Margorito's 10 Best Books Read in 2025

Margorito

Introduction [00:00][Image 1][Image 21]

Margorito begins by wishing her audience a Happy New Year. She reflects on 2025 as a challenging year personally but an excellent one for her reading journey. She highlights her eclectic reading habits, covering various genres and historical periods, and notes that most of her recommended books are accessible through libraries or second-hand markets.

1. Mikhail Bulgakov - A Young Doctor's Notebook [02:37][Image 23][Image 24]

• An Unexpected Favorite
  • Margorito admits that when she initially read this book, she didn't expect it to make her top list.
  • She generally avoids the "eccentric, strange, bizarre, absurd" Russian literature, having found Dostoevsky's "The Double" [03:07][Image 27] and Gogol's short stories [03:22][Image 29] not entirely to her taste, despite their literary merit.
• Author and Context
  • Mikhail Bulgakov (late 19th - early 20th century Russian author), best known for "The Master and Margarita" [05:43][Image 25].
  • The collection features three highly autobiographical texts.
• "A Young Doctor's Notebook"
  • Directly inspired by Bulgakov's own experience as a young (22-year-old) doctor.
  • Sent to a remote, poorly equipped hospital in the "middle of nowhere" Russia, surrounded by snow and crows.
  • He is the sole doctor, facing severe illnesses and horrific injuries (e.g., a crushed leg).
  • The narrative vividly portrays his fear, stress, and the desperate lack of resources.
  • Content Warning: The story is extremely gory and graphic, detailing medical procedures and gruesome conditions. Sensitive readers should be cautious.
• Other Texts in the Collection
  • "Morphine": A more fictionalized account of addiction, also drawing from the author's personal experiences.
  • "Singular Adventures of a Doctor": A harsher, more violent text inspired by his medical service during the Russian Civil War.
• Literary Style and Impact
  • Margorito praises Bulgakov's style as "raw," "unsettling," "poetic," and almost "romantic."
  • The narrator is incredibly honest, even about his own flaws, without self-pity.
  • Quote on self-awareness [06:05][Image 33]: "Alors, pour la première fois, j'ai découvert en moi la déplaisante faculté de me mettre en rage et, surtout, de crier contre les gens quand je suis dans mon tort." (Then, for the first time, I discovered within myself the unpleasant faculty of getting angry and, above all, of yelling at people when I am in the wrong.)
  • The atmosphere created by Bulgakov is described as absolutely captivating.
  • Margorito expresses a strong desire to explore more of Bulgakov's work, including "The Master and Margarita."

2. Dorothy Allison - Skin: Talking About Sex, Class, and Literature [06:55][Image 35][Image 38]

• A "Bedside Book" from a Neoclassical Author
  • Dorothy Allison [07:07][Image 37] is described as a "neoclassical" author of lesbian literature who passed away in 2024.
  • Her collection of essays, "Skin," is cherished by Margorito as a book to keep close and reread throughout life.
• Themes of Class and Otherness
  • Allison came from an extremely poor background, which heavily influenced her writing.
  • She explores the feeling of being an "other" through poignant reflections.
  • Quote on class and identity [08:04][Image 41]: "La première fois que j'ai entendu 'ils sont différents de nous.' J'avais déjà entendu le mot ils prononcé sur ce même ton méprisant. Ils, ces gens là-bas, ces gens ne sont pas nous. Ils meurent si facilement, s'entre-tuent si aisément. Ils sont différents. Nous, j'ai pensé. Moi. Ma famille et moi, nous avons toujours été ils. Qui suis-je me demandai-je. Qui sont mes semblables ? Nous mourons si facilement, nous disparaissons si sûrement – nous/ils, les pauvres et les homosexuel.le.s." (The first time I heard 'they are different from us.' I had already heard the word they pronounced in that same contemptuous tone. They, those people over there, those people are not us. They die so easily, kill each other so easily. They are different. We, I thought. Me. My family and I, we have always been they. Who am I, I wondered. Who are my kind? We die so easily, we disappear so surely – we/they, the poor and the homosexuals.)
• Scandalous Sexuality and Personal Identity
  • Allison's sexuality was considered scandalous, even within the lesbian feminist community.
  • She was a masochist attracted to very masculine working-class women from poor backgrounds.
  • Quote on identity [09:12][Image 43]: "J'ai su que j'étais femme, que j'avais des idées bien arrêtées. Que j'étais autoritaire, masochiste de façon complètement romantique." (I knew I was a woman, that I had strong opinions. That I was authoritarian, masochistic in a completely romantic way.)
  • Her essays delve into these aspects of her identity with raw honesty.
• Reflections on Writing and Courage
  • The book offers profound insights into the act of writing itself, particularly writing from personal, often painful, experience.
  • Quote on the secret of writing [10:00][Image 45]: "Je pense que dans l'écriture le secret réside dans le fait que la fiction ne dépasse jamais la portée du courage de l'écrivain.e. Les meilleures fictions viennent de l'endroit où se tapit la terreur, à la lisière des pires choses en nous. Je crois absolument que si vous ne transpirez pas la peur lors que vous écrivez, alors vous n'êtes pas allé.e assez loin. Et je sais que vous pouvez feindre ce courage lors que vous ne vous pensez pas courageux.se, parce que je l'ai fait. Et ce n'est pas une mauvaise chose de le feindre jusqu'à ce que vous y arriviez. Mais je sais que jusqu'à ce que je commence à affronter mes propres peurs, à raconter les histoires qui étaient les plus dures pour moi, à écrire exactement les choses qui m'effrayaient le plus et à propos desquelles je manquais le plus d'assurance, je n'écrivais rien qui vaille la peine." (I think that in writing, the secret lies in the fact that fiction never exceeds the scope of the writer's courage. The best fictions come from the place where terror lurks, at the edge of the worst things in us. I absolutely believe that if you do not sweat with fear when you write, then you have not gone far enough. And I know that you can feign this courage when you do not consider yourself courageous, because I did it. And it is not a bad thing to feign it until you succeed. But I know that until I started confronting my own fears, telling the stories that were the hardest for me, writing exactly the things that frightened me the most and about which I lacked the most assurance, I was writing nothing worthwhile.)
  • Allison's writing is described as highly inspiring and iconoclastic, offering valuable lessons on creativity and self-expression.

