Books let us escape into other worlds and see other perspectives. Through books we can learn about ourselves and others. We can experience the past and the future to an extent. So, I’m going to tell you a bit about some of my favourite genres within the world of fiction. 

Ghost Stories

This is one of my favourite genres! I love a creepy tale! I’d recommend Susan Hill for ghost stories and the Winter Ghosts specifically by Kate Moss. Ghost stories tend to be very atmospheric, and the setting is key to the plot and the ambience. It’s funny because I don’t like horror or creepy movies, but I like reading this type of fiction as it is not as visual as movies are. The ghosts are normally quite spooky, and I love it when I get chills down my spine from reading a creepy book!

Historical Fiction

I used to really like this genre and I still do but I’m not as attached to it anymore. I think you really must be into the period that the book is set in otherwise it does not have the same kind of effect. However, if you get a good historical fiction novel set during a period which interests you it can be a lot of fun. It can feel really rewarding to learn more about a period of history you are interested in through a fictional lens. Moreover, you can experience the past vicariously through the characters’ perspectives, which is cool. As much as I wish time travel was a thing, reading historical fiction is pretty close! Celia Rees is particularly well known for her historical fiction novels. I would specifically recommend Witch Child by her!

Dystopian

This is my favourite type of fiction! I think this kind of fiction is very interesting. My favourite author in this category is John Wyndham and I’d specifically recommend the Secret People by him! I think this type of fiction is captivating because it is fun reading about an imagined future albeit a somewhat terrifying one. As none of us can live forever, I believe that it is interesting reading about a distant future none of us will experience, albeit a fictional one. I’ve read books where people live in cyberspace and travel through polyester tunnels or where man has subjugated the Martians on Mars or where indigenous pigmies live below the Saharah desert and their world is going to be flooded. Although some of these futures sound scary and fill me with dread (at least a technological one for me) I think they paint fascinating ideas of the future and the human condition so I would really recommend this genre!

Fiction set in other countries 

As I am a language and anthropology major, books that were set somewhere else always interested me from a young age! With books set in a far-flung place, you can learn about a new culture and another way of seeing the world. If you’re interested in Ghana or France, say why not read a fictional book set there! One of my favourite books I read under this category was a Dream of Lights by Kerry Drewery. This book is a harrowing account of a young girl’s life growing up in North Korea. I also liked Oranges in No Man’s land which set in Lebanon and talks about the political conflict there. I love learning about new places and other cultures so if you do too there will definitely be a book out there for you!

Fantasy

I didn’t use to be into fantasy fiction, however, with lockdown I’ve found it to be an interesting genre. I used to find it too far-fetched, I think. However, I would say this genre in general can be really creative and has a great escapist quality to it. Ranging from the crazy implausible worlds being carried by a massive tortoise through space (the Discworld series) by Terry Pratchett to daring quests sit in a world filled with dwarves, elves and goblins, this genre has it all. My favourite novel in this category is The Hobbit by J. R Tolkien. This is a genre I would really like to explore more! 

Books can be a wonderful way of escaping somewhere else and seeing the world from someone’s else’s perspective. So, if you’re feeling a bit bored of seeing the same four walls in lockdown and want to let your imagination run wild then why not escape with a good book instead!