Fantasy Over Everything Else

With all the bad news going on around the country and world, I am struggling to want to read anything that is about the real world. I have been staying in the world of fantasy because who wants to read about something that is just as depressing as real life?

I know that everyone struggles to read everything that is posted on Bookstagram or gets amazing reviews. I also know that everyone wants to read books that are not only interesting, but teach us to help the world around us. Being a part of the Bookstagram, Twitter, and the blogging community has been an amazing experience. However, sometimes it also makes me feel a little guilty about my reading choices.  

With the pandemic and the BLM movement arising again, a lot of bloggers and bookstagrammers have been posting books that discuss issues that are going on in our daily lives and how to handle them. My confession is, I don’t want to read them right now. This pandemic has affected my job, my husband’s job, my mental health, my trust in people, and my overall happiness. Yes, I have been very very lucky in that no one in my life that I know has been affected by the virus and these are honestly first world problems. However, this tumultuous climate has affected my book choices due to the fact that I want to read purely as an escape and nothing more. 

I have had Where the Crawdads Sing and Know My Name on my shelf for MONTHS and I just don’t want to read them. They are both so sad and demonstrate how the people of our world know what is wrong and don’t do anything to change the outcome.  I know that by ignoring the problem and not reading these books, I am acting as an ostrich hiding my head under the sand. But, I just don’t know what to do. Everyone that is involved in politics is either fine with the status quo, is greedy, or is trying desperately to create change and is not getting anything done. I’m just frustrated! I am at my limit and just need a break. 

Fantasy books are everything that I want real life to be and that is why I choose to read them instead of realistic fiction, historical fiction, and nonfiction. First, the characters are brave and ALWAYS prevail. I want to read about characters that want better for the world and actually win. I want sass and fun and not doom and gloom. In fantasies, evil is always revealed for what it is and it is believed. In real life, evil is there, but people either refuse to see it or argue that it isn’t there. Cough RACISM cough. Another reason that fantasy kicks reality’s ass, is the magic! I mean who wants real life when you can read about characters that can use magic. I mean the characters would probably say, “more magic, more problems,” but to have magic is better to not have it at all. I also love all the magical creatures! Fantasy is just the best and allows me to take a break from all the chaos of real life. 

I honestly don’t know what the future holds, but all I know is that I might stick to fantasies for a while. If I need a dose of reality, I will just watch the news to see what other dumb thing the president has done or said. My rant is over. Thank you for listening.