Like most people at the moment, all the editors at Early Bird Books are working from home, staying inside as much as possible and doing our best to help keep coronavirus from spreading. And the more time we spend indoors, the more we’ve been thinking about book characters who were also sequestered from the rest of the world—though not always by their own volition.
Below are 10 book characters most of us have felt like at one moment or another during our self-quarantines. From hermits to loners and even a castaway or two, we’re empathizing with all of our favorite isolated characters.
Want more great books? Sign up for the Early Bird Books newsletter and get the best daily ebook deals delivered straight to your inbox.
If you never liked going outside anyway...
![quarantined book characters boo radley boo radley, a quarantined book character](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/md_9d4bfd701891-boo-radley.jpg)
- Photo Credit: Universal Pictures
Boo Radley
![to kill a mockingbird to kill a mockingbird by harper lee, an iconic 1960s book](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/sm_a6a8445956a6-lee.jpg)
To Kill a Mockingbird
Everybody’s favorite misunderstood recluse, Boo Radley rarely ventured outdoors, except to leave the occasional present for Scout and Jem.
Related: 12 To Kill A Mockingbird Quotes to Make You Understand People
If self-quarantine has put your dating life on hold...
![quarantined book characters rapunzel rapunzel by johnny gruelle](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/md_1a0e5751bb4c-johnny_gruelle_illustration_-_rapunzel_-_project_gutenberg_etext_11027.jpg)
Source: Wikipedia
Photo Credit: Johnny Gruelle
Rapunzel
![quarantined book characters rapunzel the brothers grimm complete fairy tales](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/sm_649fb7b9d18e-grimm.jpg)
The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales
The most beautiful girl in the world, Rapunzel is locked away in a tower and waiting to be saved by a prince. Thankfully, these days you can go on virtual dates in lieu of growing out your hair to use as a ladder.
If you wish your job was “essential” so you could leave the house...
![quarantined book characters sirius black sirius black](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/md_74a59f78873c-sirius-black-order-of-the-phoenix-portrait-4.jpg)
- Photo Credit: Warner Bros.
Sirius Black
![harry potter and the order of the phoenix harry potter and the order of the phoenix](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/sm_0a9638a9190b-order-of-the-phoenix.jpg)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
In The Order of the Phoenix, Sirius was frustrated that everyone else was taking all the risks while he stayed cooped up at his childhood home, 12 Grimmauld Place.
If you are now addicted to online gaming…
![quarantined book characters wade watts wade watts, a quarantined book character](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/md_a3bf78eead46-wade-watts.jpg)
- Photo Credit: Warner Bros.
Wade Watts
![ready player one ready player one](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/sm_25168b21646c-ready-player-one.jpg)
Ready Player One
In Ready Player One, Wade Watts is living in a future where most people spend their time in OASIS, a virtual world created by an eccentric genius.
If you’ve been wearing the same sweatpants for a week…
![quarantined book character - miss havisham miss havisham, a quarantined book character in great expectations](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/md_a528822dbe39-great-expectations.jpeg)
- Photo Credit: Lionsgate
Miss Havisham
![Great-Expectations Great Expectations](https://d1pwnu15mzvjms.cloudfront.net/210x320/9781497684270.jpg)
Great Expectations
Once left at the altar, Miss Havisham lives out her days in her ruined mansion and wears her wedding dress for the rest of her life. Honestly, we can hardly blame her.
If you’ve been spying on your neighbors for entertainment…
![quarantined book characters anna fox anna fox, a quarantined book character in the woman in the window](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/md_78a3608e39b2-the-woman-in-the-window-2019.jpeg)
- Photo Credit: 20th Century Studios
Anna Fox
![the woman in the window aj finn the woman in the window aj finn](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/sm_4a184dd56d99-woman-window.jpg)
The Woman in the Window
In this psychological thriller book, Anna spends her days drinking wine, watching old movies and spying on her neighbors, the Russells. But one day, she sees something she shouldn’t.
Related: 8 Light Thriller Books to Make You Glad You're Social Distancing
If you’ve been taking on a lot of DIY projects…
![quarantined book characters robinson crusoe quarantined book character robinson crusoe](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/md_7e0d93331451-robinson_crusoe_1719_1st_edition.jpg)
Source: Wikipedia
Robinson Crusoe
![Robinson-Crusoe Robinson Crusoe](https://d1pwnu15mzvjms.cloudfront.net/210x320/9781497659780.jpg)
Robinson Crusoe
Did you finally put up that shelf or paint that wall? Then you can relate to Robinson Crusoe, a castaway who spent 28 years on a remote desert island and dried his own raisins, raised goats, made pottery, hunted, and grew his own barley and rice.
Related: Classic English Literature That Belongs On Your Reading List
If you’re quarantined with family and having a lot more fun than you expected...
![quarantined book characters swiss family robinson swiss family robinson project gutenberg](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/md_d19d50b7c2ea-robinson2.jpg)
Source: Project Gutenberg
The Swiss Family Robinson
![swiss family robinson swiss family robinson](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/sm_f5cc266ad9a1-swiss-family-robinson.jpg)
Swiss Family Robinson
You may have seen the classic live action Disney film about a family that becomes shipwrecked on an island in the East Indies, but you’re missing out if you’ve never read the original book by Johann David Wyss. P.S.—you can keep the quarantine family fun going with these literary board games for book lovers.
If your cat is driving you insane…
![quarantined book character pi patel pi patel and richard parker life of pi](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/md_f8a0f1abf762-life-of-pi.jpg)
- Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox
Pi Patel
![Life of Pi by Yann Martel Book cover of Life of Pi by Yann Martel, a modern classic and good book for high school students.](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/sm_d502bc5e1dbc-81e9onsk3bl.jpg)
Life of Pi
If your home is starting to feel like it’s not big enough for you and your cat, you can probably relate to Pi, who is stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.
If you feel like you’re going insane…
![quarantined book characters the woman in the yellow wallpaper the yellow wallpaper charlotte perkins gilman](https://orion-uploads.openroadmedia.com/md_99844cc6eb1e-yellow-wallpaper.jpg)
The Woman in "The Yellow Wallpaper"
![The-Yellow-Wallpaper The Yellow Wallpaper](https://d1pwnu15mzvjms.cloudfront.net/210x320/9781480474949.jpg)
The Yellow Wallpaper
We don’t all do well on our own—especially in rooms with barred windows, “scratched and gouged and splintered floors,” and intricately designed yellow wallpaper.
Want more great books? Sign up for the Early Bird Books newsletter and get the best daily ebook deals delivered straight to your inbox.
Keep Reading: The 20 Most Hated Characters in Books
This post is sponsored by Open Road Media. Thank you for supporting our partners, who make it possible for Early Bird Books to continue publishing the book stories you love.
Featured still from "Great Expectations" via Lionsgate