If you’re a book lover often unable to carve out the time in your busy schedule to sit and read a 500-page novel of just words but still want to immerse yourself in stories, then turn to some graphic novels. They’re a breeze to get through, being that they’re at least 70% visuals. Graphic novels give you the experience of a full story with a beginning, middle, and end, unlike comics that often require a lot of homework in order to read a single issue. Graphic novels have had a gradual introduction into the world of literature, but have become immensely popular in recent years. It’s exciting to find a good book to relax with and let yourself fall into, and graphic novels are great for giving you the satisfaction of reading a complete story without having to spend the hours or days that a lot of novels take. The variety that comes with graphic novels’ growing popularity makes it easy to find a good one to add to the top of your to-be-read list.
Many TV shows such as Stranger Things and Rick and Morty, as well as full novels like the Shades of Magic series by V.E. Schwab and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood have graphic novel adaptations. More people are becoming interested in their favorite stories translating into an illustrated format, as it gives another fun medium to watch the stories play out in. On top of that, there are a lot of original graphic novels that have no connection to other mediums of storytelling that could end up being your next favorite read. Watchmen by Alan Moore is a classic from the 80s that set the scene for the future of graphic novels and the superhero genre as a whole. The Sandman by Neil Gaiman from DC comics is another older series that you can fly through, while something like the Saga comics by Bryan Vaughan and Fiona Staples is a more recent series for fantasy and sci-fi fans. If you’re looking for something more lighthearted to unwind with after a long day, you can turn to books like The Prince and The Dressmaker by Jen Wang or Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell for adorable artwork that tells sweet stories of love and friendship.
If you’re someone who can easily fall into a reading drought or knows that your current schedule is too full to dedicate time to books, then graphic novels can often be a good motivator to reignite your love of reading. They read really quickly to quench your desire for a good story and make you feel productive as you read story after story without it taking too much time out of your day!