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Library Reads January 2026

Posted on by Molly

What better way to ring in the New Year than by reading some New Books. Please enjoy this monthly list compiled by library workers across the country who are excited to read the following titles:

The Bookbinder’s Secret by A.D. Bell (St. Martin’s Press)
Lily is in limbo. She loves books and her binding trade, but her father is distant and her employer seems not to value her. Her life is turned upside down when she is given a burned book and the secrets it holds. This is truly a wonderful read full of mystery, love, and intrigue. —Susan Willis, Chanute Public Library, KS
NoveList read-alike: The Binding by Bridget Collins

All the Little Houses by May Cobb (Sourcebooks Landmark)
Cobb’s latest gasp-out-loud read doesn’t disappoint, bringing readers back to the East Texas town of Longview, where wealth, booze, secrets, sex, and very bad—some might even say murderous—behavior abound. Readers will not be able to take their eyes off this propulsive thriller.
—Carol Ann Tack, Merrick Library, NY
NoveList read-alike: The Empress of Cooke County by Elizabeth Bass Parman

Anatomy of an Alibi: A Novel by Ashley Elston (Pamela Dorman Books)
This is a tale of two women: Wealthy Camille is living the high life, while Aubrey works as a bartender. Who is telling the truth? An unhappy marriage, skeletons in the closet, and a murdered husband make this a story worth reading!
—Jo Hic, Phillips Public Library, WI
NoveList read-alike: The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson

Women of a Promiscuous by Nature Donna Everhart (Kensington)
In this stunning character-driven novel set in the 1940s, Everhart introduces the inmates and staff of the Industrial Farm Colony for Women. As readers are drawn into the life of the Colony, the lofty goals as well as the terrible cruelty and injustice of the place are slowly revealed. Highly recommended.
—Vicki Nesting, St. Charles Parish Library, LA
NoveList read-alike: The Last Carolina Girl by Meagan Church 

No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done by Sophie Hannah (Sourcebooks Landmark)
In this satirical book-within-a-book, the Lamberts’ dog, Champ,is accused of biting the neighbor’s daughter. The eccentric pet-obsessed matriarch Sally refuses to believe this, so the family goes on the run with Champ in tow. Twisty and puzzling.
—Magan Szwarek, LibraryReads Ambassador, IL
NoveList read-alike: Cat Fight by Kit Conwa

It Should Have Been You: A Novel by Andrea Mara (Pamela Dorman Books)
When a woman accidentally sends a private message meant for her sisters to the entire neighborhood group chat, the ensuing chain of events exposes secrets and causes deadly anguish. This book was a wild ride that will captivate readers from the first page
—Debbie Frizzell, Johnson County Library, KS
NoveList read-alike: You Deserve to Know by Aggie Bloom Thompson

How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder: A Novel by Nina McConigley (Pantheon)
When their uncle arrives from India, two sisters’ adjustment to a dual culture life in smalltown Wyoming in the mid-1980s becomes complicated. This debut hits on touchy subjects with grace, as the sisters choose to fight instead of being silent victims. Those of us who spent many hours at teen sleepovers will delight in the nostalgia scattered amidst the actual crime and justice served.
—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, TX
NoveList read-alike: My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithewait

Vigil: A Novel by George Saunders (Random House)
Saunders knows how to capture the essence of life in a story all about death. This message is wrapped in a Christmas Carol package about a ghost ushering a greedy, selfish man into the afterlife. This climate story effectively hammers home that climate change affects everyone and everything irreparably, but we must also carry on.
—Sabrina Unrein, Mahwah Public Library, NJ
NoveList read-alike: The Apology by Jimin Han

The Elsewhere Express: A Novel by Samantha Sotto Yambao (Del Rey)
This enchanting, whimsical fantasy is a warm hug for the soul. A magical train that appears to those who are lost is absolutely charming, and creativity shines in the descriptions of the train’s wondrous cars, from lily-pad picnics to jellyfish swimming through clouds. A journey not just through a magical world, but also of self-discovery, hope, and finding one’s sense of purpose.
—Lee V., New York Public Library, NY
NoveList read-alike:The Rainfall Market by Yeong Gwang You

Bonus Pick:

The Poet Empress by Shen Tao (Bramble)

Top Non-Fiction:

When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America’s Black Botanical Legacy by Beronda L. Montgomery (Henry Holt & Co.

