I’ve had a terrific time, much to my husband’s dismay, of being immersed in worlds afar. The first of the two trilogies that I read was of magicians, from a world penned by Lev Grossman. The first book of the series was evocative of everything I’ve known and loved from Hogwarts, of Narnia, of even Enid Blyton’s Faraway Trees.

I saw the possibilities as a young, cynical Brooklyn-born teenager Quentin realizes that everything he dreamt of from his favorite books could be real. It is his “You’re a wizard, Harry” moment – one that I’ve dreamt of for years and waited on. Quentin finds and lives the world of his dreams – of his Narnia, exploring this new world with his newfound skills in magic. The books traverse the line of childish fiction and adulthood problems quite well. I found myself thinking more and more of Hogwarts and Narnia as I read the books, and it was that nostalgia that made these books a true treasure to read. The characters in Lev Grossman’s world are harder to like – Quentin is a frustrating character, I would even go as far as to say he is an unlikable character from the very beginning. Or maybe he’s just a typical teenager.

The books are amusing, fun, slightly dark, but mostly immersive and comforting – the kind of fictional worlds that leave you living in a world afar.

The second world I entered was one that was much, much darker, in Hugh Howey’s Silo. I had already watched some of the episodes on the adapted series on Apple TV+, so my version of Juliette Nichols was anchored to Rebecca Ferguson. The more I read the books the more I marveled at how immaculate a casting she was, for Jules. Silo is a dark world – one that resembles the worst from Lord of the Flies. It is dystopian, with infinite questions that slowly get answered through the 1800-odd pages in the series. The characters are relatable – I often wondered if I’d have the courage to question the system if I was born into it. I heard myself drifting from the pages as I considered who I’d most resemble in that dystopian world, and tried convincing myself that I’d be one of the braver ones. Maybe. I loved the Hugh Howey’s writing, and finished the trilogy with his related short stories in the same world. I’d definitely pick up any new series he authors. He’s the kind of writer I marvel at – for the richness in his creativity, his realism in character arcs, and dumfoundedness at “How did he come up with this?!”