10 books that will surely make you cry
We love a heartbreaking and emotional story, so we've put together a list of 10 books guaranteed to make you cry.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Over 50 years after it was first published, To Kill a Mockingbird still packs an emotional punch. From the mystery surrounding Boo Radley to the emotional case of Tom Robinson, it’s still as heart-wrenching as ever.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
A poignant yet hopeful story, Wonder is definitely a tear-jerker! Auggie is a normal 10-year-old, but others don't see him that way. They can’t see past his facial abnormality and so they stare, and point, and whisper. You’ll be in tears as soon as you meet the wonderful character that is August.
Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden
Blaine Harden’s tale of Shin Dong-hyuk’s tough journey from North Korea, through China and into South Korea is harrowing and bleak – and not for the faint-hearted – but fascinating all the same. It had us weeping at the injustice.
Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog by John Grogan
If you’re a dog person (and even if you're not), you’ll laugh and cry at the hilarious antics that Marley, the Grogan family’s Labrador retriever, gets up to. We loved reading about the unconditional love the family has for him.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Who didn't cry all the way through Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic tale of a father and son as they traverse a landscape covered in ash? From cannibals to unbreakable bonds, it’s an intense read.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Lou Clark and Will Traynor are unlikely friends who develop a spectacular romance. After Will has an accident that leaves him paralysed, Lou is hired to take care of him. Funny and touching, their relationship brought us to tears and we would very much like to be gifted a pair of bumblebee tights!
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
A Little Life has been shortlisted for both the Man Booker Prize 2015 and the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction 2016 - it's incredibly heartbreaking and Jude's trauma and grief will certainly make you well up.
What is the What by Dave Eggers
A hybrid of biography and novel, What is the What is the story of a child refugee from Sudan as told to writer Dave Eggers. It follows Valentino Achak Deng’s life – and many, many struggles – through civil war, a harrowing journey across borders and abuse suffered in his new life as an immigrant in America. A remarkable true story – heart-breaking, but with hope for the future.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Lennie Small is one of the most endearing yet conflicting characters in literature – and the tale of the complicated friendship between Lennie and his fellow worker, George Milton, brought us to tears even before the tragic ending.
One by Sarah Crossan
One won the 2016 Carnegie Medal and it’s easy to see why. Told in free verse, it’s the wonderful story of 16-year-old twins Grace and Tippi; best friends, sisters and conjoined. It’s beautifully moving and incredibly unique – remember to buy tissues!