Pick of the Month:

Is This a Cry for Help? By Emily Austin (Atria Books)
After she learns of the death of her ex-boyfriend, librarian Darcy has a mental breakdown and takes leave from her job at a public library. With time, therapy, and support from her wife, Darcy returns to work while coping with the guilt and book-banning protests. This reflective, heartwarming, and character-driven read delves into grief and identity with care and humor.
—Kristin Skinner, Flat River Community Library, MI
NoveList read-alike: Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett

While library workers may be slightly biased (the top pick features a librarian as the main character, for example), perhaps we can all agree that there are few things in this life better than a fine, fine, list. Oh the lists I have known, what joy. If none of the featured titles are causing brain excitement, please consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Books tool, or Your Next Five Movies, if the occasion calls for cinema.

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My Favorite Christmas Movies

Posted on by abbiebourelle

It is that season again! During these snowy winter months a favorite past time of many of us is curling up with a blanket and putting in a movie that puts you in that certain holiday mood. Some of my favorites include the classics such as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Clause is Comin’ to Town and the Home Alone movies. As these are very well known and common cozy classics I will not be covering them in this blog post. To be honest, my taste in Christmas movies ranges towards the darker side (except for one glaring exception). Dear readers, I hope you find something of interest as I share my Christmas favorites.

Beauty and the Beast and The Enchanted Christmas

This Christmas movie has been my #1 favorite since childhood and is the exception to the darker theme of others on this list. I grew up in Dundee Wisconsin. There was not much there. There is still the gas station that is a hub and general store for the tiny town. What the gas station no longer has are VHS tapes to rent out. It was a very small selection and always a special treat when mom took me to pick something to rent. Beauty and the Beast and The Enchanted Christmas often came home with me. (As an adult I now own the movie on DVD so I can watch it whenever I please.)

The movie is set in the between time in the original Beauty and the Beast movie. (My husband complains that this does not make sense as they would have had no time to celebrate Christmas, but hey suspend your disbelief and embrace the whimsy!) Belle finds out that the inhabitants of the castle have not celebrated Christmas since the Enchantress cursed the Beast. In fact the Beast has forbidden the celebration of Christmas as it reminds him of his curse and makes him angry. Belle sets out to restore the Christmas spirit to the castle and break the ice of the Beast’s cold and angry heart. This movie also includes one of my all time favorite Christmas songs ever: As Long As There’s Christmas. For warm fuzzy feelings and magic that warms the heart check out Beauty and the Beast and The Enchanted Christmas.

Click HERE to request Beauty and the Beast The Enchanted Christmas

Continue reading “My Favorite Christmas Movies” →
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When your ship hasn’t come in yet

Posted on by Corrina

Dear reader, although November has come and gone, the shipping season on the great lakes won’t end until the Soo Locks close at 11:59pm on January 15th 2026. And even once they do close we can still talk about ships because how else will us ship nerds survive the long barren winter?

But there’s more to wait for than the reopening of the Soo Locks on March 25th 2026. What’s that, you ask? The new book about the Edmund Fitzgerald, The Gales of November by John U. Bacon. This book was released just ahead of the 50th anniversary of the ship’s sinking. However, I can’t talk about it because I haven’t read it yet! The last time I checked I’m still number 32 in the holds queue for it. Isn’t there something exciting about checking your placement in the holds queue for a book you really want? It’s like Christmas day when you finally get the notification that it’s available for checkout!

So while you wait for your copy of The Gales of November to come in, I’ll spend our time together talking about other books either about the Fitzgerald sinking or other shipwrecks that have happened on the Great Lakes.

The Gales of November by John U. Bacon

For three decades following World War II, the Great Lakes overtook Europe as the epicenter of global economic strength. The region was the beating heart of the world economy, possessing all the power and prestige Silicon Valley does today. And no ship represented the apex of the American Century better than the 729-foot-long Edmund Fitzgerald—the biggest, best, and most profitable ship on the Lakes.

But on November 10, 1975, as the “storm of the century” threw 100 mile-per-hour winds and 50-foot waves on Lake Superior, the Mighty Fitz found itself at the worst possible place, at the worst possible time. When she sank, she took all 29 men onboard down with her, leaving the tragedy shrouded in mystery for a half century.

In The Gales of November, award-winning journalist John U. Bacon presents the definitive account of the disaster, drawing on more than 100 interviews with the families, friends, and former crewmates of those lost. Bacon explores the vital role Great Lakes shipping played in America’s economic boom, the uncommon lives the sailors led, the sinking’s most likely causes, and the heartbreaking aftermath for those left behind—”the wives, the sons, and the daughters,” as Gordon Lightfoot sang in his unforgettable ballad.

