Stranger Reads

Dustin

First up we have Dustin. Dustin's been one of my favorites from the start. He’s confident, goofy, and sure of himself. 

Of course I had to pick a book that is reminiscent of Dungeons and Dragons for Dustin, and The Adventure Zone graphic novels by Clint McElroy fit that bill perfectly. These graphic novels are set around a cast of loveable dummies going on adventures and hilarious misadventures in a fantasy realm. These books are actually based on the podcast, also named The Adventure Zone, which is about a father and his three sons playing D&D. 

If you love Dusty Buns like I do, I would also recommend Paper Girls and Meddling Kids, which are both set in the late '70s/early '80s.

Eddie

I couldn’t write this list without including everyone's new favorite dungeon master, Eddie. Eddie is the metal head who leads the Hellfire Club, and his character has a very dark backstory. 

His character is based on Damien Echols, one of the ‘West Memphis Three’, and for that fact I picked Yours For Eternity by Damien Echols for his book. In the early '90s, Damien - a long haired 18-year-old metal loving goth - was accused and arrested for the murder of three young boys. It was publicized as a ritual murder for his Satanic cult. Yours For Eternity is the story of Damien falling in love with Lorri Davis, while he served almost 18 years on death row. 

If you want to tap into Eddie’s musical side I recommend Nöthin' But a Good Time, which is the history of heavy metal in the '80s.

Robin

Stranger Things is full of strong women and personally, I love Robin. She is quick witted, smart, quirky, and dare I say... the ‘manic pixie dream girl’ of Stranger Things?  

In this season we see that Robin has a crush on a girl who is in the school band with her. In honour of that budding romance, I’m going to recommend One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston. The main character August, like Robin, is surrounded by a group of misfits and is falling in love. The only problem is Jane, her crush, is stuck on the Q train - and has been since the '70s. This story combines great music, finding romance, and breaking a strange quantum leap.

Burning Questions and Foundryside are also great reads if you love Robin. 

Argyle and Jonathon

I need to include these two as runner-ups before we get to my last character. Jonathan is known as the introverted older brother of Will. He's also Nancy’s quiet boyfriend. However, in Season Four he befriends silly and carfree, Argyle. The book I chose for these two is none other than Cheech and Chong: The Unauthorized Autobiography by Thomas Chong. If you’ve seen this season, you'll know why. 

Max

Lastly, I'm going to talk about Max. Another super strong female character. For the time the show is set in, she is such an unconventional character. Instead of laying out to tan, and getting her hair done, Max likes to skateboard, play video games, and be one of the guys.

Now, Daisy Jones is no Kate Bush, but I have to recommend Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid for fans of Max (especially the audiobook!!). This read is about the tumultuous life of Daisy Jones, a '70s rock star who, like Max, goes through some trauma, has a little bit of mystery about her, and is full of feminist spirit. If that’s not enough, this story also has a brooding character named Billy. 

I would also recommend A Darker Shade of Magic if you want to read about another feisty female character like Max.