With so much going on in the world at the moment, let me start by saying I hope everyone is doing well and being safe. Hopefully everyone is able to find a silver lining in all of the self-quarantining and social distancing we’re doing and if you’re a reader—which I’m guessing you are, since you’re reading this site—I think the silver lining for you may have something to do with more reading time, as it does for me.
I’m sure more people than just us avid readers are looking for a bit of escapism at the moment. There’s nothing better than letting the real world fade away as you lose yourself completely in a world dreamed up by a brilliant author. The fantasy worlds that stick out to me are both unique and somewhat familiar, involving some of my favorite traditional fantasy aspects while doing something unexpected with them. I love magical worlds but so much of the magic of fantasy worlds comes directly from the storytelling itself.
A quick note: yes, Harry Potter is a top choice of mine but it’s an obvious choice for everyone so I’ve decided to not include it in this list.
10 Fantasy Worlds To Escape To
Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales
by The Brothers Grimm
This may be a bit of an unusual choice as far as fantasy worlds go since it’s not one specific world from a book, but these fairytales have an atmosphere all their own that can’t be ignored. Though the fairytales are individual stories and don’t connect to each other, there’s a unique style and flavor to them that belongs to the Brothers Grimm alone, so as an overall literary creation, I’d say this collection constitutes a world. An abstract world that relies heavily on an overall sense of dark wonder conveyed, but a world nonetheless.
The Language of Thorns
by Leigh Bardugo
In the same vein as the book above, this choice is a short collection of fairytales from Leigh Bardugo. These are fairytales from the world of her popular YA series The Grisha Trilogy and the Six of Crows Duology and they are fantastic. The world of the Grisha Trilogy is an interesting and well-built world but it also feels like a somewhat typical YA fantasy world. However, this short book of fairytales is an incredible exploration into the Ravkan world through stories that delve into their culture and beliefs. I didn’t expect to love these tales as much as I did but they were incredibly entertaining and atmospheric. Like the Grimm Fairytales, these have a style all their own. Since they’re based on a world already thoroughly explored through more traditional means in the trilogy and duology, I think these fairytales are an unexpected and possibly underappreciated method of enjoying the sense of a world. The illustrations are beautiful and add to the sense of enchantment. If you’ve read Bardugo’s other books involving Grisha, these tales are a must read. If you haven’t read the other books, or perhaps if their plots don’t appeal to you, don’t let it stop you from enjoying these fairytales. They’re dark, a little strange and not to be missed.
Throne of Glass Series
by Sarah J. Maas
Tower of Dawn Review Kingdom of Ash Review
Onto more normal world choices, the world of Throne of Glass is a favorite of many, many readers and for good reason. It’s a fantastically crafted world with rich and varied cultures that are explored over the course of the series. This series focuses on humans, Fae and witches but there are mentions of other creatures that make it so fascinating. While Maas pulls from traditional aspects of these creatures fantasy fans may recognize, she makes the creatures completely her own. The beliefs, magic, and history of the ToG world are just so easy to sink into and hard to walk away from when real life interrupts reading. The characters are incredible, too. Every aspect of this series comes together so perfectly. This series is one of the most popular YA fantasy series out there, but if you haven’t read it, now is the perfect time to see what all the talk is about. It’s captivating and absolutely binge-worthy.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
by Sarah J. Maas
SJM’s second YA fantasy series, this one a trilogy, is another binge-worthy must read. This series also centers around the human/Fae dynamic and worlds but in a completely different way from ToG. The focus of this series is narrower with more of an emphasis on romance, but the plot and world building do not suffer for it. What began as a Beauty and the Beast retelling expands into something greater and with a romance more akin to Persephone and Hades. It’s lush and fairytale-esque, with more traditional Faerie qualities than ToG and a culture and plot inspired by Celtic legends and myths but not limited within that mythological scope. It’s a vivid and beautiful world of faerie courts that I didn’t want to leave.
The Bone Season Series
by Samantha Shannon
This is a series I actually stopped reading after the third book because I had a sense of where the plot was headed and felt my interest waning. However, I loved this world and think it’s worth recommending. The Bone Season’s world is so unique. It’s dystopian but made so much more interesting with fantasy elements, psychic powers and otherworldly beings and happenings. While I wasn’t a fan of where the plot seemed to be going, I thoroughly enjoyed this unique world.