Focused on those directly affected by the tragedy, The Gales of November is both an emotional tribute to the lives lost and a propulsive, page-turning narrative history of America’s most-mourned maritime disaster.

Dear reader, one thing I love the most about nonfiction books is the fact that they not only give an in-depth account of the topic they’re covering, they also give you the backstory leading up to it, such as the political climate, social attitudes, etc. It’s especially fascinating to read about such things when you haven’t grown up in the time period the book is covering.

For instance, in a recent documentary I watched on the Edmund Fitzgerald it was mentioned how the Coast Guard was trying to cut costs by automating certain lighthouses. It was strongly advised not to automate the Whitefish Point lighthouse, which was a crucial point to warn sailors of dangerous shoals, but automated it was and on the night of the Fitzgerald’s sinking the infamous storm had knocked out power to the lighthouse, thus depriving the Fitzgerald’s crew of yet another point of navigation. In the same documentary it said while the Fitzgerald was at the ore dock in Superior, WI a crane operator had damaged the ship’s navigational equipment, so by the time they were out in open water and in the thick of the storm they were basically running blind. One speculation on the cause of the Fitzgerald’s sinking is, due to this lack of navigational equipment, they inadvertently steamed too close to the shoals of Caribou Island and damaged the hull of the ship unknowingly. Even 50 years later we still do not know what ultimately led to the Fitzgerald’s tragic sinking. Her final resting place in Canadian waters was in 2006 declared a gravesite due to the remains of all 29 crew members still being on board, so there are no longer dives down to the wreck to investigate it.

When she was built the Fitzgerald was the largest and fastest ship on the Great Lakes. In fact, when she was launched into the water for the first time she was the largest to have done so. In the same documentary it mentioned how her accommodations for visiting dignitaries and their families were appointed with the most up to date technology and luxuries of the time. She was the star of her fleet and consistently broke old records and created new ones for the most cargo hauled in a season. She was also the first ship to have a welded hull. This allowed her to be built in record time. Here lies another speculation on the cause of her sinking, with some saying it was this accelerated, welded design that led to a compromise in structural integrity.

This theme of being the largest ship on the Great Lakes also applies to another shipwreck, that of the Carl D. Bradley, which sank in Lake Michigan in 1958.

Continue reading “When your ship hasn’t come in yet” →
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Abbie’s Recent Reads (November 2025)

Posted on by abbiebourelle

Last month I found myself in a bit of a reading slump. Life was busy and many of my library holds were taking their time coming in (yes, they came in all at once so I had some catching up to do!). I had a great time reading through a wide variety of genres in the past month, and I am super excited to share my favorites with you! Below you will find suggestions for genres in fantasy, non fiction, historical fiction, and thriller/horror. I am an eclectic reader! Dear reader, I hope you find something on this list that brings you as much delight as these reads brought to me.

Continue reading “Abbie’s Recent Reads (November 2025)” →
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What I’ve Been Watching Fall 2025 Edition

Posted on by Molly

Here is a list of movies I watched this fall and what I thought about them and what you should also watch or watch instead. Many of the movies came off of the New York Times list of the best films of the 21st century, so far. Get your free access to the NYT courtesy of Mead Library by clicking HERE if you’d like to see the list for yourself.

Memories of Murder (2003) dir. Bong Joon Ho
Rural South Korean detectives struggle and fail to bring a serial murderer to justice. Based on true events. This is a must-watch for disciples of international film, true crime, Bong Joon Ho, and Song Kang-Ho. Gripping, disturbing, gorgeous, and frustrating.

Companion movies: The Bone Collector (1999); Frenzy (1972); LA Confidential (1997); Zodiac (2007)

Michael Clayton (2007) starring George Clooney and Tilda Swinton
Fancy attorney “fixer” Michael Clayton must figure out who is killing off everyone related to a multi-billion dollar lawsuit in this taught thriller because he might be next. Great cast. Beautifully shot. Slick narrative devices. Morally grey protagonists. This baby has really got it all.

