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The Valley of Them That Have Gone, or Angie's Top Ten Tear-Jerkers

Top Ten Tuesday is a bookish meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish

The truth is I don't actually cry while reading as often as you might think. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say that what elicits my crying is less predictable than you might think. Even I am usually caught be surprise at what moments catch in my throat and cause my eyes to fill. When I review a book that by and large did not fill me with grief, but which did contain a scene or a passage that brought tears, I always try to mention it in my reviews. Because the sudden rush of emotions in those instances is so real and so valuable to me. But the following is a list of the books that consistently push me to the edge, that I reread knowing and accepting what's coming.


As always, in the order in which I read them:

Anne of Green Gables - Because Matthew.

The Hero and the Crown - Because Luthe puts his ear to the ground and listens to Talat's hoofbeats carrying Aerin farther and farther away.

Lioness Rampant - Because Thom. Faithful. Liam.

How Green Was My Valley - Because I only have so many tears to give and this one requires them all.

84, Charing Cross Road - Because I love, I love, I love English literature and looking around the rug one thing's for sure: it's here.

Son of the Shadows - Because it is a long goodbye, yet not time enough.

The Book Thief - Because it haunts me.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Because Luna hears them just behind the veil.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - I . . . don't feel the need to elaborate here.

Peter PanBecause I read it curled up in the big bed with my little boy and, honestly, who let me do that?

Comments

  1. Sometimes you just need a good tear-jerker! LIONESS RAMPANT gets me *every* time as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You do. I never stand a chance at the end of LR. Just never. Liam . . .

      Delete
  2. I love that scene in The Hero and the Crown. I've probably cried there a time or two myself.

    And I love that cover for Anne of Green Gables!

    I tend to stay away from books that I've heard about that I'm pretty sure in advance will make me cry the "sad tears". I have to be in the right mood. But I love the "happy tears" that creep up on me, that I can't predict, and that come because the book is just that good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right? It's gut wrenching.

      I do the same thing. I think in each case, I went into these not knowing it was going to destroy me. Well, with the exception of Deathly Hallows. Because Harry.

      Delete
  3. Great picks. I also picked Deathly Hallows, I pretty much cry from beginning to end when reading that. My TTT :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me, too. It gets more emotional with each visit.

      Delete
  4. I read Peter Pan to Mila last year and when I read the bit about how to save fairies she spontaneously started to clap. I had to stop reading I was so choked up. Excellent choices all round x

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  5. Anonymous9:59 AM

    Son of the Shadows and The Book Thief made me cry as well!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have yet to reread The Book Thief, but I cry every time with Son of the Shadows . . .

      Delete
  6. Reading with your children: the best gift a parent can give him/herself. (And all I need to tear up is to remember when my teenaged kids would bring their own books to my bed, just so we could still "read together" on lazy afternoons)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now I'm all teary again. How lovely.

      Delete
    2. You know, these memories? Only bibliophiles truly *get* just what they mean.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous9:24 AM

    Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Because Luna hears them just behind the veil.

    Wow, what a great point. That gave me the chills and now I am a little teary-eyed.

    ReplyDelete
  8. All the sobs for Matthew. Pour one out.

    ReplyDelete

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