3. Thomas Ligotti - My Work Is Not Yet Done [11:28][Image 47][Image 49][Image 52]

• A Late-Year Revelation
  • This book was a "surprise" read for Margorito in mid-December 2025, contributing to the delayed release of her best-of list.
• Author and Literary Status
  • Thomas Ligotti is an American author born in Detroit.
  • He is one of the very few living authors to be published in the prestigious Penguin Classics collection [12:00][Image 51].
• Genre and Themes: Cosmic Horror Meets Corporate Life
  • The book's full title in French is "Mon travail n'est pas terminé et autres contes d'horreur en entreprise" (My Work Is Not Yet Done and Other Tales of Corporate Horror).
  • Ligotti combines cosmic horror (Lovecraftian elements [14:02][Image 53]) with the mundane and terrifying world of managerial capitalism.
  • The atmosphere is one of horrific, unbearable office environments. One story takes place in a factory where workers produce mechanical parts of unknown purpose, overseen by a new, barely human supervisor.
  • It delves into themes of nihilism and how managerial capitalism systematically drains people of their essence.
• Execution and Recommendation
  • Margorito found the execution "incredible" and deeply loved the book.
  • The publisher's choice to use black inked page edges ("jaspé uni à l'encre noire") [11:28][Image 57] is highlighted as a powerful editorial gesture, perfectly reflecting the dark spirit of the book.
  • Recommended for fans of H.P. Lovecraft and the TV series "Severance" [14:31][Image 55], due to its thematic similarities.
  • Status: The book is currently out of print in France but is expected to be reprinted in large format and released in paperback in March 2026.

4. Upton Sinclair - The Jungle [15:28][Image 58][Image 60][Image 61][Image 64]

• A Classic "Page-Turner"
  • Margorito read "The Jungle" for the first time in 2025 and describes it as a gripping page-turner.
• Publication and Documentary Nature
  • An American classic, it was first published in 1905 as a serial in a newspaper.
  • The text is almost documentary in its style, set in a working-class neighborhood of Chicago.
  • Most of the workers in this community are employed by the meat industry.
• A Descent into Hell
  • The novel is described as a "descent into hell," depicting the brutal realities of working-class life and the horrors of the meatpacking industry.
  • Margorito notes that readers who appreciate Émile Zola would likely enjoy this book.
  • Content Warning: Readers should have a strong stomach, as the book contains graphic descriptions.
• Real-World Impact
  • Upton Sinclair [16:32][Image 62] conducted extensive immersion research to write the book.
  • Its publication caused such a shock that the government of the time ordered an investigation into the conditions described, which sadly corroborated all of Sinclair's findings.
  • Understanding this historical context significantly enhances the reading experience, making the book literally "gut-wrenching."
• Themes and Style
  • The novel is a powerful "painting" and "demonstration" of how capitalism is built on suffering and exploitation.
  • While the author's socialist propaganda becomes very explicit and somewhat unsubtle towards the end, Margorito doesn't mind this, recognizing it as part of the book's historical context.
  • The writing style is compared to "Zola, but American," characterized by its palpitating pace and tragic events.
  • Highly recommended for those interested in naturalism or worker realism. It is very fluid and easy to read.