Companion movies: Collateral (2004); Erin Brockovich (2000); The Insider (1999); Nightcrawler (2014)

Spotlight (2015) starring Michael Keaton and Rachel McAdams
The incredible, harrowing, and heartbreaking true story of the Boston Globe breaking the Catholic sex abuse scandal in 2001. This won the Oscar for Best Picture and rightly so. We will be discussing this film at the Feb. 2026 meeting of Movie Club. I am screening it that week, too, check the calendar for details. I watched this slack-jawed and all in one go, and while my mouth is often slack, it is rare that I watch an entire movie all in one sitting.

Companion movies: Broadcast News (1987); Conclave (2024); Doubt (2008); Mystic River (2003)

Black Orpheus (1959) dir. Marcel Camus
A fabulous retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice set against the colorful backdrop of Carnival in Rio with an all-black cast. This dreamy interpretation captured international attention and was awarded the Palme D’or at Cannes.

Companion movies: Singin’ In the Rain (1952); The Red Shoes (1948); Touki Bouki (1973); The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1967)

The Intouchables (2011) dir. Olivier Nakache
Sweet and unexpected buddy comedy in which a good natured recidivist stumbles into employment as the caretaker of a wealthy quadriplegic aristocrat. Worlds collide here to great effect. There is an American remake starring Hal from Malcolm in the Middle and that little fella from Jumanji. I haven’t seen it and cannot attest to its charm or lack thereof. It’s called The Upside (2017). 

Companion movies: Amelie (2001); The Bucket List (2007); Captain Fantastic (2016); Notting Hill (1999)

The Menu (2022) starring Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy
A chef and his staff at the height of their celebrity and abilities have a strange reaction to the lofty position they have attained. This one gets bloody but it’s FUNNy blood, you guys. No it isn’t actually. Trigger warning, you guys, actually.

Companion movies: Pig (2021); Ready or Not (2019); Saltburn (2023); Triangle of Sadness (2022)

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) starring Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson
Large British men do man things in the service of His Royal Majesty during WWII. Although there were several Large Men featured throughout, I found the movie to be inexplicably boring despite looking slick as heck. What a waste of Large Men and their various abilities. I would watch Alan Ritchson grout tile tho, to be fair. Stick to Ritchie’s early work like Snatch (2000) and Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998).

Companion movies: The Dirty Dozen (1967); The Great Escape (1963); Inglorious Basterds (2009); Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)

All of the movies listed above are available in the Monarch catalog on DVD, BluRay, and/or streaming formats. Don’t forget to check Kanopy and Hoopla when looking for something to watch. Are none of the titles I listed appealing? Consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Movies film-recommendation tool. Take a look HERE. We also offer a book recommendation tool Your Next Five Books if movies are not appealing at the moment.   

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‘Tis the Season for Some Knits!

Posted on by Shannon Ribich

The weather is crisp, the leaves are abandoning ship, and I’m thinking of all the ways I can stay as cozy as possible. Reading and pouring myself cups of tea are essential activities. This is also the stretch of time where I carry my knitting projects in my bag everywhere I go. If you’re even mildly curious about knitting, or already deep in the craft, our catalog has a great assortment of books to inspire you to make something out of seemingly nothing.

Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book

Vogue has published many knitting books over the years—some excellent, some… less so. But if there’s one to add to your shelf, Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book is the one. It’s more of a tome than a travel companion, but it covers almost everything you might want to know: a stitch dictionary, patterns, fiber guides, yarn weights, and more.

My favorite part is the clear breakdown of garment shaping and construction. Understanding why something comes together the way it does is invaluable. If you can “read” your knitting, it becomes much easier to identify mistakes, fix them, and even adjust or design your own patterns.

Standout: The fiber guide is wonderfully thorough. In my early days, I picked yarn at random and then wondered why my finished hat didn’t match the slouchy photo in the pattern. Turns out fiber matters.

Continue reading “‘Tis the Season for Some Knits!” →
Posted in Adult, Fantasy, Horror

Let’s Get Gothic

Posted on by Sydney Anderson

October may be over, but I don’t think there’s ever a bad time to recommend something gloriously grim.  When you’re craving the decaying splendor and unspeakable secrets of a gothic novel, nothing else will do.  Each of these selections puts a unique contemporary spin on the gothic genre, and all will be an excellent accompaniment to the cold days and long nights coming right around the corner.

