Diverse Fiction to Expand Your Thinking

It's no secret that I am an avid reader. I read over a hundred books in 2020 and I'm eager to read just as many in 2021. Reading is one way to open your mind, to expand your way of seeing the world. We all come from our own limited perspective, and finding new perspectives is one of the many benefits of being well-read.

Here are a sample of books that I felt expanded my view of the world in 2020. Perhaps you can add one or more of these books to your 2021 reading list.

Darius the Great Is Not Okay and Darius the Great Deserves Better by Adib Khorram.

Darius the Great is Not Okay and it's sequel Darius The Great Deserves Better center around Darius, a teenage boy who does not fit in at home in America, and finds himself more out of place when his family visits Iran. The story is a coming-of-age tale, where Darius finds himself and builds friendships, as well as relationships with his parents and little sister. The sequel expands on Darius' journey of discovery regarding his sexuality, his personality and what he values. Darius, as well as his father, suffer from depression and my favorite part of these books is the frank look at mental health.

Dread Nation and Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland

Okay, so I have to admit that I did not read Dread Nation in 2020, but I did read its sequel, Deathless Divide. Dread Nation poses an alternate universe in which zombies broke out at the start of the civil war. It ended the war and slavery, but racial injustice still exists. The main character, Jane, is a student at a "negro school of combat," where black young women are taught to fight the undead. The concept sounds strange, to say the least, but these books are a frank look at racism, family and survival. I was surprised to also find significant asexual and bisexual representation in these books.

I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver

Even as the world has changed, mainstream media has little representation of non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals. I was excited to learn that the main character of the novel, Ben, is non-binary. This novel was, however, heartbreaking as Ben deals with the fallout of coming out to their parents. The love between Ben and their friends, as well as the growing relationship with their estranged sister will capture your heart, easily.

Girls of Paper and Fire and Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan

A rich fantasy world is presented in Girls of Paper and Fire and its sequel. The Kingdom of Ikhara is divided into castes and ruled over by a cruel Demon King. Lei is a member of the lowly paper caste. She is taken by the Demon King to become a member of his paper girls, his harem. There, she meets another girl who changes everything. The world if Ikhara is rich, with Asian roots and the main pairing of two young women captures the imagination with deep love and passion for fighting.

The Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire

Oh Seanan McGuire. You cannot go wrong with a book by this multi-talented author, who writes under her own name, as well as the pen name Mira Grant. I could go on and on for days about her books, and how I've read everything she's written, but right now I want to talk about the Wayward Children series.

Sometimes, children find doors. They go through these doors and enter a magical land. What happens, however, when these children are expelled back to their land of birth? Enter Eleanor West, a former wayward child, who opened a school for these lost children.

These books are short, sweet and to the point. McGuire always makes sure to have consistent representation in her novels and these are no exception. The characters are fantastical, but incredibly human.

We Set the Dark on Fire and We Unleash The Merciless Storm by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Another fantasy world, Medio, is divided by a wall. Dani, a young woman born on the wrong side of the wall, is smuggled into a world where young women train to become one of two wives to powerful men. Dani is trained to be a primera, the first wife of a household and is sent to live with the elite Garcia family.

The parallels to our world are obvious. Some might say that the immigration themes are heavy handed but these are issues that we need to explore, to recognize. People are out there in our world struggling for a better life and willing to do whatever it takes to get there. The dynamic between the two young wives is also beautiful.