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Do you like it fast or slow?
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I'm more on the Gabrielle side of things. I'll read almost anything if it's beautifully written. I'm more interested in character than plot. That said, though, my ideal book is beautifully written AND has enough plot to carry me along. I dislike it though, when the plot takes over. It may keep me reading. I've enough of a curiosity bump that I'll want to know how it all works out. But afterward, I feel unsatisfied.
I like both. I know that's probably cheating, but I love to listen to plot-driven books on audio especially. I have a harder time with slower-paced books on audio, but if they're beautifully written, I enjoy them better read the old-fashioned way. I'm a book slut, I'll do them all.
Unlike Ruth, I'm not a curious person. If a book is poorly written, I don't care how it all turns out. Like Ruth, I'll read nearly anything that's beautifully written. A book doesn't have to be poetic to hold my attention, but it has to be well written. We only have twenty-four hours in a day, and I'm not going to spend any of my "reading hours" on poorly written books.
It depends upon my mood. Sometimes I like a fast paced book, but most times I like a book that I can really get lost in. I don't care if it is plot driven , but I do like a well written book .
I'm definitely a fan of fast-paced action. If it flags, I get bored, and that's when I'll put the book down (or, in my case, turn to something else on my Kindle) and forget to pick it up again...
I prefer a book that has writing such that I have to reread parts because I loved them so. It does not have to rush at an ending, but can gradually sort of tickle my fancy with a bit of a tease in the story that makes me want to go on. So the book can be read with its peaks and valleys and I don't mind a bit. I just dislike it when an author drags things out as if he/she were getting paid per word. I guess I am a slow type reader then.
My preference is very much like Marialyce's, I would say. Interesting characters and gorgeous descriptions take me a long way. Books that "rush at an ending" as M. says actually bother me. That's why I couldn't read more than one or two John Grisham books back when I used to enjoy light fiction more than I do now - forty or fifty pages out he seemed to realize that he had to finish, and bang bang bang all got wrapped up fast- and furious-like.
I gravitage to books that take me where I want to go. That means that when I read fiction, I mostly read things that are set in Europe or North America. I have very little interest or curiosity about the rest of the world.I like a good plot, but some of my favorite books have little or no plot (most of Colette's writing, for instance). So I would say my preference is for characters.
I sometimes read books that are not that well written, but I prefer the ones that are beautifully written such as Laurie Lee's As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning (oh dear, that isn't fiction, well, never mind). Badly written books like The Da Vinci Code I stay away from whereas Simenon books I love.
I'm not that picky. I just want a book that makes me want to keep reading. It can be fiction, nonfiction, a classic, whatever.
To mind a fast read is a book which poses no particular stylistic difficulties as well as being plot driven. A lot of crime novels are like this -- but not all, say Ian Pears's An Instance Of the Fingerpost. Anyway, I like all of these. But I also like slow books like Joyce, Proust, Gadda, Gibbon, The Magic Mountain, Dodderer, Tristram Shandy... I also notice that books drift between poles as time goes on. So my answer is yes.
Dree wrote: "I'm not that picky. I just want a book that makes me want to keep reading. It can be fiction, nonfiction, a classic, whatever."This reminds me: I would call all non-fiction slow. If it isn't, and doesn't require some digestion, I'm not interested. But this is slow in a different sense which I think is not the one meant.
Got plot?I love a thrill ride now and again because it's a rush. But therein lies the problem. It's over too fast, like... oh, so many things in life.
Now a SLOW dancer that you're REALLY into, that's a book worth savoring... and rereading... and annotating. Very different.
So I'll waffle and join the "Both" camp. Nothing like cake when "eat it too" is à la mode.
I did a little paper once on slow movies. Actually it was in a novel and supposed to have been written by one of the characters. Anyway, the examples were Solaris (the original Tarkovsky) Last Year At Marienbad, and Once Upon a Time In the West (three different genres). Slow movies are rare. Also, I once went to a 9-hour performance of Peter Brooks's play about the Nuremburg trials, the name of which has periodically escaped me ever since. And there is Steve Reich's heroically long percussion music, which I would also call slow. I wonder if there are slow paintings or sculpture? I suppose all poetry is slow, but how about Howl or Leaves of Grass?
I also base it on the "re-read" factor.I love the thrill and excitement of reading a fast-paced book. One they call a "page-turner." But I probably won't get the same rush if I read it again.
I prefer the "slow" books with wonderful characters and exquisite prose that you can get lost in. Those take top shelf on my bookcase anytime.
I especially like the ones that age well. Each time you read it, you come away with a different perspective.
I too, like both styles, for me it depend on my mood and how busy or not busy I am. If I got a lot of work then I go to a fast-paced book, if the plot is good, I don't pay that much attention to the language.Like Dvora, I, myself read books are not that well written, if they are not horrible I read them till the end, still I rather prefer beautifully written books.
