VICTOBER 2025 discussion

I thought I'd make a separate discussion board for everyone to chat about their TBRs. What's everybody thinking of reading for Victober? Does anybody need any recommendations? :)

I think I'm going to read The Woman In White because I do like a creepy read in October. Definitely Wives and Daughters, possibly also Cranford. Lady Susan and Villette? We'll see how I go.

Hi well I'm going to read Nicholas Nickleby and Armadale. Nicholas Nickleby meets several challenges ie a book by Charles Dickens, a proper noun. a book from the start of the Victorian period. There are some adaptations to watch too. But I plan to find on You Tube The National Theatre's filmed stage production. This was on Channel 4 a long time ago but I remember really enjoying it. I don't think I will do the woman writer challenge. I've read all the Brontes' books and don't want to read George Elliott at the moment.

I'll probably re-read Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, and watch one of the movie adaptations (either the most recent starring Eddie Izzard, or maybe Muppet Treasure Island!) I'm a big fan of Black Sails so I'm looking forward to it.

I'm also reading Is He Popenjoy? by Anthony Trollope, which counts for the proper noun category.

I'll also probably read something by Elizabeth Gaskell, for the favorite author category. Possibly some Gothic short stories which will count for the RIP challenge as well.

I have a few others I'd like to read, East Lynne by Mrs. Henry Wood; Phoebe, Junior by Mrs. Elephant; and The Doctor's Wife by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Or maybe some short Gothic fiction by Wilkie Collins. I know I'm going to read at least three books. I've also read Wives & Daughters about six months ago so I don't think I'll read it again, but I want to participate in the discussion as it's one of my all-time favorites.

I was about to ask whether or not you were planning to make a separate board for the TBR :P

Anyways, my Victober TBR is as follows:

1- Wives and daughters: The group read and also completes the "Read a book by one of the hosts' favourite authors" challenge and if I find the time I'll complete the watch the adaptation challenge with the 1999 miniseries

2- Agnes Grey: completes the book with a proper noun in the title, book published in the first decade, and book by a female author published under a pseudonym challenges. I read The tenant of Wildfell Hall two years ago and couldn't tear myself away from it and if I'm not mistaken Katie says that the male lead in this is one of her favourites.

3- Far from the madding crowd: Yep, I'm really doing it, conquering my fear of Thomas Hardy. This will complete the Host's favourite author & Read and watch an adaptation challenges. I'll watch the most recent one but If I manage to get my hands on the miniseries that Katie recommended then I'll try and watch that too.

4- The odd women: Completes the book published in the last decade challenge. I remember Katie's saying it was her favourite by George Gissing and it's a Victorian feminist novel written by A MAN so that should be interesting

5- Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde: Completes the book with a proper noun in the title & read and watch the adaptation challenges, and I'll be buddy reading it with Laura Whichello before watching the 2007 BBC adaptation.

I know five books are not much but I didn't want to stress myself. If I manage to finish these before the end of the month I'll pick up Oliver twist and maybe read some fairy tales and plays by Oscar Wilde. I'll also be reading the October chapters of the Bleak House dickensalong

I hope everyone has a fabulous Victober :D

Karen wrote: "I'll probably re-read Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, and watch one of the movie adaptations (either the most recent starring Eddie Izzard, or maybe Muppet Treasure Island!) I'm a big fa..."

Great idea! Be so fun to watch the muppets movie.

Nada wrote: "I was about to ask whether or not you were planning to make a separate board for the TBR :P

Anyways, my Victober TBR is as follows:

1- Wives and daughters: The group read and also completes the "..."

I absolutely love Far From The Madding Crowd and the recent adaptation as well. Hope you enjoy it.

I haven’t quite decided what books to read yet I think I’ll mull it over for a bit. I’d be interested to know how many books people are choosing between. For the proper noun challenge I have lots of choice. ( I’ve decided to include only books/films I have a physical copy of which I have not yet read/watched.)

1. Host’s favourite author-
I have two full length novels that would fit this challenge
- The Professor (Bronte)
-Mary Barton (Gaskell)

2. Proper noun title
43 Books to choose from (authors varied)

3. First decade of Victorian Era (3 Books) Last decade (7 books)

4. Women publishing anonymously or under a pseudonym
5 Book choice - ( The Professor by Bronte and 4 George Eliot’s)

5. General challenge; read book and watch film. (2 book choice Trollope or Collins)

I've loved picking my tbr! I'm looking forward to the group read of Wives and Daughters as well.

I''ll be reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë to cover three of the challenges,(hosts favourite author, book with a proper noun and book published in first ten years of Victorian period). It's a re-read for me, but I haven't read it in a long time (it's one of my favourite novels).

I'm also planning on reading Silas Marner by George Eliot for the pseudonym challenge, A Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde for a book published in the last ten years of the period, and I'm going to read/watch Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.

