Reading a good set of books leads individuals into a world where the boundaries of reality blur with each turn of the page. The following books are not just stories or plays, they are great explorations of the human condition, societal norms and prejudice towards individuals. Prepare to question everything you thought you knew as these narratives challenge perceptions and disrupt the ordinary.

From dystopian nightmares to gothic horrors and from the complexities of love to the depths of jealousy and madness, these literary works offer a thought provoking experience. They invite readers to confront uncomfortable truths, examine their own beliefs and emerge with a new understanding of the world around them. These books promise to stay long after the final chapter and sparking insightful conversations. These are five stories that will change your life!

1. The Handmaid's Tale by Margret Atwood

Image Credit: Alfo Medeiros from Pexels

The Handmaid's Tale is a dystopian novel written by Margret Atwood. It was set during the 1980s in Gilead with it being a period where women’s rights were stripped and society turned to Puritanism. The Handmaid's Tale shares a fragmented narrative of Offred, a Handmaid whose freedom has been stripped in a world dominated by men. In this theocratic society, fertile women, known as Handmaids, are forcibly assigned to commanders to give birth to children due to declining birth rates.

The book is written by Atwood as a warning to readers of the consequences of a reversal of women’s rights and the book leaves an empowering message to stand up for gender equality. The novel provokes thought with the novel sharing a long lasting effect of a world that is made dominated.

Take the Quiz: Choose Your Daily Aesthetic and We'll Reveal Which Movie Icon You Should Be This Halloween!

Your daily aesthetic can reveal more about you than you might think! Take this quiz to discover which movie star matches your unique vibe.

2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Image Credit: Roland Steinmann from Pixabay

Frankenstein is a scientific novel written by Mary Shelley. The novel is set during the enlightenment era in the 1800s and is about a scientist called Victor Frankenstein who isolates himself to pursue his desires of creating life. He goes beyond human limits and disrupts the order of nature by collecting body parts and creating life.

Overwhelmed by his creation's appearance, Victor abandons it. The creature had to experience life and grow up by itself and found that it was rejected by society due to its appearance. The creature learns to speak and read and seeks revenge on his creator for his isolation and suffering. This ultimately led to tragedy for both Victor and those around him with the death of Victor's loved ones.

The novel shares an inspiring message of unchecked ambition and how societal judgement can lead to the chaos of murder. Mary Shelley creates deep thought as mortality is considered with how you act in society.

3. Othello by William Shakespeare

Image Credit: beauty of nature from Pixabay

Othello is a play by William Shakespeare. The play is set in the Jacobean era and is about the manipulative Iago eager to get revenge for not being promoted as Lieutenant and believing Othello had an affair with his wife Emilia. He lures his way to General Othello to create disruption with lies about Cassio and Desdemona.

Furthermore, Iago manipulates Othello into making him believe Desdemona is unfaithful and leads Othello into believing that he is not the right fit for Desdemona due to his "Moorish" background. This leads to the downfall of Desdemona and Othello's relationship with the brutal killing of Desdemona by Othello.

The play shares a deep message on what prejudice does to relationships and individuals own beliefs about themselves from societal expectations causing insecurity. Shakespeare wanted to challenge societal judgements and used his plays to advocate for gender equality.

4. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Image Credit: Oliver Weidmann from Pixabay

A Streetcar Named Desire is a play written by Tennessee Williams. The play is set in the 1940s and is about Blanche DuBois, a Southern belle, who moves in with her sister Stella and her husband Stanley Kowalski in New Orleans after losing her family's estate. Blanche arrives on a streetcar named "Desire", hoping for a new beginning but finds herself limited due to her past haunting her and being consumed by the growth of male dominance.The play stems with Blanche lying about her past and attempts to maintain a facade of gentility to fit in and she further provokes Stanley, who is determined to expose her. Stanley leads Blanche's downfall when he sends her to a mental hospital.

Tennessee shows the destruction of the Old South by the harsh realities of the modern world. This leaves an empowering message of the struggles of trying to fit in and the consequences of male power.

5. Normal People by Sally Rooney

Image Credit: Michaela from Pixabay

Normal People is a novel written by Sally Rooney. The novel is set during the years 2011-2015 and is about the story of Connell and Marianne, two young Irish individuals whose complex relationship spans from high school through their time at Trinity College in Dublin. Their relationship stems from being a secret due to their different social circles and social norms that influence this. Despite their separate paths and different relationships they always find themselves together in the end.

Sally Rooney acknowledges the difficulties the youth faces with gender stereotypes, mental health and class differences. The writer purposefully shows the nature of Connell and Marianne's relationship to challenge this and raise awareness to these issues that are still present in the modern day.

These novels and plays share a deep message provoking thought on the complexity of relationships, male ambition and societal judgements that causes chaos in society. All of these leave an empowering message to challenge readers beliefs and have a new perspective on these societal issues. The novels and plays hook readers in to understand the narrative of victims and finish the last chapter and scene with deep conversations.

Next time you sit down and are thinking what interesting novel or play you can read, consider these must read books as they will challenge your mind. Even if it's as little as ten minutes of your day, this is progress to expanding your knowledge and being able to connect with individuals on a deeper level as you can use the inspiring message of the novel to debate on a new perspective and challenge traditional beliefs on certain issues in society.