Social distancing? Here are some books to distract you

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Author: CS Lewis): During the Second World War, four siblings are sent to a country home to escape the bombings in London. Little do they know, a whole new adventure awaits them, hidden behind an enchanted wardrobe. This childhood gem, and the corresponding books in the series, have sparked sweeping film adaptations, but nothing comes quite close to the magic of CS Lewis’ imagery, unravelling through his prose. The book also draws parallels to these present times: Four kids, stuck indoors who use their vivid imagination to set off on an adventure into the mystical land of Narnia, where the evil White Witch is at war with the magical lion, Aslan.

The Palace of Illusions (Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni): Whether or not someone is familiar with the Hindu mythological tale of the ‘Mahabharata’, Divakaruni’s feminist take on a misogynistic tale of a young princess forced to take on five husbands is a force to reckon with. Even as Panchaali fights an illicit attraction to the one who got away — her husbands’ biggest enemy Karna — she never misses a step to rise above the draconian mindset and live life on her own terms, with a little help from her beloved friend Krishna.

My Family and Other Animals (Author: Gerald Durrell): The book offers a humorous and, part fictitious, take on the Durrell family’s shenanigans as the move to the Greek island of Corfu in the 1930s. There is something almost poignant about Durrell’s childhood adventures that sees his eccentric family embark on an island adventure, complete with the author’s three older siblings, a widowed mother and the family dog. Durrell’s love for some questionable creepy crawlies are a hoot, but perhaps it’s his joie de vivre that remind us all a little of the childhood innocence we left behind.

Sandstorm (Author: James Rollins): With the threat of a virus knocking at our doors, what better way is there than to curl up with a book and let the words carry you out on a thrilling adventure? Sandstorm is the first book in the James Rollins’ best-selling Sigma Force series that combines the adventure of Dirk Pitt novel and the historical mysteries penned by Dan Brown. This book brings us to familiar ground with Sigma Force’s Painter Crowe leading an expedition to hunt for the Atlantis of Arabia. If this captures your attention, there are 21 other books in the series.

And Then There Were None (Author: Agatha Christie): Eight strangers are invited to an opulent mansion on an isolated island. One by one, they mysteriously start dying. Cue the incredulous guests pointing fingers at each other and trying not to become victims to the unknown murderer among them. It’s probably one of Christie’s best, most exhilarating works. It’s a challenge not to read this in one sitting. If you finish it too quickly, it wouldn’t hurt to read everything the brilliant crime novelist has written.

I Know This Much Is True (Author: Wally Lamb): If you’d like to spend your self-isolation deep in your feelings, then this heart-wrenching book is for you. This novel features identical twin men, one of whom suffers from schizophrenia, and is about how they cope with family, love and their difficult lives. It’s not an easy read — it’s long, for one — but it’s one of those books that will stay with you for years after.

Strangers (Author: Taichi Yamada): Fair warning, this is a horror novel. A man who was orphaned as a child meets a couple who look very much like his dead parents. He strikes up a close relationship with them and then things get very spooky very fast. It’s tragic and atmospheric, while also making your hair stand on end. While not terrifying enough to keep you up at night, it’s probably best to read this in the day time.

The Hunger Games series (Author: Suzanne Collins): There’s a reason this young adult trilogy set in a dystopic world was a best-seller when it released — it was extremely fun to read (let’s ignore the fact that the world seems a bit dystopic too right now). Katniss Everdeen is a teen who lives in a poor district in a post-apocalyptic world and has to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. It’s thrilling, fast-paced and addictive — and definitely not just for young people.

The Farseer Trilogy (Author: Robin Hobb): Robin Hobb’s first fantasy trilogy set in the Elderlings universe follows the adventures of Fitz, the bastard child of Prince Chivalry, who has a magical link with animals. When he’s finally accepted into the royal fold by King Dutiful, Fitz begins his education in becoming the kingdom’s best assassin. Cue court intrigue, shadowy attackers, gentle romance and magical escapades. Hobb’s first person accounts are the stuff of legends, and even though the series may feel like a slow burner, be sure that your patience will be rewarded.

Pachinko (Author: Min Jin Lee): The saga of four generations of a Korean family rocked by Japanese colonisation, Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko is nothing short of an epic. With a deeply engrossing and detailed story — around 500 pages — about sacrifice, lineage and loyalty, Lee’s characters will live in your head long after you’ve put the book down. And this is also your chance to learn something about the Japan-Korean relations.

Never Let Me Go (Author: Kazuo Ishiguro): At once an unputdownable mystery and a greatly moving tale about what it means to be human, Never Let Me Go is Nobel- and Booker Prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro’s greatest triumph. Set in an idyllic boarding school, the story follows Kathy, Ruth and Tommy as they grow from kids to mature young adults, and the sealed fates they have to meet. There’s not much we can divulge without spoiling the suspense, so get right to it.

Jane Eyre (Author: Charlotte Bronte): A comfort read, this classic demands to be read and read again. A quintessential romance with gothic elements, Jane Eyre also managed to shatter the sexist stereotypes of the early Victorian age by creating a heroine of substance. If you’ve never read a classic, make this one your first.