I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else is reading!

Wives and Daughters
David Copperfield
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Barchester Tower
The odd Women

If anyone wants to buddy read any of those last four, please let me know! ☺

Hi everyone!
Here is my Victober TBR.
- Ange’s challenge: The return of the native by Thomas Hardy
- Kate’s challenge: Lady Audley’s secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
-Katie’s challenge: Love and Mr Lewisham by HG Wells
-Lucy’s challenge: The lifted veil by George Eliot
-General challenge: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
-Bonus: Wives and daugthters

Interesting lists, everyone! Mine is quite modest by comparison...

-Wives & Daughters (group read-along, host's favourite author challenge)
-Can You Forgive Her? (unfortunately doesn't fit any of the challenges, but I want to read it for my dissertation research)
-Oliver Twist (Proper Noun challenge, first decade of the period challenge)

I'm not even sure if I'll make it through those three but I'll give it a go!

Seeing so many people about to pick up Gissing's The Odd Women makes me exceptionally happy!

I was thinking about picking up a Charles Dickens novel. I've already read Great Expectations and it made me excited to read more of his work. I was leaning towards Dombey and Son. Unless there is another one someone would highly recommend?

My 3 definites are
- Wives and Daughters (group read)
- Jude the Obscure (could fulfil all challenges except female author)
- The Lifted Veil (female author)

Others I have that I would like to get to:
- The White Company (last decade)
- The Moonstone
- Some of Christina Rossetti's Complete Poems
- Some of The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde

The Tennant of Wildfell hall
Mill on the floss
Wives and Daughters

Victoria wrote: "I was thinking about picking up a Charles Dickens novel. I've already read Great Expectations and it made me excited to read more of his work. I was leaning towards Dombey and Son. Unless there is ..."

Our Mutual Friend is my favourite Dickens, but Dombey and Son is my second favourite, so definitely a good choice!

Katie wrote: "Victoria wrote: "I was thinking about picking up a Charles Dickens novel. I've already read Great Expectations and it made me excited to read more of his work. I was leaning towards Dombey and Son...."

I hadn't heard of Our Mutual Friend. It sounds interesting and I'll definitely be adding it to my tbr. Thanks!

Probably Cranford :) it was on my hiatus list for a while so i think it is time to restart it ;)

Discovering so many books I hadn't heard of!

I will read Wives and Daughters for the readalong and most likely Wuthering Heights and Dracula. I love reading gothic and dark stories in October.

Does anybody have suggestions for more gothic books?

Elaine wrote: "Does anybody have suggestions for more gothic books?"

Wilkie Collins is good. I don't know if he'd be called gothic but he does have some good stuff which is reasonably dark/spooky. The Haunted Hotel for example, also The Woman in White.

The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Tales of Mystery & the Macabre by Elizabeth Gaskell

Also, Sarah Waters - she's a modern author but writes dark historical fiction, generally set in the Victorian era. I see you already have Fingersmith, would highly recommend it.

My, I hope not too ambition, TBR is as follows:

Anne Brontë: Agnes Grey
Rudyard Kipling: Just So Stories
Lord Tennyson: Idylls of the King
Elizabeth Gaskell: Wives and Daughters
Charles Dickens: Oliver Twist
George Eliot: Silas Marner
Thomas Hardy: Far from the Madding Crowd

I had hoped to include some non-fiction, but I had so much unread Victorian fiction just lying around.

Also a little note to our excellent hosts and others: could we all strive to pronounce "Brontë" correctly? It's really annoying. The dots over the e means its pronounced as the letter e, not as -ay. It was originally spelled Brunty.

Am planning to read:-
Armadale
The Moonstone......both by Wilkie Collins
Lady Audley's Secret
Re-read Wuthering Heights
Ghost stories by Charles Dickens

And Madame Bovary (not by a British author I know but I've always wanted to read it!)

I will be reading Wices and Daughter for the group read.

Crawford will be for the the favorite author, proper noun, and film challenge.

Island of Dr Moreau will be for the latter Victorian era challenge,

Would love to read a George Eliot for the pseudonym challenge, but they’re all tomes and I don’t care for any of the Brontës.

Jill wrote: "Would love to read a George Eliot for the pseudonym challenge, but they’re all tomes "

The Lifted Veil and Brother Jacob - collected edition of two of her short stories. 160 pages altogether.
I believe she also wrote some poetry?

Jill wrote: "Would love to read a George Eliot for the pseudonym challenge, but they’re all tomes "

Amos Barton is a short 112 pages.

Jill wrote: "I will be reading Wices and Daughter for the group read.

Crawford will be for the the favorite author, proper noun, and film challenge.

Island of Dr Moreau will be for the latter Victorian era ch..."

Silas Marner is an excellent short novel by Eliot, less than 200 pages.