Heartless
by Marissa Meyer
As an Alice in Wonderland retelling from The Queen of Hearts’ POV, this novel was familiar in ways but was quite the unexpected joy to read. I absolutely loved Meyer’s depiction of Wonderland and the characters we already know something about, such as the Cheshire Cat. She made the world and characters her own while staying true to the spirit of originals. Meyer’s writing is lush, descriptive and just wonderful. Hearts is the perfect world to get lost in—it’s strange and full of the whimsical and unexpected.
The Tree That Grew Through Iron
by McKenzie Austin
I so enjoyed the world crafted by Austin in this novel. It’s completely different from anything I’ve read before and something I think fantasy fans will love. It’s a unique take on a dystopian, futuristic world that’s so well balanced with fantasy aspects and a rich mythological history. It’s a seamless blend of two very different ideas that was fascinating and captivating. The world feels vast and is well constructed, with ideas inspired by myths and legends of our world. As a self-published book, it’s not one many readers will have heard about, but it’s one I think many fantasy fans will enjoy.
Strange the Dreamer Duology
by Laini Taylor
Strange the Dreamer Review Muse of Nightmares Review
After reading Laini Taylor’s Strange the Dreamer duology, she has to be one of my favorite writers. Her writing is phenomenal—so atmospheric and detailed with the nicest descriptions and a wonderful sense of storytelling. Her writing made her brilliant world come to life. It’s such a unique world with strange gods and strange powers. It stands out so completely from the crowd of YA fantasy novels in every way and the world is no exception. Part of the allure is the mystery and the sense of not knowing what’s truly going on for a good portion of the novel, so though I’d like to rave about every detail of this world’s wonders, I’ll leave them for you to experience for yourself.
The Folk of the Air Trilogy
by Holly Black
The Cruel Prince Review The Wicked King Review The Queen of Nothing Review
This choice is another very popular YA fantasy series and another one I don’t think should be overlooked. It lives up to the hype. This world is amazing and absolutely one of my favorites. The world is just…golden. Faerie (the land) exists alongside the human world but humans are unaware of it. Black strikes the most incredible balance between modern humanity and culture and the traditional faerie myths that her world is constructed around. It has a wonderful sense of whimsy and of the twisted, dark and unexplainable within the world that I haven’t seen often in other faerie books but is so reminiscent of old fairytales. The blend allows for modern references, attitudes and humor within a sumptuous magical world. These books aren’t very long, making them the perfect series to binge.
The Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss
This choice could be a bit premature since I’m reading this book right now, but I already love this world. I can’t speak about the world on the whole yet, but I love the way it’s being revealed to me. It feels vast and makes mention of different types of creatures and histories that are so intriguing. The world of The Name of the Wind is the best of what I look for in traditional fantasy books. It’s unique and familiar all at once and done so well. I’m not even finished reading it but I need to recommend it from what I’ve read so far because it’s absolutely captivating and I’m so excited to learn more as the story progresses. I’ve enjoyed every minute I’ve spent in this world.
I hope you found something that piqued your interest in these 10 fantasy worlds to escape to. What are some of your favorite fantasy worlds you didn’t want to leave? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading,
Madison
Great idea for a post!! The only one of these I have read is The Cruel Prince Series, but it is a great one!!! (And of course Harry Potter 😉 )
Thank you, Brittany! 🖤 I love The Cruel Prince series so much. Do you plan on reading any of these other books? 😊
Firstly thanks for bringing The Tree That Grew Through Iron to my attention, I’ve never heard of it before but I’m incredibly intrigued now. I definitely hope to read ACOTAR soon as I adore the fae as well as what I’ve read by Sarah J Maas so far. And I do plan to read A Language Of Thorns when I finally read the Grisha books. I can’t wait to see what Marissa Meyer does with Wonderland as I’ve loved what I have read of hers so far and it’s such a weird yet mesmerising place. Hope you’re still well.
Oh you’re very welcome, I’m so glad the book sounds interesting to you. I still need to read the rest of the series. And I’m so excited for you to read ACOTAR!! I can’t wait to see what you think of certain characters I won’t name yet!! LOL I hope you love The Language of Thorns when you get to it—it was so unexpectedly fantastic. And if you already love Marissa Meyer I’m sure you’ll love her version of wonderland…at least I hope you will! ☺️ i hope you’re doing well too 🖤
I hope you enjoy the rest of it then 😊 Ooh yay now I’m really intrigued!! Thank you, it does sound like an intriguing collection. I’m pretty sure I will too. Hopefully – I panic about jinking myself when I say that 🙈 thank you 💕