The best books for knock-your-socks-off escapism and worldbuilding

This is the first book in The Mirror Visitor quartet—an exceptional series.

It’s dystopian YA, and the richness of the worldbuilding is on par with The Hunger Games (although the setting is more akin to life in the Capitol of Panem, rather than the impoverished districts). It’s funny, because when I first started reading it, I wasn’t immediately sold…yet after fifty pages or so, I couldn’t put it down.

As for the worldbuilding itself—the story takes place on floating arks which formed after the world was smashed apart. Each ark has its own power—fascinating ones that don’t feel juvenile or cliché. The combination of this unusual setting with the brilliantly deployed elements of magical realism creates a world that is surreal, eerie, and totally addictive. 

I know, I know. Harry Potter—it’s been done to death.

I’ll respond with two counterpoints. The first is that I couldn’t in good faith leave it off this list, because this book (and the entire series) is a masterclass in worldbuilding (plus, it’s practically the reason I became a writer). The second point is that too many young people are not reading this book. My own kids aren’t even interested! Not okay.

Harry Potter is escapism at its very best. I don’t think I would’ve survived my preteen and teenage years without it. Not only do these books immerse you in a world that is so rich with detail it feels legitimately real, but it’s such a wonderful and magical place that you will want to spend all your time there. So, if you haven’t read Harry Potter yet, read it!

Let me be clear: I’m talking about the book—not the TV series!

This is a dystopian classic that everyone should read. In fact, all of Atwood’s books should be read. As for The Handmaid’s Tale, I read it in a literature class in university, and it has stuck with me ever since (much like other classics—hello The Great Gatsby).

The Republic of Giliead, where the story takes place, was created when the US government was overthrown, and strips women of their rights. It’s a premise that has roots in real events—the 1979 Iranian Revolution, most notably, and so the rich worldbuilding (and powerful imagery) doesn’t feel contrived—or all that dystopian.

And while it will definitely transport you away from your day-to-day life while you read it, it’s the way the haunting Republic will stay with you afterwards that makes this book a gem. 

This, unlike my other picks, is a work of nonfiction. It’s a treatise on the craft of writing, actually, and one of my favorites.

I’m including it because if you’re a fan of reading books with strong elements of escapism and world-building, there’s a good chance that one day you will want to write books with strong elements of escapism and worldbuilding! And what better way than to learn from a master himself?

Not only does King offer general advice (like, don’t watch tv), he weaves a surprising amount of practical advice into this enjoyable read, too (stay away from adverbs and long paragraphs). If you think one day you’d like to write books, read this one!

This is a beautifully written book, that brings the marshes of North Carolina to life in a way I didn’t think was possible.

Not only will it transport you to this unique wilderness, it places you in Kya’s isolated world in a profound way, too. I was skeptical going in, because of the hype, but honestly—it was breathtaking. It’s also an example of a different type of worldbuilding which is why I wanted to include it here (narrowly beating out Kate Quinn’s The Rose Code, which will whisk you to the now-infamous Bletchley Park amid WWII).

There’s nothing dystopian, fantastical, or magical about this book, and yet Owens has managed to create a world that feels unearthly and transcendent. If you’re not a fan of fantasy or dystopian, but you enjoy escapism and topnotch worldbuilding, read this one!