Sometimes you just want to escape reality and forget all of your own real-world problems and slip into someone else’s skin. Because why deal with your problems when you can read about other people dealing with their problems in faraway lands and virtual worlds? At least then you have the guarantee of a resolution at some point between the pages.
If you find yourself doing this, congratulations! You have partaken in escapism 🎉 Honestly, everyone does it, whether through books, TV shows, music or even games. I do too, especially since my favorite genre to read is fantasy, which is great for daydream fuel.
Escapist fiction, usually referring to fantasy and science fiction, is generally looked down upon and compared to literary fiction as it seen to be more for pure entertainment.
I disagree, as it is not only good for distracting yourself from the real world, the escape itself also gives the readers access to different perspectives on life and is a gateway to bring that light and knowledge back to be applied to your own reality.
Author Neil Gaiman did a wonderful lecture, chronicled in this article, that postulates why we as readers need to enjoy our fiction, and reading escapist fiction is nothing to be looked down on, as it gives you
“Skills and tools and knowledge you can use to escape for real.”
Indeed, it is up to us as the readers to make use of what we take away from what we read for our own betterment.
With that being said, other than the well-known Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones series, here are some escapist fiction recommendations for you to consider the next time you want to get away:
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The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss (for fantastical highjinks and a one-way-ticket into a multitude of theory-crafting forums)
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (for not only one but three strong female protagonists and nostalgic fairytale-esque writing)
Vicious by V.E. Schwab (for an intense rivalry, superpowers and villiany)
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Of course, like with all things, be sure to escape read in moderation, lest it then becomes avoidance, which can severely impair your daily life. If you ever find this happening to you, Patrick Allan has some good advice, over at lifehacker.
So think of reading as a tool for self-care. It’s “me-time” that is necessary for refueling your energy to go back and tackle reality.
“Reading is sometimes thought of as a form of escapism, and it’s a common turn of phrase to speak of getting lost in a book. But a book can also be where one finds oneself; and when a reader is grasped and held by a book, reading does not feel like an escape from life so much as it feels like an urgent, crucial dimension of life itself.”
Rebecca Mead, My Life in Middlemarch
The Reader And The Read 