I'll admit, I read for entertainment more than anything else; that's why I lean towards teen fantasy and science fiction books. But that doesn't mean these books can't explore deep concepts. In fact, I'd argue that they are better at conveying meaningful or informative ideas, because they entertain the reader while they do. These are some of the most thought-provoking books I read this past year:
For the Win: What should be a simple story about teens playing video games turned out to be a complex exploration of the economics of video games. I learned more about currency and the market than I would from any textbook.
A Court of Thorns and Roses: This fun high fantasy, complete with monsters, magic, and romance, actually had a great message about what makes a healthy relationship and how two people in love can still be in a toxic for each other.
The Martian: Not only was this book laugh-out-loud funny, it was also superbly researched. I learned a lot about chemistry, physics, and astronomy.
Dragonriders of Pern: This 1960s series was definitely an early attempt at feminism in science fiction, with a female main character who was brave, smart, and feisty. However, she was also unnecessarily temperamental, and needed to be "handled" by the men in the book. I'm still debating how I feel about these contradictions.
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