On books for lost 20-something girls

Early 20’s are a time of self-discovery and often of self-loss. Luckily, when it seems that no one else can understand what you’re going through, there are always books. Having gone through that awkward period of no direction and feelings of failure, I know that there are some books that can help quite a bit. Here are a few to help through this period of changes and discoveries:

• The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood - Everyone is talking about Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale right now (and for good reason), but for me, this book packed more of a punch. The book follows a young woman in the 1960’s as she has a mental breakdown and completely changes the direction of her life. It’s fascinating, it’s relatable, and it made me feel a lot less crazy when I was going through some tough times.

• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - This was fun and quick read, but it also brought up a lot of familiar feelings for me. Cath is a college freshman who is having a difficult time adjusting, something that many of us can relate to. This book is pretty light, while still managing to address some serious issues.

• Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki - What a dark book, but what a wonderful one. Esther is trying to figure out her next steps after graduating college and being ghosted by her college boyfriend - and turning into her mother is her newest art project. This is an interesting book about women’s relationships with each other and with their mothers. It’s also quite a bit about not knowing what you’re doing with your life after big changes.

• Treasure Island!!! By Sara Levine - This book is much sillier than the others on this list and (in some ways) much more shocking. A young woman who is seeking direction after college finds inspiration in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island and begins living her life after Jim Hawkins’ principles and example. It’s a good story to give directionless folks a character to relate to (and one who will make them feel better about their own position).

What books would you add to this list? What books have helped lost 20-somethings you know?