None of it was real. This is the first sentence Natasha Waeni utters as she closes the novel she’s been clinging to, holding it tightly to her chest.
It took her a week to finish this particular book trilogy, and now, she didn’t know how to fill the emptiness inside.
She clutches the book closer, almost as though she’s trying to merge with it.
“No, it was real,” she says, looking at me with a soft but intense gaze. “I walked a journey, lived a life, loved, hated, became angry, laughed out loud—and that’s a part of me now.”
She sighs and shakes her head before chuckling, but anyone could see that her eyes were a bit watery.
“I just wanted more of it. More pages. More paragraphs. More adventures. I miss Rhion and Arianna (the main male and female characters in the book she’s holding) more than I should.”
She pauses, letting out another soft chuckle, but there’s a clear sense of longing in her voice.
“What do I do with myself now? Do you know of any romantasy (romance + fantasy) books that could match this?” she asks, holding the novel out toward me.
I shake my head. I can see the hopelessness begin to settle in, the reality of a book hangover taking hold.
A book hangover is the emotional aftermath readers experience after finishing a book that deeply impacted them.
It can leave you feeling stuck—unable to read anything else for days, weeks or even longer.
But, oddly enough, it also drives you to check in on the author’s work, hoping for more.
Book Riot reached out to Dr. Maja Djikic, PhD, an Associate Professor and Director of the Self-Development Laboratory at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, who has studied how reading affects theory of mind and empathy.
She explained the psychological basis for the lingering emotions associated with a book hangover.
Sometimes, she said, the hangover is simply a form of sadness.
“It could be that the sadness readers feel after the end of the book signals a loss of something valued. In this case, it might be the loss of characters we’ve become deeply attached to, or the loss of the entire world the book has created,” she said.
Other times, that persistent feeling could mean that the issues raised in the book are still alive in the reader’s psyche, prompting them to wish for more time to reflect and unpack the complex themes that continue to linger.
Book hangovers put book lovers in a bit of a catch-22: do you keep reading and risk more emotional rollercoasters at the end of every book, or do you refrain from reading, escaping perfect adventure, to avoid the inevitable hangover?
Khadi, a fellow book lover, narrates how after finishing a book, she dives into Goodreads and Amazon Kindle, searching for something similar.
“Every time I finish reading a book that I loved, I spend hours trying to find one that’s just as good—similar plot, similar experience,” she says.
“But most of the time, I end up with nothing. Not because there aren’t any similar books, but because the one I just finished is too powerful to be ignored.”
She explains that she often ends up curled up on the sofa, holding the book, replaying each scenario in her mind. Sometimes, she even goes so far as to create her epilogue for the story.
“There’s a sadness in knowing you’ll never experience those emotions for the first time again,” Khadi says.
“And those scenes keep playing in your head. You can’t escape them.”
Yet, in the end, the desire to start another book always lures her back. The thrill of finishing a new story eventually takes over, and the cycle repeats.
You start reading, and when you reach the final chapter, your heart starts to race. You turn the last page, and just like that, everything seems to dim.
The roller coaster of emotions leaves you with that all-too-familiar book hangover.
You lose a little part of yourself with the ending, but you gain something too—something that becomes a part of you, shaping your personality.
Interestingly, a lingering book hangover might not be a bad thing.
The longer it stays with you, the more likely it is that the book has had a deep impact on how you see yourself and the world.
“When a ‘hangover’ evolves into a more prolonged feeling of discomfort, it’s usually because the reader is still processing personally relevant issues raised in the book. This discomfort can lead to personal transformation,” Dr. Djikic explained.
“Fiction can be a powerful catalyst for identity shifts, allowing readers to step outside of themselves and become more open to change.”
What causes a book hangover?
Think back to your own experience with a book hangover.
Chances are, the book you just finished was a five-star read.
You were emotionally invested in the characters, almost as though you had joined them on their journey. Once you reach the end, a deep sorrow settles in.
But don’t worry—there are ways to deal with a book hangover.
How to get over a book hangover
- Give yourself time to grieve
Allow yourself to feel the loss. Cry if you need to, and hug a pillow or your favorite stuffed animal. Don’t hide your emotions or push them away. Embrace the sadness—it’s part of the healing process.
- Start reading again
This can be tricky if you don’t find another book that matches the one you just finished, but it’s important to try.
Get your hands on another great book, even if it’s just to dip your toes back in.
You may be surprised and get hooked. If you’re struggling to find something, ask fellow readers for recommendations.
- Revisit the book
Go back and reread the book that gave you the hangover.
Sometimes, the comfort of familiar pages can help ease the longing.
Take note of your favorite parts so you can always return to them when you need to.
- Recommend it to others
If a book is powerful enough to give you a book hangover, it’s worth sharing.
Recommend it to friends or fellow book lovers.
Rehashing your favorite scenes with others can help you process your emotions and relive the experience.
- Rehash the story
Tell the story to friends and other book lovers.
Sharing the plot, the characters and the emotions you felt will allow you to keep the experience alive a little longer.
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