George R.R. Martin once said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” And, this particular quote perfectly encapsulates the art of reading and how much of a difference it brings to a reader’s mind, thinking and soul. If you’re also magically moved by the idea of reading and finding solace in a somewhat unknown world, but don’t know where to start from then this is the right place for you to find out some of the best English novels for beginners.
Let’s get real first, we as a society do acknowledge how important reading is, plus, there is an influx of content on the internet which drives more people towards it and away from reading in general. However, we also need to understand that reading has been shaping some of the most brilliant minds of today. Some of the most amazing and interesting individuals today have been voracious readers and somewhat dedicate their success to this hobby.
From Bill Gates to Elon Musk to every major changemaker, everyone is constantly raving about the beneficial aspect of reading and while one might think that these people only read non-fiction to expand the base of their knowledge, it’s not entirely true. Fiction is considered to be the real game-changer. Fiction expands your imagination and brings you closer to the art of aspiring and dreaming, and this is exactly why we have covered only fictional English novels for beginners over here.
Suggested Read: All you Need To Know About Your Online Publicist And Their Gamut Of Services
List of best English novels for beginners
1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – Best English Novels for Beginners
The Alchemist is considered to be one of the most sold books ever and it is super easy to read with a lot of hidden meanings which, if decoded and implemented, can bring a barrage of positive changes in one.
The story is about a shepherd boy whose dreams have made him believe that there is a prophecy related to him. He embarks on a journey upon meeting with a fortune teller and he meets some super interesting characters along the way.
2. Malgudi Days by R.K. Narayanan
If you’ve been the 90s or an early 00s baby then you would have probably watched the TV show Malgudi Days. The show was based on the RK Narayanan book which is a compilation of 32 short stories happening in the imaginary town of Malgudi in South India.
It is another one of the perfect English novels for beginners and will definitely invoke some major nostalgia in you and will definitely bring you closer to the idea of how important a community is, something that we all have left behind now.
3. Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling – Best English Novels for Beginners
Every Tom and their parent knows about Harry Potter, either through books or the movies, which is one of the best selling books of all time and another one of the easy English novels for beginners.
It is a fantasy novel about wizard Harry Potter and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermoine Granger, who navigate their journey at the wizard school – Hogwarts. Even if you’ve already seen the movie we would definitely recommend you go back to the books and reconnect with the world.
4. Train to Pakistan By Khuswant Singh:
Khuswant Singh is a well-known Indian author who got inspired to write this book after his experience in the partition of India in 1947 and this book became one of his most popular novels. The author not only expresses his thoughts on the political events of the period but also on the everyday lives of ordinary citizens, depicting the horrors that occurred.
The story revolves around this village called Mono Majra located at the border of India and Pakistan. Both the Hindus and Muslims failed to notice the events that were taking place during the partition until a money lender in the village is murdered. The village, which had been untouched until that point, explodes with rage when a train arrives carrying the bodies of Sikhs.
Since it is written in a simple and straightforward language that makes it one of the best English novels for beginners.
Suggested Read: What are the Benefits of Reading Books? Why You Should Read Everyday?
5. Alice’s Adventure In Wonderland by Lewis Caroll
Alice’s adventure in wonderland is another popular story that we all have grown up with and if you’re only familiar with the movies or cartoons then we’ll definitely recommend you to also go for the novels.
Movies often miss out on what the character is actually going through and give words to it. Also, it’s a super interesting book to go back to as an adult since there are various innuendos in the book that are only understandable for the adults and their adulting life.
6. The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini
The Kite Runner is another one of the great English novels for beginners which will leave you teary-eyed and full of emotions by the end of it. The novel is about two young boys Hassan and Amir who belong to two different economic classes but are close regardless of it.
They’re always together having fun and being kids until one local kite flying tournament where one goes through something horrendous and it changes both of their lives.
7. The Diary Of A Young Girl by Anne Frank
Everyone has heard about Anne Frank at some point in their life and it’s because of this particular book that should be read by everyone. Frank was a Jewish girl who went into hiding with her family for two years during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. During these years she kept a diary and wrote her everyday thoughts into it which will move and break your heart into million pieces.
8. The Palace Of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni – English Novels for Beginners
Many still don’t know about The Palace Of Illusions which is completely absurd to anyone who has read it. A great book retelling the great Indian epic Mahabharata but told through the perspective of Draupadi.
Anyone looking for English novels for beginners and doesn’t know what they should start with should definitely pick it up. We all know and remember bits and parts of the tale and this makes the story even more interesting to keep on reading.
9. The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond
Another great book by another great writer – Ruskin Bond – The Blue Umbrella is about a young girl Binia from a village in Garhwal who acquires a beautiful blue umbrella in exchange for her lucky leopard’s claw pendant.
Her umbrella causes a bit of envy among everyone in the village and what follows it is an interesting and beautiful tale that takes a closer look at human behavior.
10. To Kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee.
To Kill a mockingbird is one of the famous American novels that are very familiar to many of us. Since the story is narrated from the perspective of a child, the language is never too complicated making it the best English novel for beginners.
The novel talks about serious issues such as rape and racial injustice through the eyes of two children, Jean Finch and her older brother Jeremy, who live with their widowed father, Atticus, who is also a lawyer. Atticus is called upon to represent a black man accused of raping a white woman. The whole town is against the black man, but Atticus decides to stand up for the man and see that justice is served.
Suggested Read: Best Books to Start with for Young Readers in the United States
These 8 English novels for beginners are not only easy to read or get into but also have a grand following which will bring you closer to the community of readers. And, we’re sure that anyone for these books will speed up your craving for more reading because that’s what a good recommendation does, it opens your horizons to more reading and exploring. If you’ve some other recommendations then do share them with us and fellow budding readers around you.