How Lock Down has Affected My Reading

Everyones talking about it, and it’s really difficult not to talk about lock down at the moment. Firstly, i hope everyone is safe and well, and your families and friends are safe and well. It’s scary and new times, with a lot of struggles for many people. I won’t be posting about this regularly, due to the fact i know blogging is an escape for most people, but there are a few things i wanted to talk about.

I’ve seen the general idea in the last month or so that the events around the world have stunted some people’s reading progress. I know some of my friends have struggled to read and focus on things. I know they’ve not wanted to pick up a book, and ironically we accidentally chose Wilder Girls by Rory Power as our book club pick this month, not knowing it was about mass illness – it’s safe to say, not many people (including myself) turned up to that book club!

Where most people have found it really difficult to read, i’ve thrown myself in to it as an escape method. I really thought i’d struggle with being in lock down, and for most part, i’ve been okay with it with just a few things i really miss. Reading has helped me to no end. Yes there are times when i really cannot be bothered to pick up a book, but most of the time now i have absolutely nothing else to do. So i’m quite enjoying picking up any book on my shelf and making my way through it.

I’ve found that books that are out of my comfort zone or books that are completely immersive have helped me the most. I’ve thrown myself in to worlds that are not typical for me, and the contrast between that world and the current situation is so huge i find myself being completely lost.

The two books that have completely drawn me in so far are My Sister The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, and A Closed And Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. I’m not saying either of these books are completely out of my comfort zone. I have read a Becky Chambers book previously and i also do really enjoy a thriller novel, but the tones of these books really broke up my reading.

My Sister The Serial Killer has incredibly short chapters, and has such an interesting setting and set of characters it’s hard not to be completely drawn in by it. I think i ended up reading it in just a couple of days, and it felt really good to be flying through something i absolutely adored. To be honest i didn’t intend on reading A Closed and Common Orbit, but with it sitting on my shelf for so long and i’ve not touched it, why should i have not picked it up? I have a lot of free time now (which i know is a luxury), so i can pick and choose what i read because i’m getting through more.

This does mean after reading these books i’ve been very picky about what i’ve jumped in to next. These books have kept me going and honestly kept my spirits up. I’m trying not to read anything sad, or particularly about sad topics, and i’m trying to find things that click with me in the first few pages. I’ve had to try out a few books but that’s okay.

I’ve currently read five books in lockdown, which doesn’t seem like much but i have also been working full time from home and i bought myself a Nintendo Switch, so clearly that’s taken up some of my time.

If you’re struggling to read at the moment, first of all, it’s normal, it’s not a bad thing and it will come back to you when your brain is ready for it to happen. If you really want to try reading again, i’d advice picking up something that’s completely immersive and you can surround yourself in.

It would be really nice if people left a comment suggesting books that they’ve found to be extremely comforting and something they could get lost in. Let’s all help each other.