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As a full-time writer at BuzzFeed, I cover travel, books, relationships, sitcoms, and all things pop culture.

Okay, I know this book isn't on the list. It's just so, so pretty. 

What's it about? When mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby reconnects with his first love, Daisy Buchanan, he becomes obsessed with the idea of reclaiming her love and throws lavish parties in hopes of gaining her attention. Set against the glittering Roaring Twenties, the novel explores love, obsessive ambition, excess wealth, and the devastating cost of chasing an impossible dream.

What's it about? After being expelled from yet another prep school, sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield wanders through New York City as he wrestles with unnamed grief, loneliness, and the phoniness he sees everywhere around him. Over a few unforgettable days, his cynical and vulnerable thoughts paint a poignant portrait of adolescence and how trauma affects the entrance into adulthood. 

What's it about? After a young woman marries the wealthy and mysterious Maxim de Winter, she moves into his grand estate, Manderley, only to find herself haunted by the lingering presence of his first wife, Rebecca. As secrets unravel behind the walls of the mansion, she must confront jealousy, obsession, and the terrifying truth about the woman who came before her.

What's it about? When the animals of Manor Farm overthrow their human owner in pursuit of freedom and equality, they create a new society in which every creature is meant to be treated equally. But as power falls into the wrong hands, their revolutionary dreams slowly transform into a brutal new form of tyranny.

What's it about? After a stranded pilot meets a mysterious young prince from a distant asteroid, he discovers a world of wonder, imagination, and profound truths hidden beneath the simplicity of childhood. The beloved tale explores love, loneliness, friendship, and what truly matters in life.

What's it about? As the four March sisters — Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy — navigate heartbreak, changing dreams, and the challenges of adulthood, they discover that the greatest adventures are often found in the ordinary moments of life. It's a heartfelt portrait of family, ambition, love, and finding your place in the world.

What's it about? When sharp-witted Elizabeth Bennet meets the proud and enigmatic Mr. Darcy, their initial hatred for each other slowly turns romantic. Set in the world of 19th-century society, the novel explores love, marriage, class, and the importance of seeing beyond first impressions.

What's it about? After a groundbreaking experiment dramatically increases his intelligence, Charlie Gordon goes from a man struggling to understand the world around him to a genius capable of uncovering its deepest complexities. But as Charlie's brilliance grows, he begins to realize that intelligence comes with its own heartbreak.

What's it about? Through the unreliable narration of Humbert Humbert, a sophisticated but deeply disturbed man, the book explores obsession, manipulation, and the devastating consequences of twisted desire. Beneath its famously beautiful prose, this controversial novel is a chilling examination of control, self-deception, and the ways people justify their darkest impulses.

What's it about? Dorian Gray is a young man whose extraordinary beauty captivates everyone around him. After a portrait is painted of him, he makes a wish that he could remain forever young while the painting ages in his place. As Dorian descends into a life of temptation, indulgence, and moral corruption, the portrait becomes a haunting reflection of the darkness hidden beneath his perfect exterior.

What's it about? In Puritan New England, Hester Prynne is publicly shamed and forced to wear a scarlet letter after giving birth to a child outside of marriage. As she struggles to rebuild her life while guarding a painful secret, this haunting tale explores guilt, sin, shame, and the power of resilience in the face of judgment.

What's it about? After a difficult childhood leaves her orphaned and mistreated, Jane Eyre becomes a governess at the mysterious Thornfield Hall, where she finds herself drawn to the enigmatic Mr. Rochester. As secrets, passion, and unexpected challenges threaten to reshape her life, Jane must fight for independence, love, and the right to define her own destiny.

What's it about? When a group of schoolboys becomes stranded on a deserted island, they attempt to create their own society without the rules and structures of the adult world. But as fear, power struggles, and primal instincts take over, their quest for order descends into chaos, revealing the darker side of human nature.

What's it about? In a futuristic society where happiness is engineered, individuality is suppressed, and human beings are conditioned from birth, Bernard Marx begins to question the world he has always known. The story explores technology, conformity, freedom, and the terrifying cost of a "perfect" society.

What's it about? When Buck, a domesticated dog living a comfortable life in California, is stolen and forced into the brutal world of the Yukon during the Gold Rush, he must rediscover the instincts buried deep within him. As he adapts to the harsh wilderness, Buck embarks on a journey of survival, transformation, and a powerful return to his primal roots.

What's it about? In a dystopian future where books are outlawed and "firemen" are tasked with burning them, Guy Montag begins to question the world he has blindly served. As he searches for truth beyond the walls of conformity, the book explores censorship, knowledge, technology, and the dangers of a society that stops thinking for itself.

What's it about? During the Great Depression, two displaced ranch workers, George and Lennie, travel together in search of work, friendship, and the dream of owning a place of their own. As their hopes collide with the harsh realities of an unforgiving world, they have to make other plans. The story explores loneliness, loyalty, friendship, and the fragile nature of dreams.