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

Jane Shoringfield is aware that her hasty marriage to Dr. Augustine Lawrence is highly irregular. Dr. Lawrence insists upon certain unusual rules – particularly that Jane never set foot in Lindridge Hall, the Lawrence family’s ancestral home.  But when Jane finds herself with no choice but to break her husband’s prohibitions, she realizes her marriage comes with more than she bargained for: magical secrets and the very literal ghosts of Augustine’s past.  In The Death of Jane Lawrence, Caitlin Starling has deftly crafted a gothic novel that feels like the classics while speaking directly to what modern readers want.  At first, this book appears to be a fantasy-influenced homage to gothic mainstays, such as Rebecca and Jane Eyre.  But gradually, alongside the heroine, the reader comes to realize that this is in no way the story that they were expecting.  The ending was one of the best twists I’ve had the pleasure of reading this year.  Naturally, I wouldn’t dream of spoiling it.

Continue reading “Let’s Get Gothic” →
Posted in Film, Horror

Just Some Good Horror Movies

Posted on by Sydney Anderson

There’s nothing like watching a scary movie when fall is in the air.  Every year, horror buffs look forward to the countdown to Halloween, when it’s socially acceptable to binge-watch as many horror movies as you want, and even the squeamish might give the genre a try.  Today’s list isn’t complicated.  It’s just a selection of horror films, all available at Mead, that I really liked, and that I hope you’ll like too.  One quick note: these are the preferences of a long-time horror aficionado – viewer discretion is advised for all of these selections.  With that out of the way, let’s get started!

Stopmotion

Stopmotion follows Ella, creative assistant to her mother Suzanne, a celebrated stop-motion animator.  Ella yearns to find her own artistic voice, but she’s been smothered by Suzanne’s personal and professional mistreatment.  When Suzanne’s health takes a turn for the worse, a mysterious young girl begins to haunt Ella.  The apparition encourages her to abandon her mother’s unfinished film and tell a different, very macabre story. Ella thinks she’s found her chance to come into her own – until the film begins to haunt her.  Stopmotion is a brilliant work of psychological horror – I was literally on the edge of my seat by the end.  I really appreciate how the film doesn’t overexplain itself.  It’s left up to interpretation whether the haunting represents Ella’s abusive upbringing, the toll of her devotion to art, fear of mortality triggered by her mother’s failing health, or something else entirely.  Furthermore, the stop-motion animation sections of the film impress, both on a technical level and in scare factor.  Stopmotion is a good story well told, capable of sending shivers up a jaded horror buff’s spine, and it absolutely deserves a place on your watchlist.

Continue reading “Just Some Good Horror Movies” →
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Library Reads October 2025

Posted on by Molly

When I am in a reading slump I often shake myself out of it by learning what other people are excited about. Below, the top ten adult fiction and nonfiction books chosen monthly by America’s library staff have been listed. Most are currently available in the Monarch catalog in a variety of formats. 

Crafting for Sinners: A Novel by Jenny Kiefer (Quirk Books)
Ruth makes a big mistake by shoplifting from the religious craft store in her small town. Things get messy, and she’s trapped and fighting for her life. The rest is a scary bloodbath with clever uses for craft supplies. The zealots are after Ruth and others they deem sinners (gays, atheists, or just non-conformists). This quick read is very scary and super gory.
—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin TX
NoveList read-alike: Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix 

The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong (Ace) 
When a new depository is needed for minor magical objects, two seemingly very different women are chosen to lead the mission. Sent to a small depressed village, they develop an unexpected relationship, and magic starts to happen. This was an easyread romance that will keep readers captivated.
—Ron Haislip-Hansberry, Springfield City Library, MA
NoveList read-alike: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree 

Red City by Marie Lu (Tor Books)
Lu’s tale follows two young outsiders with a powerful connection who are brought up to wield both power and magic on opposing sides of a gang war. Both deeply emotional and electrifying, this will remind readers of Fonda Lee and Erin Morgenstern.
—Gregg Winsor, Johnson County Library, MO
NoveList read-alike: Silvercloak by L.K. Steven

The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller (William Morrow)
Generations of women in the Duncan family have an important and magical legacy. Three members of the latest generation are going to turn the tide against patriarchal men, reclaiming the planet for the Old One and restoring Earth’s balance. Readers will find it hard to put down this magical and fascinating story.
—Judy G. Sebastian, Eastham Public Library, MA
NoveList read-alike: Strange Folk by Alli Dyer

Wreck by Catherine Newman (Harper)
Rocky is a mom who feels everything to the maximum degree. Her grown children and her dad still occupy most of her waking life. When tragedy strikes, she has to find a balance that will allow her to just breathe and be thankful for the life they have. Written with real emotions and much humor, many moms will relate to this followup to Sandwich.
—Linda Quinn, LibraryReads Ambassador, MA
NoveList read-alike: Small World by Laura Zigman

