These are all great, but most seem geared more to the YA middle school reader, and since they will be reading the entire Odyssey and Macbeth (among other texts) freshmen year, I'd like to steer them more to a book that the more advanced readers won't turn their noses up at. (Believe me, I know that those books aren't worthy of scorn, but it's a perception thing. These girls just finished middle school and want to believe they are too old for that.)

Thanks, Java!

ETA: "Expected" isn't really what I meant, I guess, Connie. No, many students won't be familiar with sonnets, but some will. These are the type of sonnets that are typically taught in high school or undergrad.

Pix, that looks great (well, except for WSS which I loathed, but the course sounds very interesting and I'm sure you would make me love it)!

Note:

de Laclos translated by Dowson

Generally when you use the last name alone you should drop the "de" so it would just be Laclos. Sorry, pet peeve of mine! (See also the use of "de Tocqueville" and "de Beauvoir" which drive me batty.)

I've never heard of this. How is that possible? Must remedy instantly.

Well, I'm enjoying them. I got the first three on audiobook and I'm racing through them. Stephen Briggs is a marvelous reader.

These are all great, but most seem geared more to the YA middle school reader, and since they will be reading the entire Odyssey and Macbeth (among other texts) freshmen year, I'd like to steer them more to a book that the more advanced readers won't turn their noses up at.

Ah, yeah. That's ... a bit harder. McKinley's Beauty, maybe, although it's probably still YA. Deerskin might be a Hero's Journey, although it's pretty grim in some parts. I wouldn't call it YA, given the subject matter ( non-consensual incest ).

The problem is that I tend to think of the Hero's Journey as more YA than adult. Hmm. Still, the Westerfeld is a great call. Perhaps one of Pratchett's other novels, one of the few with a female lead?

I haven't finished it yet, but Nnedi Okorafor's Who Fears Death may well fit the archetype. And while the protagonist is a young woman, it's not a child's book: it's about bigotry and violence (and magic).

Such interesting suggestions! Awesome.

I just read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Pix! It was really interesting, because I had no idea where it would go.

Perhaps one of Pratchett's other novels, one of the few with a female lead?

It's been so long since I've read Thief of Time that I don't remember whether Susan has a Hero's Journey. I need to re-read that one. It's my favorite!

I haven't finished it yet, but Nnedi Okorafor's Who Fears Death may well fit the archetype. And while the protagonist is a young woman, it's not a child's book: it's about bigotry and violence (and magic)

This sounds fascinating. I am ordering a copy.

Pix, I can't speak highly enough of Okorafor; her YA fantasies are just marvelous, not only because they're set in an AU Africa. Well, sort of Africa. It's hard to explain, but they're really marvelous, and not anything like any other fantasies I've read. She's awesome.

A biography or autobiography may be a place to look. Googling now.

eta: I mean, from what I can tell, "Eat, Pray, Love" would qualify.

I've never heard of this. How is that possible? Must remedy instantly.

Well, I'm enjoying them. I got the first three on audiobook and I'm racing through them. Stephen Briggs is a marvelous reader.

Emmett and I loved The Wee Free Man via Briggs audiobook. It's very funny and it's an excellent, very affecting book. And in some ways, I think, it distills a lot of Pratchett's morality, but not in a heavy handed way. It's just that Tiffany's path leads her to find these True Things.

I can think of a few that I'm not sure qualify as hero's journey (Davita's Harp by Chaim Potok) and a few that I'm not sure qualify as well-written (The Eight by Katherine Neville.)

t edited because I looked up "Hero's Journey" and it doesn't mean quite what I thought it meant.