At the moment, I plan to read The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins for the movie read, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes for the late Victorian era and proper noun challenges, but I need to think about the others. Wuthering Heights is one I've been meaning to read for a while, so that's a possibility.

So far my plan is to read The Tennant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte and Wives and Daughters by Gaskell for the group read. I'm planning to start Bleak House by Dickens but no guarantees that I'll finish that tome during Victober since it's massive. If I don't pick up Bleak House I might pick up The Importance of Being Earnest by Wilde. I read it in high school and highly enjoyed it but I don't remember much of the details.

My TBR

Tess of the D’urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde


And if I have time I’d like to try to have a go at Middlemarch by George Elliot.

Far From the Madding Crowd for the host's favourite author challenge.
Cousin Phyllis for a proper noun challenge.
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall will be my cheating on the first decade challenge (just one year late!), but perhaps I'll eventually discover one that fits the challenge. Any suggestions?
Wuthering Heights, a reread, for a book published pseudonymously by a woman. I might also get to Silas Marner later in the month if I'm feeling like it.

I think I might count Salome for Katie's challenge; it is a play, not a novel, but it still fits the era, and I'll probably get to Anne Bronte as well. So excited for this!

I suppose this is a good thread to ask this: does anyone have any ideas for the anonymous/pseudonym prompt that isn't the Brontes or George Elliot?

I'm not sure whether to take part in Victober or not. I was thinking of reading some of the chicks next year. The chicks' books I was going to read were Mansfield Park, Villette and Wives & Daughters. I may bring one of them forward. Another option is Sybil by Benjamin Disraeli.

Samantha wrote: "I suppose this is a good thread to ask this: does anyone have any ideas for the anonymous/pseudonym prompt that isn't the Brontes or George Elliot?"

Violet Paget wrote under the pseudonym Vernon Lee and was part of the aesthetic set. Her work can be hard to get hold of but is probably available online somewhere. Though I must say that both Eliot and the Brontes are much better writers.

Samantha wrote: "I suppose this is a good thread to ask this: does anyone have any ideas for the anonymous/pseudonym prompt that isn't the Brontes or George Elliot?"

There was George Sand but she was French.

Jessica wrote: "So far my plan is to read The Tennant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte and Wives and Daughters by Gaskell for the group read. I'm planning to start Bleak House by Dickens but no guarantees that I'll..."

Jessica would you want to buddy read Tenant of Wildfell Hall?

It's really interesting reading through all these TBRs and seeing what other people are planning to read.

I haven't finally decided yet but I think my list will be pretty much:

i) Villette
ii) Agnes Grey
iii) The Pickwick Papers
iv) Far from the Madding Crowd
v) Cousin Phillis and Other Stories
vi) Arms and the Man
vii) Lady Windermere's Fan

I would like to add Middlemarch and possibly Kidnapped (which I don't think fits any of the challenges really, I just love it) but I'm thinking they may be a couple of bridges too far. I think I'll hold them in reserve and see how I get on.

As "Wives and Daughters" is an unfinished work think I will take that as an overall theme and also read Dickens' unfinished novel "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and then see what Dan Simmons made of it with his novel "Drood".
Are there any other unfinished novels that fall into any of the given categories? I'm open for another suggestion.

1. North and South or Wives and Daughters both by Elizabeth Gaskell

2. Martin Chuzzlewit or Dombey and Sons (or alternatively a Tale of Two Cities but don't think that fits a proper noun?) something Dickens anyway

3. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells and maybe if i have time The Pickwick Papers

4. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte


5. Vanity Fair by William Thackery ...i can watch the current miniseries/ some of the other ones that have been made

really excited for this!

I'm very excited to join for the first year! I'm looking at reading the following:
Desperate Remedies - Thomas Hardy
Carmilla - J. Sheridan Le Fanu
The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins
Silas Marner - George Eliot
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë
Wives and Daughters - Elizabeth Gaskell

Very Interesting to see everyone’s plans! Here are the challenges I’ll be trying to complete:

1: Group read-along: Gaskell’s 'Wives & Daughters'

2: Novel with a proper noun/ novel from the last ten years: Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Grey’

3: Book and screen adaptation: Stevenson’s ‘Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde’ – I’ll be buddy reading this with Nada and watching the 2007 BBC adaptation

4: Hosts’ favourite authors: Dickens’ ‘Hard Times’

5: For my own amusement: Trollope’s ‘The Warden’

--I’d really love to read the Tenant of Wildfell Hall too, but I’m daunted by the length, given Wives & Daughters is already quite lengthy.--

Laura wrote: "I’d really love to read the Tenant of Wildfell Hall too, but I’m daunted by the length..."

The length wasn't really a problem for me. I flew through it and would've done so even faster had it not been for the worst semester of my life 😂, but I understand your misgivings. I too wanted to add other books to my TBR but refrained from doing so because of W&D's length.

