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When does an curiosity grow to be an obsession? When does a romantic relationship grow to be codependent? When does a fan grow to be a hazard to their object of affection? There’s a effective line between ardour and obsession, nevertheless it’s a vital one. Hobbies, passions, and relationships improve your life, whereas obsessions take over utterly. Nonetheless, whereas we should always purpose to keep away from obsession in our actual lives, they’re fascinating to examine.
Among the finest components of studying is with the ability to reside inside another person’s head for some time, and characters who’re obsessed—with an individual, fandom, ambition, or one thing else—supply a radically totally different manner of trying on the world. That’s why job #4 of the 2025 Learn Tougher Problem is “Read a book about obsession.” A number of the most memorable books I’ve ever learn are ones with this theme, as a result of they’re really easy to get absorbed in. In addition they are inclined to get fairly bizarre: obsession can lead folks to sudden locations.
As I put collectively this record, I spotted books about obsession fall on a horror continuum. In any case, an curiosity turns into an obsession when it’s harmful, dangerous, illogical: it’s just one small step from obsession to horror film scene. So, I’ve ordered these books roughly so as of stage of horror, beginning with the furthest from the horror style.
A fast notice: you may learn a guide about Obsessive Compulsive Dysfunction for this job, however in these suggestions, I’m simply discussing the extra colloquial definition of obsession.
Milk Fed by Melissa Broder
That is the guide that first sparked my curiosity in books with obsessive major characters. Rachel is singularly targeted on her weight, counting energy and exercising to extra. When she meets a fats girl named Miriam working in a frozen yogurt store, she begins to fall for her—and to see an alternative choice to her obsession. That is such an odd, engrossing guide, and I discovered Rachel’s journey slowly letting go of her calorie obsession to be extraordinarily cathartic. Nevertheless it’s additionally about her relationship together with her mom in addition to Miriam and Rachel’s totally different connections to their Judaism. If in case you have any historical past with disordered consuming, watch out choosing this up: it actually places you in that headspace. For me, it was value it to see Rachel discover her manner out.
Idol, Burning by Rin Usami, translated by Asa Yoneda
Akari is a youngster obsessive about J-Pop star Masaki Ueno. She writes a weblog about him, researching each element of his life. He’s her cause for residing: it’s a “devotion that borders on the religious.” So, when he’s accused of assaulting a feminine fan, she leaps to his protection, her weblog changing into the place to get updates on the scenario. As Masaki’s popularity plummets, Akari solely will get extra invested and obsessed.
(Equally, Y/N by Esther Yi follows a major character obsessive about a Okay-Pop idol.)
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