Fantasy Reads For Lockdown | February 2021

 Books are escapism for people, but sometimes the realistic every-day narrative in novels just isn't quite enough to take us away from what is in front of us. Lockdown. Lockdown is growing to be a very mundane and repetitive period of my life. I'm not always the one to say that I love fantasy novels, but during this lockdown I've loved the escapism of fantasy books. Even if it's themes of folklore or myth, to the different worlds of time travel and vampires, it distracts me from the reality of lockdown at the moment. 

 Here are my fantasy recommendations to get you through lockdown!

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

This series is set upon the time-travel landscape of the Scottish Highlands. Even though the series has been adapted on-screen, I definitely think as always the books are better. The language draws you in with the native Scottish terms. Its protagonist is Clare Randall, a Second World War nurse, who arrives in the Scottish Highlands with husband Frank after the conflict. However, the magical myth and folklore of the standing stones in the mountains, Clare travels back in time to the 18th century where she meets Jamie Fraser. She is an English woman in a country that has pure hatred for the English folk, which is presented with her nickname by the cohort she comes across as 'Sassenach' meaning Outlander. If you love the fantasy genre, but want the history of an ancient land such as Scotland, I think you'll love this one! Of course, it wouldn't be a fantasy book without the romance trope mixed in. As stereotypical it is, Clare represents her skills as a nurse, and becomes integral to the community that she is situated in. She becomes a character embedded within the community, despite her nationality but her 20th century wisdom and symbol as a woman with knowledge and intelligence holds her with respect in the 18th century society she finds herself in. 

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Now, this series is a guilty pleasure for many, many people. Whether you're Team Edward or Team Jacob the dark and melodramatic atmosphere of Forks, Washington adds to the suspense and mysterious nature of the characters. Obviously I'm going to say the books are better, but in this case any book would be better than Kristin Stewart's acting skills...

If you don't know the narrative of this book, its set on an innocent, Arizonian girl that moves to rainy Forks to live with her estranged Dad. A culture shock to say the least. The town has some mysterious characters, in which she tries to fit in, but she soon finds out that its mysterious nature is for a good cause. Vampires and Werewolves; the perfect pair. The most obvious and exciting trope in the novel is the love triangle between Edward (Vampire), Bella (Human) and Jacob (Werewolf). That's where the guilty pleasure lies, the angsty teen love and hormones over an innocent new girl, as they fight for her attention and love. Twilight is extremely easy to read, and will have you hooked from the very first line. What more could you want than an obsessive read to get you through lockdown days? 

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

This novel is set in Victorian England. Cora's husband has just passed away. But instead of mourning, she feels free and alive. Her oppressive marriage allows her to do what she's always wanted; explore. The book explores the historical fiction and gothic themes of Victorian Britain, and the folklore connection of the mysterious 'Essex Serpent'. The 'Essex Serpent' interests Cora, she's enthusiastic and passionate about the rumoured interruption of life in the Essex town.  What I find interesting in this novel is the symbolism of each character represents the conflicting factors of Victorian England. There's the conflicting questions of science vs religion, the class conflict and Chartist movement, then there's the Woman Question with the independence of Cora, and the eroticism of her acquaintance, Martha. The physicist in the novel presents the underlying theme of modern medicine and the development of new treatments that revolutionised the world of medicine. This novel isn't quite a fantastical level of literature, but it will take you away to the world of Victorian Britain and the changing social norms in the fin de siecle era. 

The Good People by Hannah Kent 

A more folkloric tale is The Good People by Hannah Kent. The follow-up novel to Burial Rites, the narrative perspective focuses on Nora, who is filled with grief from her husbands death. She is alone, but is the only carer for her grandson, Micheal. The novel is set in Ireland, and is filled with folkloric themes and the stigma around myth and the witch-like women on the time. Nora sees that something is wrong with Micheal, so she asks for the help of the local healer, Nance. She is threat to the church, but locally she is known to be a healer and believer in magic. In hope of healing Micheal, they come together with the magic and healing powers, which goes against the traditional societal attitudes from the Priest and others that doubt the healing powers of Nance. The novel is filled with the Irish

landscape, myth and folklore that will draw you in to the magical and whimsical narrative of Nora and Nance.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 

This is the absolute classic of fantasy reads. If you're a fan of high-fantasy this will most definitely give you the highest form of escapism. If you've never watched films of The Hobbit, you will not know how much goes on in this book. A LOT (in such a small book). The novel follows the narrative of Bilbo Baggins, the home-loving Hobbit. He is confronted by the wizard, Gandalf to come on a quest with him to find Smaug the Dragon's treasure. I read this novel in the first lockdown, and it distracted me from the fact that I was stuck within the same four walls for three months ( just slightly). The comedic value of the book, and the depth of the characters is what interested me the most, and you can fall deeply in love with the book and the rest of Tolkien's writing. 

Happy Reading & Happy Lockdown! 

Rose x