Why reading fiction in 2020 is so important
What I’m reading to help get me through the year of years.
It’s no secret that 2020 has been quite frankly a bit of a shit show. From everything that comes out of Trump’s mouth, to climate change, and the constant reminder that the economy is buckled - I can’t be the only one feeling a little bit more than just the usual amount of stress.
We’ve all heard the saying no news is good news, but I think this should take on a totally new meaning in 2020, as in literally step away from the news and give yourself a break. Put your phone down, pour yourself a cold glass of something, and tuck into fiction because it’s hectic out there!
I’m a big fan of fiction. It has this remarkable ability to discuss those big issues, often overwhelming in the news, as a story you can get lost in. Good fiction can also challenge you to think through fresh perspectives from a host of characters you can empathise with.
Top on the good fiction list is Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evarist, joint winner of the 2019 Man Booker Prize for its exploration of race, gender diversity, sexuality, and identity through the lives of 12 black women living in Britain. Inspired by Evaristo’s own desire to see equal representation in fiction, this book will blow your mind. Not only is it written in experimental fiction style that at times flows more like poetry using minimal punctuation, but it's addictive as it unwinds how each of the women’s’ lives crosses paths.
During the initial protests over the death of George Floyd, we saw an outpouring of anti-racist reading lists. And while non-fiction titles such as Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge and Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall are critical for anyone wanting to educate themselves. Kiley Read’s, Such A Fun Age was one of the few fiction books consistently recommended. It tells the story of a young black woman who is wrongly accused of kidnapping while babysitting a white child, and the events that follow the incident. Having also just been listed for the Booker 2020 only helps to propel the importance of stories exploring race-related issues on the fiction stage.
And while reading diversely continues to hold the top spot amongst book chats, I cannot help but encourage that this diverse reading includes books from a homegrown author. In this country, we get a lot of our newsfeed from around the world, which makes us often overlook our own issues. For instance, we have one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the developed world. It's an issue that motivated Becky Manawatu to write Aue after losing her cousin to domestic violence as a child. This topic is never an easy read, but in Aue, we lose ourselves in the love story of Jade and Toko and inside the innocent mind of the young boy Ari, whose brother Taurkiri has lost his way after the tragedies suffered by their family. These stories are tough because they come from real places, but that doesn’t mean we should shy away from them. It's a powerfully moving read.
It’s not only stories close to home that can get under your skin but those from far away too like that of Elif Shafak’s,10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in this Strange World. The book is set in Istanbul, a place the author can no longer return to after being charged for writing about sexual violence. It starts with an explosive premise as we dive into the mind of a sex worker - Leila who is dying in a rubbish bin in the outskirts of the city. In her final 10 minutes, Leila recounts her life from growing up in the provinces, to ending up as a crime story in the city’s newspapers.10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in this Strange World is an unflinching story about a brutalised women who manages to retain her sense of humanity despite living in a staunchly patriarchal world bent on keeping her down at every turn.
British author Holly Bourne has carved a hugely successful YA career, empowering young female voices. In her second novel for adults, Pretending, Bourne explores sexual abuse with her character April, a survivor wanting to find love. The 33-year-old comes up with the idea of taking on the persona of Gretel, the ‘perfect woman’ that all men want. Inspired by the author's own work for survivors of abuse (just like April’s job in the book) Bourne is an incredibly passionate campaigner for mental health and very movingly thanks everyone who continues to work within these services, as she recognises that the work eventually became too much for her. Though undoubtedly continuing to help in some way through her writing. As a reader, keep in mind that it’s okay to be uncomfortable throughout this whole novel as you grasp the realities of what it is like to be April. Bourne's brilliant ability to guide you through the emotions with humour will get you through it.
And when all else fails, and you just need a sprinkle of magic then Lanny by Max Porter will be your best friend. Elements of fantasy, balanced with issues of modern life, set amongst the backdrop of a small old English village, and all packed into a neat little short read. Set around five characters, Lanny the eccentric, Jolie who was an actress before Lanny came along, Robert the commuting to London bigwig father who doesn’t understand his son, Mad Pete the old artist, and Dead Papa Toothwort the old village spirit who has been around since the village began. Dead Papa Toothwort is a central character that brings all the concepts of domesticity together. Not only does he free form his appearance, but he listens to the thoughts and conversations of the town which you read in abstract pages offering an insight into what it’s like to live in a small community. This story will totally envelop you, and when something terrible happens in Lanny you will be scrambling to get through to the end as the book suddenly becomes riveted with elements of an eccentric crime thriller.
Reading fiction has been a way for me to make some sense, or some process towards making sense of everything that's going wrong. You may not find what you’re looking for in the pages of a book, but what I’m certain of is that reading will make you slow down, take a moment, breath and turn a page.
Words — Mandy Myles, founder of Bookety Book Books
