There are times when I want to read a good story but find myself unable to concentrate. I have been meaning to read ‘Butter’ by Asako Yuzuki which is a 400 odd pages book but I just haven’t been able to immerse myself in it. Unfortunately, I also don’t want to read short stories, which is usually what I reach for when I’m unable to get into a longer book. These are the times shorter narratives or novellas come to the rescue. Trust me, you get that sense of accomplishment that comes with finishing a book while having none of the pressure and putting less energy into it as well.
My husband likes novellas too as he’s more of a non-fiction guy who likes to get an occasional dose of fiction in his reading diet. And he (as well as a few other reader friends) agrees that it’s almost like reading a fully developed story if the author is a good writer. Sometimes, the characters aren’t properly fleshed out and that really bothers me but there are some authors who are at the top of their game when it comes to writing shorter novels. Here I recommend three of my favorites, hoping you will find the time to squeeze them into your busy schedule or at least during the Dashain holidays when there’s a rare moment to sit by yourself and recharge.
Foster by Clare Keegan
Clare Keegan is the mistress of novellas. I read ‘Small Things Like These’, a historical fiction that won the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It’s a lovely little book that I’ve been recommending to everyone I meet. So obviously I had to pick up ‘Foster’ when I saw it at the bookstore. I didn’t even bother reading the blurb. Foster seems simple but it packs an emotional punch. Set in Ireland, it’s about a young girl who is sent to live with distant relatives on her mother’s side, when her mother is about to have another child. The ‘foster’ parents are affectionate and kind and the three develop an unshakable bond, despite knowing that the girl is only there for a while. It’s a heartwarming and sad story on the need for connection and love.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
This is a fun and uplifting debut novel by Japanese writer Satoshi Yagisawa. It was published in Japan in 2010 and only translated into English in 2023 by Eric Ozawa. It’s basically a story about a young woman called Tomoko who feels a little lost in life. She slowly rebuilds her life while living and working in her uncle Satoru’s second-hand bookshop in Tokyo. There’s something about books set in Japan that makes me happy from the inside. Perhaps it’s the slow pace or the aesthetic setting and ‘Days at the Morisaki Bookshop’ is no different. It’s a well written book where nothing much happens but you are nonetheless captivated by the characters. It made me realize the importance of tackling your problems head on, albeit slowly and gently, instead of ignoring them. The book feels like a friend holding your hand and guiding you through life.
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
‘Orbital’ is the winner of The Booker Prize 2024. The novel is about six astronauts as they rotate in a spacecraft above earth. They see the earth from a unique vantage point and start asking questions about what it means to be alive. Their reality is fragmented, being so far away from home, yet so close. It’s fascinating to see how their minds work, which is so unlike a regular humans’ on earth and yet you will be able to relate to their thoughts. What I loved about the book is definitely Samantha Harvey’s writing that makes the universe around the space station come alive. At times, you will feel like you are there, with the astronauts, listening to their stories. It’s also a great book to dip in and out of as there’s an essay-ish quality to it. The book isn’t plot driven so that helps too. This is a book that’s unlike anything you have or will ever read.