Bog Queen by Anna North (Bloomsbury)
The body of a woman is unearthed in Northern Britain in this intricate and engaging atmospheric thriller. It offers three female perspectives that reveal to readers the inner thoughts of a contemporary newly trained forensic anthropologist, a young druid healer from centuries past, and a voice from the wild peat moss bog.
—Shirley Braunlich, Lawrence Public Library, KS
NoveList read-alike: Daughter of Black Lake by Cathy Marie Buchanan

The Missing Pages by Alyson Richman (Union Square & Co.)
Harry is tragically lost when the Titanic sinks, having gone back to his cabin to retrieve a treasured book. His mother has the Harry Widener Memorial Library built at Harvard to honor his memory and to house his book collection. Years later, a young woman working at the library while dealing with her own devastating loss starts to notice strange ghostly events in and around the library.
—Beth Mills, New Rochelle Public Library, NY
NoveList read-alike: The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R.A. Dick

Remain: A Supernatural Love Story by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan (Random House)
Part romance, part ghost story, part murder mystery, this novel’s chilling yet heartfelt exploration of the bonds of family is written in the emotionally resonant style of Sparks and infused with Shyamalan’s signature suspense. This is a seemingly familiar tale with a haunting twist.
—Cathleen Clifford, Groton Public Library, CT
NoveList read-alike: The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen 

Conform: A Novel by Ariel Sullivan (Ballantine Books)
This debut is a fascinating look at a dystopian future based on a strict caste system that relies on fear and heavy indoctrination to maintain peace. Emmaline, a relatable protagonist, is used as a pawn by both sides of a simmering rebellion, but will she settle for this fate? Readers will eagerly await a sequel.

BONUS PICK:
Vampires at Sea by Lindsay Merbaum (Creature Publishing)

NOTABLE NONFICTION
F*cked Up Fairy Tales: Sinful Cinderellas, Prince Alarmings, and Other Timeless Classics by Liz Gotauco (W. W. Norton & Company)

As always, staff at Mead Library are happy to help assist requesting materials or troubleshooting tech stuff. We are also happy to create book suggestion lists catered to individual taste. Consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Books service if it’s reading slump season in your neck of the wood.

Posted in Uncategorized

My Comfort Musicals

Posted on by abbiebourelle

I love musicals. I could write pages upon pages about all the musicals that I would rank as my favorites. For the purposes of this post, I am focusing on my favorite comfort musicals. These are musicals that I like to watch when I am feeling down or when I want all those warm cozy feelings. Dear reader, I hope that the following titles will help you if you need those warm cozy feelings as well.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame may be a Disney movie, but it is a dark Disney movie. It is a tale of a villain driven to violence by his lust for a woman. It is the tale of a lonely, kind, and deformed orphan boy raised by a monster of a man. It is the tale of a woman from a minority group who seeks justice and a fairer world. It is the tale of a soldier who questions his orders and chooses to stand up for what is right. While the Disney movie is great, the Broadway performance is even better. (This can be found on youtube and the soundtrack can be requested via interlibrary loan through Wiscat. If you are not a Disney fan, check out the Broadway version.) The Broadway musical version sticks closer to author Victor Hugo’s original work. While the Disney version takes out or glosses over some scenes from the book that would be a downer or inappropriate for children, the Broadway musical includes them. I will provide a link below to request the Broadway soundtrack CD from Wiscat. I highly recommend it.

The music for The Hunchback of Notre Dame is phenomenal. Latin chanting permeates the work. My favorite songs include Out There, God Help the Outcasts, Hellfire, In a Place of Miracles, and Someday. The song Out There is Quasimodo’s main theme. The song has amazing range hitting some pretty high notes for a male part. Out There really encompasses the deep yearning that Quasi has to escape his bell tower and be like “ordinary men”. All he wants is his one day in the sun. In his own words, “Just one day and then I’ll be content with my share.”