I really need both. I am always reading several books at the same time-I need a book that is character driven and rather deep, but the other side of me needs a fast paced plot driven book. I actually probably read 2 fast paced books during the time I work my way through a deeper character, thought provoking book. It keeps my mind invogorated!!!
I think Kitty mentioned liking both depending on her mood. I'm the same way sometimes. Other times, I'm willing to sit down and deal with a slow pace for a little bit. Maybe the author just didn't know how to craft a good intro. If it is still super slow and boring, I'll drop it. But I give it a shot.
Characters a huge deal. Plot and character must be compelling. They they're not, I get bored faster than I would if the pace is slow. That being said, I love fantasy and sci-fi, mostly the ones that have a good balance of description and action. Historical and contemporary fiction are also good genres. Again though, I think I'm all about the balance of slow and fast, how masterfully the writer can suck me into that reality.
Characters a huge deal. Plot and character must be compelling. They they're not, I get bored faster than I would if the pace is slow. That being said, I love fantasy and sci-fi, mostly the ones that have a good balance of description and action. Historical and contemporary fiction are also good genres. Again though, I think I'm all about the balance of slow and fast, how masterfully the writer can suck me into that reality.
There is something about slow pace, though -- it's like one reads poetry: slowly. Or the injunction to slow living, slow food, and so on. It's different. I tried to get a handle on slow movies once -- Solaris, Last Year at Marienbad, Once Upon a Time in the West were my examples. Aside from obvious stuff like long takes, slow camera movements, and so forth I concluded that an essential feature of these movies was an inscrutable Other, a black hole of meaning which sucks everything in and gives nothing back. I never took that any farther to speculate on slow books.Now I'm curious. Somebody give me books you think are slow -- that is in their nature, having to be read slowly -- that I can chew on.
[The reference is http://tinyurl.com/SlowMovies -- it's a novel, one of the characters is a film critic]
Must. Have. Plot!Housekeeping was a beautiful book - the setting and characters perfectly drawn. However, very little actually "happens" ... a frustrating experience indeed!
I like both, but I'm all about the characters. I don't have to like them necessarily (though that helps), but I at least have to be interested in them. My number one reason for not finishing a book is hitting the point where I think, "You know, I just don't care WHAT happens to these people." That's especially true in the genre I privately call "Books About Unhappy Rich People."I'm trying to think of an example of an author who kept me going on beautiful prose alone, but I'm coming up empty. Cormac McCarthy, maybe?
Really, John? I think tons happens in Housekeeping, it's just like an iceberg--so much is unseen. :) But I am sure if it were a shoddily written book I probably would not have kept reading.Peggy, please, I beg you: an example of that genre!
Sara --I don't believe I said (or implied) anything about "shoddy" writing? Sorry to have given my opinion on a book that you liked. I'll hope never to do that again!
No John, you've misinterpreted me. I was agreeing with you on the quality of the writing.
John wrote: "Must. Have. Plot!Housekeeping was a beautiful book - the setting and characters perfectly drawn. However, very little actually "happens" ... a frustrating experience indeed!"
I agree about Housekeeping, John, and it was the same with The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels. Michaels, as you probably know, is also a poet, and she let too much poetry slip into her novel. I like poetry, but not at the expense of plot and characterization. I thought both books were beautiful, but I also thought both had a very static feel. I keep falling asleep while reading them.
I don't know either Housekeeping or The Winter Vault. Thanks. I'm with Peggy here about characters. I used to take a more distanced (call it technical) view, but the older I get the less I can stand books about people I don't like. My personal distaste is particularly for gritty realism and anthropological fiction (author descends into the netherworld of drugs and slavery, Among the Boogaloos, that sort of thing).
Out Stealing Horses is an example of a book I read slowly and cherished doing so. Despite the barrier of translation, some beautiful passages. If I stop and reread and am in no rush to get on with the story to find out what happens, I'm in a zone I want to be in.
I feel so good hearing some of your opinions. I venture out from time to time, but for the most part, I like my reading to be set in a place that I want to be in, and peopled with characters I want to spend time with (I don't always have to like them, but they need to be interesting to me). An example of a character I spent a very good period of time with was the protagonist of The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence. I didn't really like her, but oh how real she was. I think I could see some things of myself that I don't necessarily like in her.
Hmmm...I guess I waver somewhere in the middle. I've read books that seemed almost TOO fast-paced, like the author was trying to cram too much action in not enough pages, where I was almost left sort of exhausted. And of course, I've come across many books that just dragged and dragged. While I love books and reading, I do need SOMETHING to happen at some point, in order to keep my attention. I appreciate beautiful writing but if nothing is happening..zzzz...As for genre, there really isn't any that I object to, minus romance. BLEH.
Someone up there said a book must have plot. I couldn't agree more! Otherwise I just drop 'em. But they must also have interesting characters, flat, round, or otherwise.