‘The Picture of Dorian Grey’ is amazing!! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did if not more!

I wanted to read The Warden too, but since I wasn't sure if I'd be able to finish the other books on my TBR in time and also taking into account the mixed reviews, I decided to postpone reading it till some time after October and maybe read the next book in the series for Victober 2019

Since I am primarily a mood reader I can't say for sure what exactly I'm going to be reading until October gets closer. I know I will definitely be reading The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins and Scenes of Clerical Life by George Eliot, but everything else I'm too sure about yet. Everything looks so good!

I have put the following books on hold at my library:

- Wives and Daughters/Elizabeth Gaskell
- Lorna Doone/R.D. Blackmore
- Cranford/Elizabeth Gaskell
- Dombey and Son/Charles Dickens
- Lady Auldey's Secret/M.E. Braddon
- Under the Greenwood Tree/Thomas Hardy
- Far from the Madding Crowd/Thomas Hardy
- Selected Poems of Thomas Hardy/Thomas Hardy edited by James Reeves

Samantha wrote: "I suppose this is a good thread to ask this: does anyone have any ideas for the anonymous/pseudonym prompt that isn't the Brontes or George Elliot?"

A few I've found are:
-Allen Raine / Anne Adaliza Beynon Puddicombe (1836 –1908), a Welsh novelist
-Edward Garrett / Isabella Fyvie Mayo (1843-1914), a Sottish novelist and poet
-Ouida/ Marie Louise de la Ramée (1839-1908), English novelist
-Vernon Lee / Violet Paget (1856-1935), a British novelist and essayist

Not sure how easy all of these are to get hold of, but Allen Raine I've got a few books by on kindle - I'm hoping to read something by her Victober :)

Nada wrote: "Laura wrote: "I’d really love to read the Tenant of Wildfell Hall too, but I’m daunted by the length..."

The length wasn't really a problem for me. I flew through it and would've done so even fast..."

Wow thats encouraging! Was it easy because the story was really compelling or because of the writing? The plot really intrigues me, especially with those particular themes in the Victorian social context.

I read Dorian Grey years ago, in high school. But I always think of what C.S. Lewis said, something like 'what can you do with a man who says he has read a book once and thinks that settles the matter'? :P I hardly remember anything about it, and I'm super excited to discover it again now I'm older and wiser haha.

I slipped the Warden in because its so short, I figured that'll be an easy introduction to Trollope's works. We'll see how that goes and which camp I fall into among the reviews.

Samantha wrote: "I suppose this is a good thread to ask this: does anyone have any ideas for the anonymous/pseudonym prompt that isn't the Brontes or George Elliot?"
I found Michael Field: Michael Field was a pseudonym used for the poetry and verse drama of Katherine Harris Bradley (27 October 1846 – 26 September 1914) and her niece and ward Edith Emma Cooper (12 January 1862 – 13 December 1913). You can download a lot of their works in audio format for free here: https://librivox.org/author/9975?prim...

Since this is my 1st time doing this readathon and don't read victorian literature that much I wanted to keep the TBR small so.
1st I figured I would do the group read. Don't think I've read this kind of book before. but it would be fun to try.

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
covers 1st challenge.

then I figured I would read Dracula and it will satisfy the book to movie adaptaion , the last 10 year challenge and the proper name challenge.

for the 1st ten years I think Mary Shelly's The Last Man fits. I've read both the 1818 and revised frankenstein so this is a great way for me to read more shelly,

I guess The only challenge I may need help in deciding is the woman anonymously or under a pseudonym. one since I'm not sure what books were under a pseudonym

So If I can find a book for that challenge it would make 4 books for this challenge which is manageable for me since I'm participating in another readathon for october as well.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

I love seeing everyone's plans! I'm getting excitied.

I'm quite busy in November so my TBR has to be limited a bit. But i'm trying to get to

1. "Wives and Daughters' for the read-along.

2. The Mayor of Casterbridge - Thomas Hardy, for the Host's favourite author.

3. The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde, Title with a proper noun.

4. Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë, First/Last ten years and Book - Film adaptation.

5. Villette - Charlotte Brontë, Female writer under pseudonym.

I wanted to re-read some favourites and branch out a bit for some new reads.

Can't help thinking these challenges are a little too challenging. One Victorian novel in a month is enough for me. I could possibly read a short story, an essay or some poems as well as one big novel.

Life is extremely busy but I'm determined to take part in this because I do love Victorian classics.

I've chosen The Poor Clare by Elizabeth Gaskell for Ange's challenge.

And I've chosen Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte as that'll help me tick off Kate's challenge, Katie's challenge, Lucy's challenge, and the general challenge.

I know I should probably choose a separate book for each challenge but, as I said, life is really busy so I'm going to do it this way and have fun with it. :)