Books That Have Got Me Through Lockdown
In the UK, it is now a year and a week since the beginning of our first COVID-19 induced lockdown. Of course, it has been a very strange and tough year but there have been some lovely moments of light too.
Naturally, books have helped me massively as I’m sure they have for so many of you. They’ve been the perfect source of escape, education and distraction and I will forever be grateful to those who write them. Here are six books that I’ve read in the last 12 months that stand out in my mind as being especially good at doing this.
These books have comforted me, made me laugh, reminded me of the beautiful things that the world has to offer and taught me what really matters. They’ve also just been really good stories! -Love, Alex x
1. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.
Nora is 35 and done with life. When she takes an overdose to end it all, she finds herself in a strange library, staffed by the same librarian that she loved at school, with infinite versions of her life stacking the shelves. All Nora needs to do is to find the version of her life that she wants to live. I’ve talked about this book so many times but it really is the most charming, life-affirming story. Exploring the power of choice and what it means to be alive in our own small way, The Midnight Library is a must-read for absolutely everyone who lived through 2020.
2. Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You by Annie Lyons.
At 85, Eudora has seen the world change immensely since her childhood in the 1940s. After spending her entire life dedicated to the wishes of other people, she is determined to take some control over how she ends it. But then an eccentric 10-year-old moves into the house next door and Eudora starts to realise that there are things that are still worth living for. Full of wisdom, humour and a beautiful friendship at its heart, Eudora Honeysett is a story that reminds us to put kindness first and take every chance at happiness that you can.
3. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell.
Agnes has a unique gift that makes her feared but in demand. This story revolves around her relationship with a young Latin tutor that results in three children and a legacy that lasts for centuries. Hamnet is a fictionalised version of the story of Shakespeare’s lost son and the play that was inspired by the pain that ripped through the family. This book has had a lot of hype over the last year but my god, does it deserve it! Of course, it’s completely heartbreaking but it’s so expertly researched and beautifully written. A real masterpiece!
4. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.
In 1990s Shaker Heights, Ohio, the Richardson family meet single mother Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl. These two very different families lives become intertwined in devastating ways that can only result in an intense showdown. This is now one of my favourite books of all time and I despite reading it almost a year ago, I still regularly think about what the Richardson kids (particularly Moody and Izzy) are up to. Tackling issues such as race, class, motherhood and perfection, Little Fires Everywhere is an addictive, thought-provoking book that will (probably) change you!
5. My Life As A Cat by Carlie Sorosiak.
On our protagonist’s planet, inhabitants are allowed to visit Earth on their 300th birthday to experience life as a human. Only on his way down, our protagonist is veered off course and instead of becoming the Yellowstone park ranger he wanted to be, he is actually a stray cat. This strange, beautiful story celebrates found family, our world and the humans that inhabit it and learning what it means to truly belong. Wonderfully uplifting and unique, I gained a new appreciation for the tiny little every day things.
6. Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel.
When Hollywood veteran Arthur Leander dies mid-performance during a production of King Lear, the effects are still being felt years later. Following Arthur, his oldest friend Clark, Jeevan Chaudhry who tried to save him, Arthur’s artistically talented first wife Miranda and Kirsten, his child co-star, Station Eleven paints an immersive, frighteningly realistic picture of a world that has been left ravaged by a vicious disease. Of course, I had to include a pandemic novel on this list! Station Eleven remains the most believable and powerful depiction of a world forever changed. The suspicion and fear amongst regular people is very close to how I’ve seen society react to COVID but ultimately, it is a story of resilience in the face of unprecedented circumstances.
