I figured I'd mess around with my schedule. I'm working on a film analysis post which was originally for today, but my head is swimming with stuff right now and I've decided to postpone that until Friday. Which is just as well, because I can't decide on a recipe to post for Real Men Can Cook this week.
I'm reading a book by a friend at the moment, the second in a trilogy. It's not yet published, and it's not her main WIP for the time being. But I'm telling you, I'm hooked. I'm a sucker for strong and engaging character relationships in a story, and this has it in spades. Even when I want to slap the characters and tell them to act sensibly, I still care about them and want, need to read more.
I love when a book does this to me. This is why I read, to connect with characters and feel that desire to watch their fates, no matter what that may be, no matter whether I want to hug them or hit them.
So, topic open for discussion. What books have drawn you in so much you can hardly sleep if you don't read just one more chapter? What ones make you want to scream because you can't read fast enough to see what happens next?
Jul 6, 2011
Can't Stop Reading
Paul Anthony Shortt believes in magic and monsters. In ghosts and fairies. The creatures that lurk under the bed and inside the closet. The things that live in the dark, and the heroes who stand against them. Above all, he believes that stories have the power to change the world, and the most important stories are the ones which show that monsters can be beaten.
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Game of Thrones and Robin Hobb's stuff, anything by Stephen King when he's on form too.
ReplyDeleteOne of my biggest problems with reading is that I get like this all the time. Of late, the biggest bulprit for this was Name of the Wind and Wise Mans Fear, though.
ReplyDeleteMisery by Stephen King, the Parasol Protectorate novels by Gail Carriger, the Demon's Lexicon trilogy by Sarah Rees Brennan and pretty much anything by Jodi Picoult.
ReplyDeleteAlice Hoffman's The River King manages to do this to me even though I've read it ten times.
The last book that made me feel that way was Blindness by Jose Saramago... before that it was If This Is A Man by Primo Levi... now I'm battling my way through Infinite Jest ..not hooked yet!
ReplyDeleteThere are too many to name, but I think you've summarized quite well what makes a book great. It's all about the characters.
ReplyDeleteSadhbh: A good horror can really draw me in, too. I found Carrie to be like that.
ReplyDeleteAonghus: This is a problem, now? :-)
Ellen: Ooh, yeah, Misery. That was a head-wrecking ride. I really must pick up Demon's Lexicon.
Patrick: How far are you in? It can be so dissappointing to find a book that just doesn't click, can't it?
Matthew: Thanks. I think I could read almost anything if I cared about the characters and wanted to see how their story unfolded.
Stephen King's books always do this to me. I've had many sleepless nights trying to finish one of his 600 page novels. It sounds like your friend's book is a winner!
ReplyDeleteI know what you're reading.... Excellent.
ReplyDeleteAt the 130 mark, still giving it hope, but the writing is interesting albeit non sensicle.. if there is such a word. Last time I struggled like the was Elias Canetti's Auto-De-Fe. Maybe some reads are just a fad, will give it another 70 lashes then see.
ReplyDeleteBirdsong by Sebastian Faulks and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak are the first two that pop into my head (the World War themes are entirely coincidental ... I think)but to be honest there have been so many - for example I just flew through The Great Gatsby last night.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, as far as characters being what draw me into a book. Way back when, I remember reading Little Women and being totally enraptured by the characters.
ReplyDeleteKaren: Yep, exactly. If I don't like the MC, I'm not going to be drawn in at all.
ReplyDeleteKarenG: Lots of love for Stephen King here! Unfortunately my friend has had to switch to a different WIP for now. I have every faith it'll be just as good as the one I'm currently reading.
About Me: ;-)
Patrick: I'm pretty unforgiving with a book. If I'm not enjoying it by chapter 5, I'm done.
Zoe: I loved The Great Gatsby!
Helen: I was that way with Dracula.