I am “generation Harry Potter” (and please, I really do not wish to discuss JK Rowling right now). What I mean is that I was just the right age when the books where first published and I grew up with them being a few years younger than the protagonists.

Now I did not have the most ideal childhood. My home situation was complicated and I was home alone a lot. I also was a sickly child and had to stay home from school often. I did not get much but I wish for a new book every now and then and when I was home alone because of a tonsilitis my mom bought me Harry Potter. I was 9.

Since then HP somehow became my comfort zone, my safe space. Whenever I felt like shit I would hole up in my room and read through the HP books. As a teen I never told anyone since I already understood it was weird to read a book again and again to flee from reality. But I figured it will phase out once I am an adult and “figured stuff out”.

Well, it didn’t. You can guess how old I am given the above information and through all my 20’s and then 30’s til now I kept turning to the HP books whenever something bad happened. Especially something grief and death related.

Yesterday my grandmother died completely unexpectedly (I mean, she was old but she was relatively well until now and she was out for a coffe and cake and then dinner the day before yesterday with my parents even. Sudden fatal heart attack not even 24 hours later. I missed the chance to see her again after months of not visiting. We had planned a day together on Dec 1st. I am incredibly sad and full of guilt).

I took off of work today and now I am at home, sudden crying outbursts all the time and it’s like my whole body and mind scream for my personal method of “relief”: Lay in bed with a hot cup of tea and HP and the sorcerers stone and just nope out of real life. I know this is not healthy and a little weird but it helps me so much.

I just wanted to know if others know this feeling as well… and what your comfort book and story is.

  • aphrayal@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I’m really sorry about your grandmother. Please try not to feel guilty though - it sounds like she was in good health and there’s no way you could’ve known what was going to happen.

    I don’t think it’s weird or unhealthy to use books to help you escape the real world for a bit. I’m absolutely biased here because it’s my preferred coping mechanism too - but hey, there are much worse ways of coping!

    For me the books that I loved to re-read were Tamora Pierce’s books and all of the Anne of Green Gables books.

    I’m glad you’re doing something that brings you some comfort and I hope you’re starting to feel better soon.

    • AlienMagician7@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      anne of green gables 😭❤️ those books are like a damn warm hug omg. years later they’re still the ones i revisit frequently

    • hoid16@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      Tamora Pierce’s works are the perfect comfort reads for me too (along with the Stormlight Archive)

      • Cicero4892@alien.topBEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        Which Tamora Pierce book would you recommend starting with? Also I love stormlight archive and mistborn :)

        • mistressdizzy@alien.topBEnglish
          1·
          10 months ago

          Start with the “Lioness Quartet”. Starring a girl who switches places with her twin brother to become a knight. Tamora Pierce has been writing teen protagonists before YA was a thing, so her books have meat to them. Definitely a comfort author for me too.

        • mistressdizzy@alien.topBEnglish
          1·
          10 months ago

          Start with the “Lioness Quartet”. Starring a girl who switches places with her twin brother to become a knight. Tamora Pierce has been writing teen protagonists before YA was a thing, so her books have meat to them. Definitely a comfort author for me too.

    • Murderbot_of_Rivia@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      I love to reread The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery, because Valancy’s life is so crappy in the beginning, and I just love to see her spread her wings throughout the book.

      • pink_faerie_kitten@alien.topBEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        The Blue Castle is a TREASURE. I just love it, though I haven’t re-read it yet. But I discovered it five years ago and it became on of my all-time favorites. I love LMM’s “Anne” series, too. LMM books are “cozy”.

      • pink_faerie_kitten@alien.topBEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        The Blue Castle is a TREASURE. I just love it, though I haven’t re-read it yet. But I discovered it five years ago and it became on of my all-time favorites. I love LMM’s “Anne” series, too. LMM books are “cozy”.

    • JClurvesfries@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      Same with Anne of Green Gables. I tend to love books about older times for comfort. I know it wasnt as idyllic as the book makes it out to be but sometimes I just want to surrender to the “simpler times” fantasy.