So, I don't really read, but I would like to change that because I know I'm missing out and also wouldn't mind having more non-digital things to do at home. I don't have the best attention span, so I'm not looking for something that's really really long or requires multiple reads to understand, but also I'm not interested in very formulaic/predictable stories. So I'd like something that's simultaneously easy to read, but "challenging" or thought provoking.
As for my reading history, it's very short lol. I've read the Harry Potter books (liked them), some Murakami (I liked his style a lot, the "dreamy" feeling in his stuff appealed to me a lot) and some random stuff here and there.
As for TV shows I've liked a lot, stuff like Breaking Bad, Mr Robot, Ted Lasso, Severance, Slow Horses, Succession, The Bear, Mad Men… I like what I consider "witty" stuff, whether it's in terms of story twists, dialogue, humor etc.
I'm looking for fiction, but in terms of a specific genre I'm not too picky. I often like fantasy and scifi stuff, but also there's often a bunch of weird names, in-world vocabulary etc. that can make reading cumbersome, which is sort of at odds with me wanting an "easy" read. The magical realism/surrealism style of Murakami really appeals to me too, so something similar to that might be good. But rather than wanting a specific kind of a book, I'd like some that are just really good and that'll hopefully get me to read more.
by Eecka
5 Comments
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is a fun sci-fi adventure book that’s a quick and funny read
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is a fantastic page-turner. The story is exciting and even funny at times and has deep enough character and plot development to be challenging and thought provoking without reaching the level of feeling tedious.
Robin Hobb has some wonderful, “easy” fantasy trilogies. The Liveship Traders and The Farseer Trilogies are particularly good. She is really good at world-building and keeps everything familiar enough that it doesn’t feel cumbersome to understand the fantasy world. Her stories are very character-driven. If you aren’t up for a trilogy, you could read book #1 in both of these and be satisfied.
You might like Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. It’s got witty dialog, fun plot twists, and short chapter so it’s easy to read in short servings if that’s your preference.
I just started reading a lot more myself in the past year, and share a lot of your film/TV tastes. Currently reading Demon Copperhead and really loving it so far (about halfway through).
Also if you want one that will pull you right in, you can finish in about 6 hours (I finished on my holiday flights home), and will hit you hard in the feels (though it’s non-fiction) is Tuesdays with Morrie. I blew through that and loved it.
For witty/fun – you may like Confederacy of Dunces.