Too many good choices

[Mike]

I notice a lot of folks here commenting that books are too slow (Tigana) and so they are lemming them. Could this result from having too many choices of excellent fiction on our to-read bookshelf these days? I think I suffer from this, instead of committing more to a slower book that is building story-telling pressure. What say ye?

[Richard]

Having bought the book for the purpose of joining the S&L discussion for my 1st time, I felt a little more obligation to finish Tigana, so I pushed through it, even though I was really too tired to be reading a book this slowly paced. That said, voluntary reading for a book club shouldn't feel like yet another dreadful homework assignment, so I will not encourage someone to finish something they are really struggling with. Too many m'eh choices by the group & I will get more selective in my participation month to month.

[Michal]

What say I?

"Different strokes for different folks."

[Charles]

Not for me.

I love Tigana.

But I think for other books, pace, style, technique are a factor in making you put it down. That's what makes thrillers so compelling, there's an element that keeps up the tension and momentum. There'll always be other good books around the corner, and their existence doesn't necessarily influence how I read the current book.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

For me, there are always plenty of other books I could be reading instead, so I don't think that's really an issue. But I do think there is a time for every book I want to read, and many sit on my shelves for years waiting for that time to come: the only downside I can see to reading along with others in book groups such as this is that it sometimes it means you'll have to read books which just don't fit with your current mood/time schedule. Personally, I'm particularly busy right now, and reading various books relating to my university course, so a book which invests a huge amount of time in explaining the ins and outs of its world/politics isn't a perfect fit for me right now, and I'm finding it a challenge - something quicker and more light-hearted would have suited me better, which is, by no means, a complaint. :)

Hmm, I wonder if the time of year also has an effect? Perhaps people are more willing to give a slow read the time it needs in the cold winter months and less in the hot summer ones.

[Seamus]

I didn't find Tigana to be slow and read it in one go which for me is usually sign of good pacing on the authors part. I had to know what happened so the slow build of the story drove me to keep reading till I know what happened.

I like read multiple books at a time so if one is going kinda of slow (Ulysses) I can balance it with something that's a bit faster or in that case plot driven.