Seven Cozy Winter Reads
- catherinesuminlee
- Feb 16
- 3 min read
By Cat Lee
There is nothing like the delight of curling up by a crackling fire with a good story. Even better, books will often take advantage of winter’s cozy atmosphere, indulging in the delights (and sometimes terrors) of this wondrous, snow-blown season. These following seven books span a wide range of genres, from reigning classics of the season to books straying from the feel-good status quo of winter literature. Nonetheless, each is a perfect rabbit hole to fall into on a snowy day.
The Snow Child
by Eowyn Ivey
Folk tales and magical realism play central roles in this mystical tale of a childless couple in Alaska, circa 1920, who create a ‘girl’ out of snow, only to see her come alive the next day. The story follows the growing relationship between the couple and the mysterious girl, a heartfelt tale of hope in a near-inhospitable climate. What is most alluring about this debut novel is that while its plot follows a winter miracle, it doesn’t neglect the brutalities of reality, depicting the grief and loneliness of the couple as viscerally as its snowy setting.
The Secret History
by Donna Tartt
A beloved cult-classic and icon of dark-academia subcultures, The Secret History centres around a group of elusive Classics students who grow increasingly obsessed with the aesthetic pursuits of the Ancient Greeks, falling into an irreversible madness. This story is a heaping, tremendous one, merging beauty and worldly pleasures with death and illusion to truly grip readers. Its dark plot and setting conjures up the tormenting powers of wintertime and the symbolism of snow, as evident from the iconic first line: “The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to realize the gravity of our situation.” Tartt’s use of language is deliberate and tactful, creating an enriching reading experience.
Wuthering Heights
by Emily Brontë
For one who has read a novel considered one of the best in literature, it is difficult to picture winter without the ghastly wails of Catherine and a tormented Heathcliff wandering the Yorkshire moors. Despite being written in the Victorian times, Wuthering Heights explores themes of brutality, cycles of abuse, and obsessive, destructive love with startling honesty. This novel is a staple of not only winter reads but also gothic fiction, with its haunting storyline of two forbidden lovers and their legacies. These are all what renders it a classic, timeless in its nature and themes; a masterpiece of the English language that all should read at least once.
Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Brontë
You can never have enough Brontë. Written by Emily Brontë’s infamous sister who wrote under the pen name Currer Bell, Jane Eyre is a booming presence in the literary world, remaining an acclaimed classic well into modern times. The story follows an unforgettable heroine throughout her life: her childhood, adolescence, and romance with the brooding Mr. Rochester. The bleak, wintry atmosphere represents Jane’s inner turmoil as she reaches for equality and freedom as a woman. It is a book that will stay with readers, Jane and her extraordinary tale of independence and love, forever carved into their minds.
Misery
by Stephen King
Misery by Stephen King is a horror staple that makes you wonder how much terror a bit of snow can hide. Set in a secluded farmhouse in the midst of a snowstorm, the story displays an acclaimed writer’s descent into madness when he is kidnapped and tortured by an obsessive fan. Although King’s scenes of violence are perfectly repulsive, his skilled depiction of psychological fear is what is truly terrifying. Misery is not your typical winter read, but it is an unforgettable one.
Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott
Little Women is the kind of warm, feel-good story that still keeps its grips on reality. Featuring the four kind-hearted March sisters, the novel begins around Christmas in the 1860s, and follows their growth from girlhood to womanhood. It encompasses a wide range of coming-of-age topics including love, heartbreak, sisterhood, and loss, fleshing out the characters to render them real, full of flaws and oddities, yet utterly lovable.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
by C.S. Lewis
The first and most well-known of The Chronicles of Narnia series: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe follows four siblings as they discover a magical world inside a wardrobe: Narnia, a land trapped in eternal winter by an evil witch. They then embark on an adventure, helping the great lion, Aslan, to free Narnia and fulfill a prophecy. This unapologetically fantastical novel delves into the battles between good and evil within its mystical winter world.
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