We all love reading a particular genre, but I'm sure we've all had instances where we've read book's out of that particular genre. I want to know why exactly one would choose to do this. Please state a work such as this, one you've loved reading even though it is out of your genre. Also preferably mention why you read it, what attracted you to the work, what exactly you loved in it. I believe a true masterpiece would make readers read it, no matter the genre, so I want to compare all the work's you will list and find common things or common elements that all of these have. All contributions are appreciated.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It's way out of my comfort zone and I didn't intend to read it, but I was reading prefaces of old classics in the library one afternoon and was quite unable to put it down. The idea of her sitting around a campfire near Lake Geneva with her husband and Lord Byron inventing stories just intrigued me and I had to read on. It's not that I think it's a masterpiece in literary terms, but there is just something about the way it is written.
I think it's a shame so few modern books have prefaces. Giving the reader the source of your ideas is a great way to pique their interest.
My one would have to be The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Yes its about Vampires and I was sick to death of Vampires and Zombies. But I started reading it and at it is such a beautiful entertaining and well written book I could not put it down.
Years ago I read 'The Stonor Eagles' by William Horwood, and it's still my favourite book.
Yes, it's the story of the return of sea eagles to Scotland decades after they were persecuted to extinction, but it's really the story of a man coming to terms with his past and finding comfort inside his own skin.
I suppose I picked it up thinking it might be on the lines of 'Tarka the Otter' given the author's earlier 'Duncton' chronicles, based on a community of moles and which never attracted me, but it proved to be very different. And I suppose it was the mix of (fictional) real and...slightly mystical, if you like, that kept me reading.
And what's to dislike about eagles? ;)