book that has been on my shelves for a long time and I’ve never got round to reading it.

Theresa wrote: "I am reading The Woman in White and loving it so far. I have read some reviews that said it gets boring in the middle. Please, someone who has read it already, tell me this isn't true. I am really ..."

It does lull a bit in the middle but not enough that I wasn't still really invested when I read it, still an amazing book!

My first Victober read is Lady Audley's Secret. Talk about purple prose! But it's quite the page-turner. Great fun!

I've started with Agnes Grey (very good so far) and Gothic Tales.

I've started with Wuthering Heights and Gothic Tales.

I'm reading The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and am gripped so far!

I'm tearing through Armadale but it's not as good, so far, as either The Moonstone or The Woman in White, I think maybe No Name would have been a better choice. Armadale has a brilliant villainess Lydia Gwilt, an evil governess, but it's a bit slow and sombre overall, after a very melodramatic start. I think his others are more varied, more light relief etc

I'm reading Gothic Tales and Dombey and Son which I started in September because I couldn't wait for Victober. I'm not sure Dombey fits any of the challenges, though.

April wrote: "I'm reading Gothic Tales and Dombey and Son which I started in September because I couldn't wait for Victober. I'm not sure Dombey fits any of the challenges, though."

A popular book you haven't read? Dickens was hugely popular at the time.

Reading Bleak House and just about half way. It is so good

My first book this Victober is Lady Audley’s Secret - only a 100 pages in but really loving it so far!

Petra wrote: "My first book this Victober is Lady Audley’s Secret - only a 100 pages in but really loving it so far!"

I really liked that one too, I read her 'Aurora Floyd' for last Victober, also incredibly gripping.

I have just started Villette by Charlotte Bronte

Hello all! I need to write those titles down, they sound fantastic. I got a free Kindle book of everything sir Arthur Conan Doyle ever wrote and I am passed his Sherlock Holmes and onto The Napoleonic Tales.

Blacktaffeta wrote: "My first Victober read is Lady Audley's Secret. Talk about purple prose! But it's quite the page-turner. Great fun!"

I’m reading that too. So enjoyable and yes, great fun.

I cheated slightly and took a break from Armadale to read Jeremias Gotthelf's creepy, mythic novella The Black Spider. Written in Victorian times but it's Swiss so not sure if it fully counts. A great read for the Halloween season.

Carolyn wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I am reading The Woman in White and loving it so far. I have read some reviews that said it gets boring in the middle. Please, someone who has read it already, tell me this isn't tr..."

Thank you :)

Started off with Cranford, then Disappearances, and then The Old Nurse's Tale. I am currently reading The Law and the Lady by Wilkie Collins.

I am currently reading Villette by Charlotte Brontë.

I know that this is a very polarizing book. It's either people really love it or they really despise it, but I hope I do love the book. I've been having a lot of bad luck with the books I've picked up these days. :/

My first Victober and I'm looking at the list on Goodreads for the Victorian novels which I'm gonna try to follow by reading the books that I own and I've not read yet. Also, I might read some modern spooky/ Thrillers/Dark Academia books during this month.

Gabriele wrote: "Jane Eyre - a favourite re-read"

I read it for the first time this year and loved it!!!

I am still debating on which book to start with but I think I shall go for either Agnes Grey or The Woman in White. What do you think?

Reading Gaskell's Gothic Tales, but also about to start Aurora Floyd by M E Braddon. Loved Lady Audley's Secret so looking forward to reading something by same author.