Sherry wrote: "I like both. I know that's probably cheating, but I love to listen to plot-driven books on audio especially. I have a harder time with slower-paced books on audio, but if they're beautifully written, I enjoy them better read the old-fashioned way. I'm a book slut, I'll do them all. "Well...i've got to agree.
90% of the time i like plot driven fast paced stories that are embellished with great character and environment developments. But, every now and then, just for a change of pace and as soul food i love to read something slow and beautifully woven :) The contrast keeps things interesting :)
But yeah whether slow or fast i'll quote John here :
"Must. Have. Plot!"
The book I'm reading now is a slow read - The Infinities by John Banville. Every few sentences, you can't help but stop to admire the masterful Banville prose. He does seem to go overboard at times, describing the most mundane in the same stylistic manner but I'm in a forgiving mood. It's such a lovely read.
Our upcoming classic-Dr. Zhivago-is a great slow book. The language is captivating-and really gve me a total desire to just slowly read it and soak it in.
Sylvia wrote: "Our upcoming classic-Dr. Zhivago-is a great slow book. The language is captivating-and really gve me a total desire to just slowly read it and soak it in."
I have a copy somewhere...just have to find it. Thanks for the reminder.
Doctor Zhivago
I have a copy somewhere...just have to find it. Thanks for the reminder.
Doctor Zhivago
I find the older I get the more time I have for books that take time to reflect, and preferably where much is said in structure and style, that these things sort of mirror or underline the narrative. I just finished Austerlitz by Sebald and that was one of those. The funny thing about Austerlitz is that it's slow, but fast at the same time. The book is entirely without paragraphs, and shifts in the narrative happen without warning but with a certain logic to them, so once you're into it it's hard to stop.
Someone said about needing to like the characters. I just finished The remains of the day, and what was amazing was that I recognised the main character from real life, the kind of people I find hard to like and relate to, and yet I loved the book! I think that's a sign of a good book, if you can't relate to the characters but nevertheless enjoy getting into the mind of someone so different from yourself.
Someone said about needing to like the characters. I just finished The remains of the day, and what was amazing was that I recognised the main character from real life, the kind of people I find hard to like and relate to, and yet I loved the book! I think that's a sign of a good book, if you can't relate to the characters but nevertheless enjoy getting into the mind of someone so different from yourself.
Constant Reader read Austerlitz as an official discussion book back in 2004. Most of us were not enthusiastic, including me, and I nominated it. The discussion was short, but you can read it here http://web.archive.org/web/2007083116...
That's interesting, as I absolutely love it, but there you go, each to their own.
Kristin
Kristin
Ruth wrote: "Constant Reader read Austerlitz as an official discussion book back in 2004. Most of us were not enthusiastic, including me, and I nominated it. The discussion was short, but you can read it here..."I know Sebald was supposed to have been a genius, and maybe he was, but I found his books rather cold and uninvolving. More thematic, and it's difficult for most people to become involved with a theme.
Both. I think the older I get, the slower I like my books, maybe to match my own more languid pace. :) But I'll still go on a tear of action/mysteries, then slow down with non-linear, layered books, such as The Sea, or most anything by John Banville, or Nabokov.
Interesting question! I have found that what I like depends on my mood and where I am in my life... maybe even the placement of the stars... I don't really know. Some times I crave a slower, beautifully written story where I can drink in the sentences. Other times I just want a fast paced story that grabs me from the first sentence and doesn't let go. I literally read 5+ books at the same time (I have 6 going at this moment) and I rotated them throughout the day/week depending on my mood. I also balance out the genres. I always have something non-fiction, usually both a memoir and something historical or more academic. Then I usually have an award winner of some kind, a book that I should have read in high school but didn't. And after that, it's anyone's guess. I don't read much of what would be considered popular fiction, or mass produced paperbacks. Just not my thing.
I agree with Badly Drawn Girl, it depends what mood I'm in, sometimes something with a fast-paced story that you don't need to concentrate on too hard - always handy for waiting rooms - and sometimes something a bit slower with a bit more to digest and think about! Just depends on where I am, both literally and intellectually, on a particular day I guess!
Constant Reader
Books mentioned in this topic
The Sea (other topics)Doctor Zhivago (other topics)
Out Stealing Horses (other topics)
Housekeeping (other topics)
Housekeeping (other topics)
Now wait a minute! Before your mind goes there… (Alright I’ll admit that question took my mind elsewhere for a moment too.)
Anyway, in another thread Gabrielle and I made note of our disparate reading preferences. My preference is for a faster paced, plot driven novel with where the prose and character development exist to enhance what and why something is happening. She noted a fondness for “slower paced, preferably non-linear books that concentrate on character” and” beautiful prose”.
Categories of fiction and the manner in which a story is told varies dramatically. I don’t know what reading preferences say about a reader and their personality or if there is any relationship at all.
Still, I’m curious: Do you like it fast or slow? Mystery, drama, comedy, thriller, historical,…?