It doesn't always have to be a cup of joe to pair with your favourite read

The summer can be trying with this heat. If you're looking to stay-in one of these days, why not rekindle your love for reading? In the latest instalment of our 'Boozy Bookworm' series, we bring you five thrilling books to revisit and drinks you can pair with them with. So whether you're looking for some crime drama, magic and mystery, romance, or even philosophy, there's a bit of these in our recommendations below. 

1. Chronicle of a Death Foretold (1981) by Gabriel García Márquez + Chardonnay

Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia

Nobel Laureate Gabriel García Márquez shows us how it's done in this engaging read. An excellent exercise in literary technique, Chronicle of a Death Foretold elaborates on just that — a death predicted. Will the characters stop the murder from happening or is the prediction simply moot? This novella is a quick read with only a few hundred pages. Still, its vivid characterisation and worlding makes it easily accessible to any reader. Pair this colourful story with a glass of chardonnay to take the edge of! Every page gets more thrilling than the last so you'll certainly need every sip!

2. The Infatuations (2012) by Javier Marías + Gin Cocktail

Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia

María Dolz has breakfast at the same cafe every morning where she obsessively observes a couple whose lives she envies. One day, they stop appearing. This urges María to find out what's going on. With masterful prose and beautifully poetic language, author Javier Marías creates a world that becomes increasingly mysterious as the story unfolds. You favourite gin cocktail will go swimmingly with this nail-biting read! Add a preferred garnish like pomegranate seeds or rosemary to liven up your drink and match the ecstatic narrative of The Infatuations. Watch out for the not-so-obvious plot twists that Marías skillfuly adds every so often!

3. Notes from Underground (1864) by Fyodor Dostoevsky + Moscow Mule

Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia

A master if there every was one, Fyodor Dostoevsky elaborates on depression and desperation in this turn-of-the-century thriller. One of the most remarkable characters in literature, the unnamed narrator is a former official who has defiantly withdrawn into an underground existence. In complete retreat from society, he scrawls a passionate, obsessive, self-contradictory narrative that serves as a devastating attack on social utopianism and an assertion of man’s essentially irrational nature. Tip your hat to Dostoevsky's russian roots with a cup of the classic moscow mule! You might want to go for a second serving or double-up on the vodka as you find out what happens to the novel's protagonist. 

4. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (1991) by Haruki Murakami + Soju

Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia

Japanese author Haruki Murakami has been called the 'Japanese version of JD Salinger' with his troubled anti-hero protagonists. However, Murakami's vast body of work proves otherwise. His works like Sputnik Sweetheart, Norwegian Wood, and Kafka on the Shore share similar moods but all-in-all engage with their respective narratives laregely contrasting to his 'American counterpart'. If you're looking to discover Murakami's unique point-of-view, you might find Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World quite refreshing. Although, still dark and moody, this novel combines two differents worlds in one —exploring a dynamic writing technique. This hard-boiled story isn't one for the faint of heart. Enjoy this thriller with Soju on-the-rocks to find the extra courage as each page goes by!

5. Neverwhere (1996) by Neil Gaiman + Pimm's Cup

Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia
Above Photo by: bakingthegoods.com

You might know Gaiman's more popular works like Good Omens, American Gods, and Stardust... but perhaps you haven't encountered his masterful work entitled, Neverwhere. An incredibly vivid story about London's secret undergroud society pushes literary boundaries with narrative jumps and full-bodied characters. To keep in theme, how about a generous serving of the London classic Pimm's Cup? Discover what's ahead for protagonist Richard Mayhew when he happens upon a girl bleeding on the sidewalk... every good deed, indeed, doesn't go unpunished. 

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