Let’s be real: we’ve all had that one phase in middle school when we were obsessed with reading and practically swallowed at least one book every day. As someone who is very easily embarrassed by past versions of myself, I must admit that my seven-year-old self’s insatiable thirst for books is one of the few things I genuinely admire and miss. I sometimes joke that I probably wouldn’t ask my friends for advice or even talk to them if I still had that kind of love for fiction. Okay, yes, that’s an exaggeration; works of fiction can’t exactly replace genuine advice or support, but they do allow us to travel through time or wander around someone else’s mind! And although that sounds a little creepy, both of those can be incredibly healing processes.
Personally, I have been in desperate need of healing for a while now, which is exactly why I spent a solid chunk of my quarantine either discovering new books or reacquainting myself with some all-time favorites. Despite being fictional, all of them have made me question some aspect of my life or made me feel whole in a way that no self-help book ever could.
Before I share the list, please check this website as well as this one for possible trigger warnings for each book. Some of them deal with pretty heavy and serious topics, so please keep that in mind if you choose to read them!
- “The Feast of Love” by Charles Baxter
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Sometimes a book finds you at the perfect time and place: The Feast of Love was that book for me. I discovered it at a thrift store and with the combination of the intriguing title, gorgeous cover art, and (most importantly) the very affordable price, I pretty much had to buy it. I’d never explored Charles Baxter’s works and had no idea what to expect, but somehow, I found myself completely engrossed within the first few pages of the novel and finished it in one sitting. Each chapter flowed seamlessly into the next one, and all the characters felt way too realistic—almost as though I’d been best friends with some of them for years. As Baxter described the characters’ lives, I found myself relating to some of them and even when I couldn’t relate, I was able to empathize and understand. This book is a literal celebration of love and life, a beautiful collection of stories that feel absurd and yet too real at the same time.
- “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong
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If you haven’t read this yet, drop everything you’re doing and go do it immediately. The entire book is a bildungsroman written in the form of a letter from a boy named Little Dog to his mother. In this letter, Little Dog describes his life in Connecticut, recounts anecdotes about his grandmother and mother, and delves into an exploration of his sexuality. Unlike The Feast of Love, the power of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous lies less in the characterization and more in the way Vuong conveys complex and often conflicting emotions with so much thought and love. It might seem strange that I’m including this incredibly heavy work in a list of “healing” books, but I personally found solace and comfort in how raw and moving it is. Plus, Vuong’s writing style is just so beautiful and poetic, even when he describes pain: it’s almost like he’s tending to your wounds right after you realize it hurts.
(Also, fun fact: Ocean Vuong is currently an associate professor at UMass Amherst which is honestly beyond incredible, so in case my description didn’t convince you to read this book, this information better do the trick!)
- “Kokoro” by Natsume Soseki
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This is another somewhat depressing one, but bear with me because it is absolutely beautiful. The Japanese word kokoro literally translates to “heart”, and the novel is quite literally an exploration of matters of the heart. The novel is primarily about a young man’s companionship and fascination with his mentor, who is referred to as Sensei or “teacher.” Over the course of the book, the young man and Sensei spend a lot of time together, but Sensei always insists on keeping the details of his past a secret. He appears to be carrying a lot of guilt and regret, but doesn’t really explain why until the last part of the novel. Unfortunately, I can’t get into that without literally spoiling everything, but what I will mention is that this book essentially reinforced the knowledge that life is fleeting, and also reminded me to be upfront instead of dealing with years of buried angst in the future. Basically, do not be like Sensei.
- “The Chrestomanci Series” by Diana Wynne Jones
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This is probably the odd one out on this list: it is not necessarily for my age group and yes, it is technically a series—not a standalone novel—but exceptions can be made in this case! The Chrestomanci series is objectively in the top 5 most iconic fantasy series to ever exist and not a single person can convince me otherwise. Diana Wynne Jones literally created a universe so detailed and vivid, yet so easy to envision and immerse oneself in. I definitely acknowledge that a large part of my love for the books is nostalgia, but when I revisited this series last summer, I realized it’s genuinely timeless. What fascinates me about Jones’ fantasy works, in particular, is that despite the characters’ superhuman abilities, they always come across as so flawed and, frankly, human. The characters don’t just use magic unthinkingly: everything seems to come with a price, and they constantly reckon with the ethical implications of their actions. If you’re looking for something light-hearted and fun, but also genuinely profound, look no further.
- “Girl, Woman, Other” by Bernardine Evaristo
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This is hands-down one of the most powerful and profound works of fiction I have ever come across. The book describes the lives of twelve people, most of whom are Black women. As a whole, the novel deals with a series of social and political issues, but what is perhaps most incredible and fascinating to me is the way Evaristo manages to give all of them completely distinct and identifiable voices, despite having very little dialogue in the novel. The writing style is also so unique and unconventional: it’s a strangely perfect medley of prose and poetry, which makes it such a joy to read. Beyond the obvious cultural and sociopolitical importance of this book, I feel that the reason it is so healing to me is because of how sincere and moving it is. Once again, like all the other books on this list, its power can be ascribed to the way all the characters feel too real, the way it presents the overall concepts of race, identity, and intersectionality as parts of everyday human life, rather than political controversies.
