Dealing with severe depression and struggling to get the motivation to pick up a book and start reading again. What was something you read that you couldn’t put down? Or something that got you back into a reading routine after feeling down?

For context a lot of the books that have been my favourite truth be told are understandably difficult for most people to read on a good day (not due to difficulty just mundane) let alone on a bad one. These include boring philosophical works or depressing fiction which some may refer to as “torture porn”. No wonder I’m depressed haha. So I’m looking for something that might be an easier read.

I recently finished reading a Dark Fantasy novel “A Prince of Nothing” by Scott Bakker. It was nice. Not worth another 600 pages for me to pick up the second volume thats for sure.

I love “Equal Rites” by Terry Pratchett, some other Terry Pratchett books not so much. I loved Dune 1, 2 was ok, 3 I didn’t even bother to finish (acc depressing how much it fell off). I like Edgar Allen Poe, Shirley Jackson, but I’m not really feeling classic literature at the moment (although it might be noteworthy I do love Moby Dick).

“Secret History” sounded cool and mystical, but then after reading it, it sort of just felt artificial and edgy. But I’d still be open to books from a similar genre.

I don’t really know what else to put here. Bonus points if it’s something between 200-300 pages.