Cottagecore GirlThe best Cottagecore books to read if you want to escape into a Cottagecore fantasy are stories of solitude, adventure, freedom and appreciation.
Even if you aren’t a part of the Cottagecore community, these books are a fantastic way to immerse yourself in an alternative life.
The novels in this list not only explore and discover life and nature, but they’re wholesome stories about finding your true self no matter society’s expectations.
Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
“Generations of readers young and old, male and female, have fallen in love with the March sisters of Louisa May Alcott’s most popular and enduring novel, Little Women. Here are talented tomboy and author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, beautiful Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, united in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War.”
WIth the release of the 2019 film adaptation, Little Women has found a resurgence in popularity due to the way it touches on love, peace, war, death and sisterhood.
Set during the hierarchies of the nineteenth century, immerse yourself in the life of a family whose responsibilities overrule their personal ambitions.
The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
“When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle’s great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of secrets. The mansion has nearly one hundred rooms, and her uncle keeps himself locked up. And at night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors. The gardens surrounding the large property are Mary’s only escape. Then, Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and locked with a missing key. One day, with the help of two unexpected companions, she discovers a way in. Is everything in the garden dead, or can Mary bring it back to life?”
This book is a joy to read – and it you have enjoyed A Little Princess, we can assure you that you will be in love with this story.
The Secret Garden is full of beautiful messages, emotion, friendship and magic.
Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
“After a tumble down the rabbit hole, Alice finds herself far away from home in the absurd world of Wonderland. As mind-bending as it is delightful, Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel is pure magic for young and old alike.”
I’m sure we have all at least heard the tale of Alice in Wonderland, or watched the many movies telling the story, but this children’s story continues to draw adults in to this day.
Alice in Wonderland is more than figments of a child’s imagination, but about finding yourself amongst the madness around you – this lesson is one that adults will always find useful.
Anne of Green Gables, by L. M. Montgomery
“This heartwarming story has beckoned generations of readers into the special world of Green Gables, an old-fashioned farm outside a town called Avonlea. Anne Shirley, an eleven-year-old orphan, has arrived in this verdant corner of Prince Edward Island only to discover that the Cuthberts—elderly Matthew and his stern sister, Marilla—want to adopt a boy, not a feisty redheaded girl. But before they can send her back, Anne—who simply must have more scope for her imagination and a real home—wins them over completely. A much-loved classic that explores all the vulnerability, expectations, and dreams of a child growing up, Anne of Green Gables is also a wonderful portrait of a time, a place, a family… and, most of all, love.”
It is a big understatement to say that Anne is a special girl – you truly have not met someone like her.
By following her story, all her mistakes and the lessons she learns along the way, you will learn to love the little girl.
Anyone who is dreaming of being more grateful and appreciating life more, then this book is for you.
My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George
“Every kid thinks about running away at one point or another; few get farther than the end of the block. Young Sam Gribley gets to the end of the block and keeps going–all the way to the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. There he sets up house in a huge hollowed-out tree, with a falcon and a weasel for companions and his wits as his tool for survival. In a spellbinding, touching, funny account, Sam learns to live off the land, and grows up a little in the process. Blizzards, hunters, loneliness, and fear all battle to drive Sam back to city life. But his desire for freedom, independence, and adventure is stronger. No reader will be immune to the compulsion to go right out and start whittling fishhooks and befriending raccoons.”
My Side of the Mountain is jam-packed with adventure, survival, freedom and tranquillity.
If you are a Cottagecore enthusiast, you will easily connect with the main character’s desire to escape into the woods, live in a hollowed out tree and just immerse himself in nature.
If you want to redefine what it is to connect with nature and understand what struggles come with a true Cottagecore lifestyle, this novel is perfect for you.
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
“Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work “her own darling child” and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, “as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print.” The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilised sparring. And Jane Austen’s radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.”
Pride and Prejudice isn’t just a classic, but the classic novel that everyone should read at least once.
It wasn’t by accident that Jane Austen, against all odds, became one of the world’s most famous novelists.
Her books not only critique the dependence of women on marriage and strict social standards, but they’re filled with long solitary walks, quiet entertainment, and family dinners full of joy and humour.
If you find you love this book, check out her other Cottagecore aesthetic books such as Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Northanger Abbey.