The song God Help the Outcasts is Esmeralda’s solo. Esmeralda has been chased by the soldiers into Notre Dame cathedral due to the fact that she is Romani. In addition, Frollo (Archduke or Judge depending on the version of the tale) has decreed that she is a witch and needs to be taken into custody. (He really just wants to get with her as he has become seduced by her dancing.) Though Esmeralda finds herself in dire straights, she does not pray for herself. While those around her in the cathedral pray to be blessed for their own benefit, Esmeralda asks God to help the helpless, the poor, and the oppressed. “I ask for nothing, I can get by,” she sings. At the end of the song she adds, “I thought we all were children of God.” Esmeralda has always been a character I look up to and try to emulate. This message is so important in a world where so many are poor, oppressed, and downtrodden. I have always deeply believed that it is important to help each other and to care about our fellow humans.

Hellfire is the villain Frollo’s song. Some, including myself, consider Hellfire to be the best villain song that has ever come out of a Disney movie. Frollo is a frightening villain for the fact that he is so real. He is a powerful but evil man. His larger goal is to commit genocide and wipe out a whole ethnic group. His personal goal is to take Esmeralda against her will as he feels lust for her. The song Hellfire features Frollo battling with his faith. It begins with echoes of Ave Maria before turning into the song Hellfire. Frollo sings about being “a righteous man”. He asks the Virgin Mary why he is feeling the way he is. “Tell me Maria why I see her dancing there, why her smoldering eyes still scorch my soul.” Finally, he decides that he is incapable of suppressing these desires and instead of accepting that his intentions are wrong he blames his feelings on the devil. “It’s not my fault! If in God’s plan, he made the devil so much stronger than a man!” No, Frollo can’t deal with his feelings like a normal person. He jumps to the conclusion that he needs to, “Destroy Esmeralda and let her taste the fires of hell or else let her be mine and mine alone.” Yeah, Frollo decides that if he can’t have her he will just burn down all of Paris until he finds her and then burn her at stake too if she refuses his advances. Besides the fact that Frollo is certifiably crazy, the song is a great study of someone battling with their dark desires. In great artistic flair the phrase “Mea Culpa” is repeated often in the Latin chanting throughout this song. Mea Culpa is Latin for “My fault”. Though Frollo is trying to direct the blame on anything or anyone other than himself, he knows somewhere deep down that his actions are his fault alone.

In a Place of Miracles is only performed in the Broadway version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Why I love this one so much is the touching scene where Phoebus and Esmeralda confess their love for each other in a beautiful duet. Quasimodo and Phoebus found The Court of Miracles and warned the Romani (gypsies as they are called in the story) that Frollo knows where they are hiding and is on his way to wipe them out. Phoebus asks Esmeralda to let him leave with her and her people. The song turns into a trio with the addition of Quasimodo’s perspective. While Phoebus and Esmeralda sing about their feelings in song, Quasimodo realizes that he will never get the girl in the end. He reprises lyrics from an earlier song, “no face as hideous as my face was ever meant for heaven’s light.” The effect of all three amazing performers singing at once hits the soul a certain way. The effect is happy and sad at the same time. Clopin, leader of the Romani, also comes in at the end of the song with, “Romanis again must roam. Could there be a country kinder to our race? In a place of miracles.” Over the top of the “in a place of miracles” line Quasimodo sings out, “where’s my place of miracles?” The whole effect is very touching. Seeing Clopin get serious for once also shows that the plight of these people is very dire. They do not have a home and are chased wherever they go. The song is just completely lovely though sad and really hits a certain way.

The song Someday is actually put into the end credits of the Disney version of The Hunchback of Notre dame. While still being a thought provoking song to listen to, it does not hit the same way compared with how it is performed in the Broadway musical. In the Broadway version the duet Someday takes place when Esmeralda and Phoebus are in prison. They both know that Esmeralda is set to be executed at dawn. These are their final hours together. Esmeralda sings about believing that there would be a day where justice would be real and the world would be a better place. Knowing she is going to die she sings, “I die believing still it will come when I am gone.” My favorite lines from the song are “Someday life will be fairer, need will be rarer, greed will not pay.” As I share Esmeralda’s dream for the future, this song touches me deeply. It is also sung and performed in such an emotional way. You can listen to this version on CD, but if you want to watch the performers sing it, again check out the full version on Youtube.

Sad dark musicals are comforting to me. I do not know why. I have been obsessing about The Hunchback of Notre Dame since I was three. I made my mother put the VHS in again and again when we rented it. As an adult I have it on blu-ray on my favorites shelf.

Click HERE to request The Hunchback of Notre Dame Broadway Musical CD! (Note: search exactly: The Hunchback of Notre Dame Studio Cast Recording)

Click HERE to request Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame!

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