7 Novellas You Can Read When You Can Squeeze In Some Spare Time
You’ve started reading an extremely interesting book and you refuse to put it down till you finish it cover to cover. Before you know it, it’s been 3 days since you last showered, napped or sat down to work. Please tell me this happens to you too! Everytime I pick a new book, I can’t bring myself to stop after a few pages. And as fulfilling as that feels for me, it’s not possible to keep life on hold while I’m busy reading.
This is precisely what makes reading novellas so much fun! Not only are they hella interesting, but they’re short novels in English across various genres that you can finish in no time at all, leaving you ample time to catch up on sleep and still get your chores done for the day.
If you’re looking for English novels to read in your spare time, this list will surely not let you down.
1. The Old Man & The Sea - Ernest Hemingway
Written in Cuba, The Old Man & The Sea is a battle between human beings and the force of nature. Written in 1952, this novella is Hemingway’s best work. It’s a story about a man who hasn’t caught a fish in 84 days and hence isn’t allowed to take his apprentice along on his next expedition.
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2. Breakfast At Tiffany's - Truman Capote
Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a novella about Holly Golightly in 1940’s New York. Your first impression of Holly Golightly is one of a poise, wealthy woman who lives the dream life, going from one party to the next, looking as flawless as ever. A few pages into the novella, you’ll find yourself glued to the couch.
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3. The Third Man - Graham Greene
Written solely with the intention of making a film out of it, The Third Man is as captivating as it is thrilling! Graham Greene has the plot set in post-war Vienna, where Holly Martins begins the search for his friend, Harry Lime and unintendedly the third man! This novella creates curiosity and has you guessing possible scenarios right until the end.
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4. Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has to be one of the best novellas I’ve ever come across. The storyline revolves around the concept of good and evil and how that exists inside each of us. But this is where it gets really interesting - the narrator is a lawyer who observes two people - Dr. Jekyll, a scientist and Mr. Hyde, the murderer, who as it turns out, is one person with a split personality. While the scientist is the one who believes that good and evil is a part of us, he also invents a potion to separate the two.
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5. Animal Farm - George Orwell
Written in 1945, Animal Farm is a great read because it holds true to this very day given just how relatable it is. This classic story about a utopian society where everybody is supposed to be equal, but some are just more equal than the others. Feels familiar, eh?
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6. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
On Christmas, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his business partner, Jacob Marley who is here to help him change his attitude towards society in general and become a better man. A Christmas Carol is definitely one of Charles Dickens’ best works and you need to read this novella to understand why.
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7. The Time Machine - H. G. Wells
After inventing a time machine, an English scientist decides to go back in time to the year 802,701 A.D and discovers two species. A storyline that revolves around the separation between the working class and leisure class, The Time Machine does a great job in keeping you hooked until the very end.
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Savour the pause, relax and tell us which novella will you be reading over the weekend?