5. Joyce Carol Oates - Butcher (Beasts) [18:00][Image 66][Image 68][Image 69]

• A Major "Claque" (Stunner) of the Year
  • Margorito considers "Butcher" (originally "Beasts") a powerful and unforgettable read from 2025.
• Author's Background and Style
  • Joyce Carol Oates is a dark American novelist whom Margorito deeply admires.
  • Margorito describes rediscovering Oates after almost a decade, recalling how the author's work once "became her entire personality."
• Feminist Novel from a Disturbing Perspective
  • The novel is a feminist text told from the point of view of a torturer.
  • It places the reader in the mind of Silas Weir Mitchell [19:10][Image 70], a real 19th-century physician.
  • Mitchell was known for treating "hysterical" bourgeois women with "rest cures" and also worked in asylums for "alienated" women, where he practiced highly experimental and often brutal operations.
  • The novel's themes are similar to Charlotte Perkins Gilman [19:28][Image 72] and her work "The Yellow Wallpaper" [19:35][Image 74].
• Exploration of Power and Trauma
  • Oates explores the mindset of a character convinced of his own genius and moral righteousness, even as he inflicts suffering.
  • The novel masterfully depicts the complex relationships and unspoken complicity that can form between dominant and dominated individuals.
  • It's set during a transitional period in the US, following abolition, yet forms of slavery persist. The novel also addresses the destinies of both interned women and those forced to work for men like Mitchell.
• Literary Craftsmanship
  • Oates's narrative choices are consistently brilliant and well-crafted ("de l'horlogerie").
  • Margorito highlights the acute depiction of power dynamics, especially as the story unfolds in the American context.
  • The ending is described as rewarding for those who persevere through the challenging narrative.

6. Léane Alestra - Les vigilantes (The Watchers) [21:06][Image 76][Image 78][Image 79][Image 83]

• A Special Book Club Read
  • This book was part of Margorito's book club, hosted mainly on Discord.
  • The discussion for "Les vigilantes" was particularly special as it was held in-person with the author, Léane Alestra [21:49][Image 82], at the Faculty of Human Sciences in Strasbourg, with over a hundred attendees [21:28][Image 80]. This event was recorded as a podcast.
• Author and Core Thesis
  • Léane Alestra is a gender studies researcher and political journalist.
  • Her book offers theoretical tools to understand women's adherence to the far-right.
  • She argues that this adherence is not only common but also narratively and symbolically necessary for the far-right's image, acting as a "cornerstone."
• Key Concepts
  • Sexual Nationalism: The strategic use of gender and sexuality to construct and reinforce national identity.
  • Contrat de vigilance (Vigilance Contract) [23:36][Image 85]: Explores the ambivalent position of white women, who both embody racial domination and serve as instruments of it. They gain power and autonomy by consciously or unconsciously reinforcing the social order.
  • Dark Agency [24:49][Image 89]: This "stylish" concept describes how marginalized individuals strategically and voluntarily reinforce structures of oppression to gain power and autonomy, often at the expense of those even more marginalized.
• Accessibility and Impact
  • Despite its complex themes, the book is written in a lucid, fluid, and agreeable style.
  • Margorito highly recommends it for beginners in social sciences, praising Alestra's ability to produce thought, actualize concepts, and develop her own theories.
  • The book had a profound impact on Margorito, transforming her perspective on everyday social realities.

