“People talk about escapism as if it’s a bad thing… Once you’ve escaped, once you come back, the world is not the same as when you left it. You come back to it with skills, weapons, knowledge you didn’t have before. Then you are better equipped to deal with your current reality.”
― Neil Gaiman

 

There has been an extensive series of debates around people consuming fiction books, television, music and other sources of entertainment as an escape from the realities of their life. With the current ongoing situation of a global pandemic, many people have resorted to escape the horrors of life’s realities by binge-watching shows on Netflix, spending their nights downloading and watching movies, reading novels from romance to science fiction to contemporary fiction. Some of us are often guilty of doing this. We find an escape from life’s difficulties and challenges by hiding ourselves behind entertainment.

 

While this behaviour can be detrimental to the wellbeing of a person if it becomes a learned behaviour, it is considered a harmless coping mechanism when in times of difficulty. We all go through these phases in our life where we need to unwind for some time before we can face the circumstances and find out a way to solve those problems. In such times, escapism through various forms of entertainment comes to our rescue. We indulge ourselves in the world of novels we are reading, lose ourselves in a movie we are watching or find a relatable character in a drama that gives us a new perspective to look at our problems and find a solution to them. Even if we don’t get to learn something new from such sources of entertainment, it is believed that engaging in a healthy type of entertainment can help a person loosen up his stressed-out brain and body.

 

It is believed that reading contemporary fiction and fantasy novels plays a huge role in providing an escape from the stressors of life. We have piled up some of our contemporary fiction novels and books to read so one can unwind after a stressful week at work or escape the bitter realities of life in general. So, let’s dive into the world of books!

 

 

After a While

A romance novel from the contemporary fiction genre, this is the story of a winter-lover lady. She comes to life in winter and is fascinated by the legislative storms. She cries and longs for her lover and believes they are meant to be with each other. To buy this fascinating love story of longing, rains and pains, click here.

 

 

 

Ashes of a Lost Country

This is a historical account of the author’s early life in the war-torn country – Palestine. Born in the year 1950, the author’s childhood was a mix of joy, mischief and misery. When his mother died, he was sent to a boarding school in Jordan. Later in the year 1967, when Israel took hold of Palestine, he became homeless. After completing his secondary school, he was awarded a scholarship to study in Algeria. There, he found new friends in some French individuals and they, later on, invited him to France. Currently, the author lives in the United Arab Emirates. To read more of this historical fiction book about personal struggles and life in a war-torn country, buy it here.

 

 

Hiam Is the Life

Our next pick is an interesting short story about a young and lonely man. He is frustrated all the time and is not happy with his life. He lives inside his mind, thinking and fidgeting restlessly. Then fate brings a girl into his life who he falls in love with. This love turns his life upside down and makes it better in some ways and worst in others. Will he become a better version of himself after all the new developments in his life or would he end up being even more lonely and frustrated? To find out, buy this book here.

 

 

Life

This book is a perfect pick from the contemporary fiction genre for escapists. The story takes us on a journey from loss to a safe harbour. From that safe harbour, we are shown what it feels like to experience boredom. It then shows us the world of fantasies, dreams and discussions. It is a simple but deep journey that takes us into a parallel reality. Grab a copy of this mesmerizing book here.

 

 

 

 

The Store of Creative Minds

Our last pick for this list is a science fiction book about artificial intelligence taking over our lives and industries. In the year 2017, the world started discussing an industrial revolution where humans will live a more relaxed lifestyle because of technological advancement. This is a story of a group of young men and women who got isolated as a result of some social events. When they tried to return to their social life, they found themselves stuck. Would they be able to break free of the unseen shackles and return to what they believe is normal? To find out more, buy this fascinating sci-fi book here.

 

 

 

As we are in the middle of a global pandemic that has brought a lot of other miseries and horrors with it, escaping in the world of literature or movies and TV for some time is a harmless activity to bury ourselves in. Reading a book or two, binge-watching your favourite season or watching movies is the best way to de-stress from the bitter realities of life all around. Enjoy and take care of yourself and your mind in any way you think is best for you.

 

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