This article analyzes and sheds light on the social changes in two novels written shortly after the outbreak of COVID-19. The novels, C'era una volta adesso by the Italian journalist and TV host Massimo Gramellini (the writer of the renowned autobiographical novel Sweet Dreams) and Wahm El-Koronā by the Iraqi writer Hassan Ebeid Eissa, explore the nature of social relationships during the lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this article is to investigate how the authors represent social and interpersonal transformations in a period marked by a severe health and social crisis. Both novels offer a reflection on the difficulties of adapting to a new and challenging reality. The research discusses several themes such as loneliness, fear, the fragility of the humankind, and new forms of individual and collective resistance. Furthermore, this article highlights the importance of technology during the pandemic, when millions of people gathered in front of screens to continue their studies or resume work.