7. Eliza Clark - Penance [26:05][Image 91][Image 93][Image 94]

• Ethical Dilemmas in Reading
  • Margorito initially hesitated to discuss this book because its French publisher, Fayard [26:30][Image 95], is owned by Bolloré, whom she critically views. She encourages viewers to consider their own choices regarding such publishers and welcomes their opinions.
  • Despite the ethical considerations, she praises the book as "absolutely remarkable."
• Contemporary British Novel-Universe
  • "Penance" is a contemporary British novel (published in France in 2024).
  • It's described as a "roman-univers" (novel-universe), meticulously depicting the geopolitics and functioning of Crow-on-Sea, a small English seaside town.
• Plot Catalyst: A Disturbing Crime
  • The story begins with a disturbing true-crime event: three teenage girls burned a fourth girl alive in a beach hut.
• Adolescence in the Digital Age
  • The novel delves into the complex geopolitics and evolving relationships among four "fucked up" teenage girls.
  • It masterfully portrays the internet's influence, with characters using platforms like Tumblr, playing Sims, and engaging with Telltale video games.
  • Margorito felt a surprising sense of identification with the girls' struggles and poor self-image despite their extreme actions.
• Modern Themes and Narrative Style
  • The narrative is set against the backdrop of Brexit, with one of the girls' fathers being a far-right politician.
  • It explores the fascination with true-crime and its impact on the real protagonists of these stories, without moralizing.
  • The novel's structure is a brilliant "lost-media" collage, incorporating manuscripts, research notes, photos, diary entries, and interview fragments, which seamlessly guides the reader through the story.
  • "Penance" is one of Margorito's top 3 reads of 2025, a book she wished could have been ten volumes long.

8. Suzanne Collins - Hunger Games [31:15][Image 97][Image 99][Image 100]

• A Revisit to Young Adult Dystopia
  • Margorito admitted she had initially skipped "The Hunger Games" when it first came out in 2008, feeling "too old" for YA literature at the time.
  • A friend, Laura, convinced her to read it in December 2025 while she was sick.
• Immersive Experience
  • Margorito "devoured" the first two volumes, finding that the series brought back the feeling of getting lost in a book for hours, a rarity in her adult reading life.
• Style vs. Substance
  • She concedes that the writing style is simple, "not Balzac," and even "not very well written" for YA literature.
  • However, she praises the series for its exceptional world-building, strong and coherent characters, and an unstoppable plot that fully immerses the reader.
• Influences and Relevance
  • Suzanne Collins drew inspiration from ancient mythology and Émile Zola's "Germinal" [33:14][Image 101] (highlighting a connection to Sinclair's "The Jungle").
  • Margorito emphasizes the series' remarkable relevance, promoting "revolutionary values" and "social equality."
• Recommendation
  • Despite her previous hesitations, Margorito wholeheartedly recommends "The Hunger Games" (1000%), especially for those who missed it in their youth or are looking for a captivating read.
  • She is currently reading the third volume.

9. & 10. Sacred Diptych: Saul Pandelakis - The Aardtman Sequence & Meg Elison - The Book of the Unnamed Midwife [35:11][Image 103][Image 104]

• A Personal "Sacred Diptych"
  • These two science fiction novels are paired together as Margorito's "sacred diptych" of 2025.
• Saul Pandelakis - The Aardtman Sequence
  • Margorito dedicated a separate video to this book earlier in the year (link in description).
  • It is described as a "luminous" novel, though it contains a certain melancholy and is unflinching in its portrayal of social violence.
  • Set in a near future, it explores themes of robots, collective organization, and human connection.
• Meg Elison - The Book of the Unnamed Midwife
  • This is a post-apocalyptic American feminist novel featuring a bisexual protagonist.
  • The universe is "extremely dark" and "very violent," containing "all the trigger warnings on Earth."
  • Despite its bleakness, it also explores themes of resistance.
  • Like "The Aardtman Sequence," this book was a "page-turner" for Margorito and was featured in her video on captivating reads.
• Real-World Impact and Future Releases
  • Both books became incredibly popular due to Margorito's recommendations, leading to them being out of stock everywhere (a "crazy" situation).
  • Good news: The second volume of "The Book of the Unnamed Midwife" will be translated into French and published by Goater in October 2026. This announcement fills Margorito with immense excitement.

Conclusion and Gratitude [38:30][Image 106]

• Reflecting on a Significant Year
  • Margorito uses the conclusion to express her profound gratitude to her audience.
  • She highlights the "synergy" between her book discussions and the community, which has led to tangible, measurable impacts in her life.
• Celebrating Milestones
  • She celebrates the channel's 5th anniversary (started in 2021) and reaching 40,000 subscribers.
  • She jokingly references her first YouTube video from 2021 (a top best reads of 2020), which she has since taken offline due to finding it "too cringe," but acknowledges its significance as a starting point.
• Future Plans
  • For 2026, Margorito plans to read less very contemporary literature and delve more into 19th and 20th-century works, promising to continue finding niche and underappreciated books for her audience.
  • She expresses hope to celebrate the channel's 10th anniversary one day.
• Heartfelt Thanks
  • She concludes with a sincere "thousand thanks" to every person who has listened, watched her videos, and been part of her community throughout these five years [41:01][Image 107][Image 108][Image 109].