5 recommended novels for B2 and C1 level English speakers
Introduction
Reading is one of the best ways to improve your English, and you don’t have to read boring textbooks or study guides. There are a lot of great novels out there that can help you learn more about the English language while still being enjoyable! These books are particularly useful for B2 and C1 level learners.
(*Disclosure: I only recommend books and products I use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.)
The Circle by Dave Eggers
The Circle by Dave Eggers is a great book to read if you’re interested in dystopian novels, as it’s set in the near future and explores what could happen when the internet is used for all kinds of nefarious purposes.
The Circle focuses on Mae Holland, an employee at a social media company called The Circle with its founder, Eamon Bailey. It’s not long before Mae begins to realize that she has unwittingly become part of a larger conspiracy involving surveillance and mass manipulation.
The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
This novel is a story about a boy and his journey with a tiger on a boat. Pi Patel is the main character, and he teaches us about faith, survival, and family. This story will take you on an adventure through the imagination of Pi Patel.
This book would be recommended to anyone who wants to read some great books for English learners of all levels. The Life of Pi contains many different topics that can help improve your vocabulary as well as give you new words to add into your own vocabulary bank!
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
If you’re looking for a story that’s both easy to read and compelling, Little Fires Everywhere is the perfect choice. The story follows the Richardsons, a wealthy suburban family living in Shaker Heights, Ohio. When their daughter gets pregnant at age 16 and gives birth to a daughter named Izzy, they decide to adopt her baby sister after learning that her birth mother plans on giving her up for adoption as well. At the same time, Ruby Warrens (the mother of two teenagers) decides that she wants to adopt an Asian baby—even though she doesn’t have much money or other resources available—in order to give her son some connection with his Chinese heritage after he’s bullied by other kids at school. When Ruby moves into an apartment above where one of the Richardson children used to live (who has since moved out), she begins working as an assistant for Mrs Richardson until it becomes clear how close these two families really are…and why!
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a story about friendship and betrayal, set in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion and subsequent American presence. It’s about a boy who is betrayed by his best friend. This novel explores themes of guilt, redemption and forgiveness; family loyalty, friendship and betrayal; love and anger. The language used throughout this book is both beautiful and thought-provoking.
This book will appeal to those studying at B2 or C1 level English because it contains complex vocabulary that may be difficult for lower level learners but which can be explained in simple terms by an instructor without losing any of its meaning or impact on students’ understanding of the story itself.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is a beautiful novel that tells the story of Achilles and Patroclus, two soldiers who fight in the Trojan War. While their stories are told separately, they merge together as they become friends, lovers and finally enemies. The story also explores their relationship with each other as well as with their mothers – one very stern and one very loving.
The author’s writing style is poetic but not overly so; she uses words like “butterflies” instead of “fluttering”, which makes it easier for an English learner to understand what’s going on in her narrative without having to look up too many words! It’s the perfect read for someone who wants something fun yet challenging at any level of English proficiency from B2/C1 upwards (and it’ll make you cry).
Read these novels for pleasure and increase your vocabulary!
Novels are a great way to improve your vocabulary and grammar. If you want to know more about the English language, reading is a very good option; it’s also a relaxing activity that can be done anywhere at any time.
Reading novels is an excellent way of improving your reading skills because it will help you understand what you read better and faster. By doing this, you’ll be able to concentrate and pay attention more easily during conversations with native speakers or in class-room situations where there are many distractions around (for example, music playing loudly in the background). You’ll also learn new words very easily while reading because they’re presented in context within sentences.
Conclusion
If you’re an English speaker who wants to improve your proficiency, these five novels are a great place to start!