📚 Books to Read After Drive Your Plough
Just finished drive your plough? Here are 5 magical next reads curated just for you:
📘 Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Rating: 3.83 / 5 (188,104 ratings), Published: 2017
When to read it: When you need a deep dive into the human experience, exploring themes of loss, grief, and the afterlife.
This inventive novel follows Abraham Lincoln's grief-stricken visits to the graveyard where his son is laid to rest, interwoven with the voices of spirits in the bardo. A masterful blend of history, spirituality, and compassion, perfect for those seeking to contemplate life's complexities.
Genres: Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Grief
After reading: Readers will be left pondering the nature of love, loss, and the ways in which we grapple with our own mortality.
📘 Weather by Jenny Offill
Rating: 3.51 / 5 (24,753 ratings), Published: 2020
When to read it: When you're seeking a sharp, witty take on the anxieties of modern life and the challenges of navigating personal and global uncertainties.
Following the life of a librarian turned part-time therapist, this insightful novel delves into climate change, family dynamics, and the search for meaning in a fragmented world. With sparse yet profound prose, it offers a mirror to our own concerns and desires.
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Climate Fiction, Relationships
After reading: Readers will find themselves reflecting on their own responses to an increasingly chaotic world and the ways in which we strive to find balance within it.
📘 Normal People by Sally Rooney
Rating: 4.00 / 5 (576,320 ratings), Published: 2018
When to read it: In moments of intense introspection or relationship reflections, when you're drawn to stories that delve deep into the complexities of human connection.
Rooney's exquisite novel traces the intertwined lives of Marianne and Connell, exploring love, power dynamics, and the fragility of relationships. A compelling narrative that captures the nuances of intimacy and the challenges of understanding oneself through others.
Genres: Literary Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Romance
After reading: Readers will feel a profound sense of empathy towards the characters and a heightened awareness of the intricacies that define our interactions with those we hold dear.
📘 The Overstory by Richard Powers
Rating: 4.16 / 5 (87,924 ratings), Published: 2018
When to read it: When you crave a narrative that intertwines human lives with the natural world, inviting reflection on our interconnectedness with the environment.
This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows nine individuals whose lives become entwined with trees, exploring activism, environmentalism, and the profound ways in which nature impacts our existence. A lyrical and thought-provoking work that resonates long after the final page.
Genres: Environmental Fiction, Literary Fiction, Nature
After reading: Readers will gain a newfound appreciation for the natural world and a deeper understanding of the ways in which our actions ripple through the ecosystem around us.
📘 Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
Rating: 3.85 / 5 (113,263 ratings), Published: 2016
When to read it: When you're questioning societal norms, seeking acceptance of your unique self, or exploring the meaning of conformity in modern society.
Murata's novel follows the life of a woman who finds solace and purpose in her job at a convenience store, navigating societal expectations and the pressures to conform. A witty and incisive exploration of identity, autonomy, and the masks we wear to fit in.
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Japanese Literature, Identity
After reading: Readers will be inspired to embrace their individuality, question the constructs of societal conformity, and find beauty in the courage to be authentically oneself.