Contemplation on the nature of reading (NO HARRY POTTER SPOILERS)

[selenay]

The below is some thoughts on reading, inspired by the weekend's marathon Harry Potter read, but containing no spoilers. I promise.

This weekend, like half my f-list probably, I sat down and read the last HP. In fact, I only got 137 pages read on Saturday so most of it was read in a huge, marathon session yesterday.

It's been a while since I had a big read like that. Probably not since I sat down with Lois McMaster Bujold's first Sharing Knife book at the beginning of the year. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to immerse myself in a book like that. I get so caught up in it that nothing exists outside the book. After a few pages, I'm not aware than I'm reading anymore because I can see and feel it happening around me. It's better than watching a film because I'm not just an observer, I'm right in there with the characters, you're in their head and it feels real for a while. Even when I'm not reading - getting a drink or a snack - my head is still in the book world and it takes a huge effort to free myself.

I think that's the key to why I enjoy the kind of fantasy, escapist books that are the core of my reading habits. It's much harder to get that kind of connection and absorption from contemporary, clever sorts of literature. When I'm writing, I'm remembering what it feels like to get caught up in a book like that and it's what I want to do for my readers. Reading, for me, at its best is something that can catch me up and take me away to live another life for a while and a really good book refuses to let go of me until the last page.

The down side is the post-book hangover where I haven't quite managed to extract myself even though I've read the last page. That might take a day or two to wear off :-)

As a courtesy to other HP fans, can people avoid putting spoilers for The Deathly Hallows into comments on this post? I'll be posting a spoiler-filled, HP thoughts post later.

Comments

What should have happened...

[wimble.livejournal.com]

Because it wants to be shared...

Re: What should have happened...

[selenay]

*snicker*

[paranoidangel]

The down side is the post-book hangover where I haven't quite managed to extract myself even though I've read the last page.

I'm so glad it's not just me who does that. I couldn't read anything else at all Saturday after I finished now. Now I'm quite happily esconsed in Anne of Avonlea. Although reading Harry Potter made me want to read Harry Sullivan for some reason, so ended up watching Terror of the Zygons. Which sort of worked :)

[netgirl-y2k.livejournal.com]

I originally planned to hold off starting the Deathly Hallows till toninght, as I had to spend the weekend working and falling off cliffs, and read it over my two mid week days off. But I couldn't wait and instead read it in fits and starts during my breaks and on trains, and although I enjoyed reading it I really wish I'd held off so I could have had the sort of total immersion experience that comes from reading it all in one go.

Oh, well...

[selenay]

I'm so glad it's not just me who does that.

People always look at me when I say it, so I'm glad that someone out there also gets the hangover effect :-)

Which sort of worked :)

It's certainly an interesting combination...

[selenay]

Total immersion is definitely the best way to go, but at least you've managed to read it before anyone can tell you the ending. I've spent the day glaring at people because the girl who sits next to me hasn't finished and Doesn't Want To Know. Except everyone else around me can't be bothered to read it and wants me to tell them what happened.

I'm trying to be the neighbourly colleague and everyone is being mean to L :-(

[paranoidangel]

People always look at me when I say it, so I'm glad that someone out there also gets the hangover effect :-)

I was going to say that I've never said it to anyone, except I have with my mum and we were talking about cross stitch at the time. But finishing one of them still gives you the feeling of not quite knowing what to do with yourself.

It's certainly an interesting combination...

Well, they both involved Harrys and Scotland and a bit of London. And a trio :)

[selenay]

But finishing one of them still gives you the feeling of not quite knowing what to do with yourself.

I suppose it's the effect of absorbing yourself so completely in something for a period of time and then it's gone. You don't really want to start something else too similar, you haven't quite got yourself out of the mind-set and so you end up with that slightly lost, book-hangover sensation.

And a trio :)

*g*

[paranoidangel]

Yeah, that's it.