Literary Mix Tapes

Social media has opened up the book community in engaging new ways when we talk about new books or the old books we love. Before Haruki Murakami's latest epic released in the US, a Spotify playlist of essentially a soundtrack to the novel was released, and just today, the nerd blogosphere lit up with the release of the actual soundtrack to the new film adaptation of Kerouac's On the Road. 

Sometimes music spins in the background while I read creating an impromptu soundtrack; other times, I think of songs that fit certain characters or moods or settings, and it's fun AND NOT AT ALL NERDY to create a playlist that goes with the book I'm reading. I've talked on the blog before of my love for Patrick Süskind's novel Perfume, and reading the fireworks scene always makes me think of the Siouxsie and the Banshees song "Fireworks." We are fireworks, guys.

I'm a huge metal-head and reading The True Deceiver by Tove Jansson, the main character Katri makes me think of the Burzum song "A Lost, Forgotten Sad Spirit." Oh, Katri. So harsh and cold, like the crustiest Norwegian black metal. Similarly (in character, not genre), here's a link to a literary mixtape for Arya Stark, my favorite character in Game of Thrones.

Are there songs that make you think of scenes in your favorite books? Or characters? Share thoughts and playlists here!