When you’re having an odd day off or just bored on vacation, nothing feels better than picking up a book. However, nowadays it’s quite hard to find shorter novels. These 5 books are made to immerse you and be finished within a day or two!
1. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (107 pages)
Now, this might be a painful choice to recommend. Of Mice and Men (1937) might have a painful ending but teaches you about friendship and the importance of tough decisions. The loyalty between Lennie and George is amongst the best in the history of literature. Their journey is not easy as the story is set during the Great Depression. It’s also an open reminder of what people need to do during poverty.
You can buy it on Amazon for ₹455.
2. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (348 pages)
Before the Coffee Gets Cold (2015) is a mysterious novel that turns heartwarming. It bends the time-travelling genre with an interesting twist and mechanics. In a silent backstreet of Tokyo, a café serves coffee and a chance to travel back in time. However, there are strict rules and only one seat in particular that gives you this ability. You follow four customers and their stories. As the title suggests, you can only travel until the coffee turns cold. It makes you question what you would change in your past if it still had no consequences in your present.
You can buy it on Amazon for ₹353.
3. The Maid: A Novel by Nita Prose (336 pages)
The Maid: A Novel (2022) is catered to the murder mystery enthusiasts out there. This novel is also turning into a major motion picture with Florence Pugh as the main character, Molly Gray. Molly is a unique character whose job as a maid fulfils her need for proper etiquette and cleaning. One day, she finds a wealthy hotel guest is found dead in his messy room. Molly is pinned as the suspect but reuniting with her friends, they strive to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
You can buy it on Amazon for ₹312.
4. Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates (154 pages)
Black Water (1992) is a chilling novel about a young girl whose bid to be more carefree has tragic consequences. Kelly Kelleher attends a Fourth of July party and meets “The Senator,” who is automatically attracted to her. Despite multiple warnings from her friends and him being old enough to be her dad, Kelly agrees to go back to his hotel room. The Senator, being too drunk to drive properly, swerves into a marsh. She is abandoned in the car and left to drown on her own as she realises she wants to live. The novel is based on the Chappaquiddick incident.
You can buy it on Amazon for ₹746.
5. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (160 pages)
If you loved Netflix’s famous horror TV show, The Haunting of Hill House (directed by Mike Flanagan), this book is for you. Written by the same author of the show’s inspiration, We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1962) is an eerie novel about an isolated and strange family. Their dynamic gets thrown off when their cousin comes to visit. It’s a spine-chilling story of a deeply disturbed family and the narration by Merricat, the main character, highlights the twisted mindset.
You can buy it on Amazon for ₹236.