As long as I can remember, since I've been able to read, I've been a fast reader. When I was younger, I would become ecstatic if I finished a Junie B. Jones book in an afternoon. The older I've gotten, the faster I've read. On a day (usually in the summer when classes aren't going on) that I don't have to work and don't have much on the agenda, I can usually read about two average to longish length books (granted these days are rare, but they do happen sometimes). Recently, I read three books in one day (all were super short, like 200ish pages each). While I definitely use reading quickly to its advantage when it comes to being on a tight reading schedule (like when classes are going on), I've noticed more and more how many drawbacks I get after reading that much in one day that mainly comes in the form of too many damn feels.
A good book for me is one that makes me feel all sorts of emotions, from anger when a conflict isn't working out, to sadness over the loss of something, to happiness over a swoony scene. That's a lot of emotions to go through in one day. When I read multiple books in a day, I seriously end up lying in bed at night overwhelmed with lots and lots of feels and not knowing what to do with them. I try to give myself some recuperating time to soak in a book after I read it by turning Netflix on. or walking around for a bit, but I'm always eager to jump into the next book. It's sort of like dating someone for a while, breaking up, grieving for an hour, and then going back into another intense relationship (and we all know that isn't good). You're left with a puddle of feels that just don't know where to go, because they haven't been fully embraced. It's like, why can't I be bookishly single for a while, ya know?
I've tried to slow down a bit when reading sometimes and take it in more (because even though I read quickly, I don't remember quickly and probably can't tell you what a book that I read two weeks ago is about without rereading the synopsis). The thing is, when I try that, the back of my mind starts slowly whispering to me about how many books I need to get through in my TBR pile and how much I'm delaying that process by slowing down (I got probs, I know). Or worse, I get impatient with my slow self and end up being frustrated. Hence, MORE FEELS.
I've heard plenty of people say they wish they could read quicker (and please do not take this post as me complaining about being able to read quickly, I'm just saying there are pros and cons to each), but I've never heard someone wish they could slow down silence the overwhelming feels.
Does anyone else have this problem? Or am I just a crazy, fast reader who needs to be quiet?
I totally know what you mean! I can usually tell how much I enjoyed a book by how much I remember after reading it (without using the synopsis) haha. Reading so many books in a short space of time can definitely be overwhelming!
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I'm the same exact way. In elementary school, I would finish our whole reading book before the other kids would be done with the first story. I kept moving ahead in levels because of that. As I got older, my teachers would accuse me of skimming until I proved over and over again that I wasn't skimming, I was reading. In 8th grade, our teacher, the first day said one of you has a college reading level according to last years Iowa Tests Of Basic Skills, I looked around the room, expecting it to be one of the "smart" kids, and was shocked when he said my name. I can usually get a 2 2000-3000 (kindle) location books knocked out each day on top of being a WAHM mom to 4 and running them to a gazillion soccer practices and 4 dance classes a week (that's actually more time to read LOL). I'm like Alexandra, I can tell you how much I liked a book if a few weeks later I can remember it without reading the synopsis again. :D
ReplyDeleteI can read really quick, but I rarely read can read more than one whole book in a day, unless maybe they are from the same series. And I guess it's not that I'm a slow reader, I think that maybe it is because I have trouble starting a new one right away. Probably for the similar reason that you're talking about. I'm still too invested in the book I just finished, I think it's called a book hangover. So maybe that's kind of your problem. You're speeding through the books, and not giving yourself time to recover in between from those hangovers. :-)
ReplyDeleteYes! On one hand, I love reading quickly because I love books so much . . on the other, sometimes I love a book so much that I wish I was spending more time with it. And then people assume I'm not paying attention while reading because I can't remember much about what I've read, but I read too much to keep all of that information in my brain! Besides, it makes rereading MUCH more fun if I remember I absolutely loved a book but can't remember all of the specifics of it!
ReplyDeleteI am a fast reader too and always have been. A couple hundred pages in a sitting are nothing for me too. I used to get snappish comments about how 'reading fast doesn't mean you have high level comprehension' and 'you're probably missing so much'. Well I won't say that I don't miss things b/c that has nothing to do with the speed and more to do with my focus being in another direction. But here's the thing, I do comprehend just fine at that speed b/c as you experience too; I feel the story so strongly. I definitely try to avoid picking up the next book right away no matter what my review schedule or TBR pile is screaming at me. I go into a fugue of melancholy emotions and have to go and do something active to get rid of it. I tend to pick cleaning. Then I can go back for another book. That's been the only solution I have found.
ReplyDeleteRapid Readers Unite!!!!! ;)
I don't consider myself a fast reader, but I still have this problem. There are times when I get so into reading that I'll spend hours doing just that, or even a whole day, and it can definitely be overwhelming! It's also a very strange feeling for me to not be in the middle of a book, so I do pick one up directly after another most of the time.
ReplyDeleteYes, haha! Weird bookish behaviors are always up for discussion lol. Everyone has their own strategies for reading. :) I definitely like the idea of adding a Lemony Snicket book in (love him!).
ReplyDeleteI definitely remember how it made me feel, but certain details are just buried in my head somewhere haha.
ReplyDeleteExactly this!! I'm so glad you can relate, haha. And I'm such a mood reader sometimes, so I'm like read ALL the romantic books, and then they just get jumbled up even more. Book maniacs unite! :)
ReplyDeleteYes! I remember doing that in elementary school as well. When it came to science, I was pretty hopeless, but reading was always such a comfort and excitement for me.
ReplyDeleteYes yes!! I love rereading a book I haven't read in a while and still being surprised by the ending. It's almost like discovering all over again, and it can be such a nice feeling.
ReplyDeleteCleaning is a wonderful way to clear the mind! I do that more between homework assignments, but I might have to try doing that more between books as well. We need a Rapid Readers Unite Club where we join in between books, express feelings, and then leave to go start another. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, that feeling! I feel so lost when I have an extended period of time between books, and I'm not reading anything. I just look around like I've forgotten something, and then I remember I haven't started another book yet.
ReplyDeleteYes! The brain is so pressure-y! It's like, "Ok, sure, you COULD take an extra half hour to soak this in, but do you see that TBR pile over there? Do you? Are you sure you really can afford time to soak something in?"
ReplyDeleteIf it's a book that was only okay for me and didn't give me a ton of feels I can usually pick up another book directly after. But if it's one that really got to me, I have to give myself some time to process it. With all the books on my TBR, though, I hate not being in the middle of a book. It really makes me feel odd not to have something I'm reading. Not sure I've ever gone a whole day without being in the middle of a book.
ReplyDeleteI completely relate because I sometimes feel like I read too many books (and it's because I read so fast). I recently posted about how my book memory sucks and I think it's because I read too fast. And that means I read an average of about a book a day. So I'm the same. A couple of days later (which is a couple of books later) I can't remember anything. So that means I have to reread a ton when new books in a series come out. When i reread, I read even faster because I just want to remember enough so that I can enjoy the new book, know the basic plot points, and who the characters are. And it's like a compulsion because when I finish a book, I don't sit around thinking about it, reflecting, etc. I start a new book right away. I can't stand not to be reading something. And it's really hard for me to stop reading when I haven't finished the book. It's like turning off a movie right in the middle. So yes, I have a problem. :) ~Pam
ReplyDeleteIt is such a distinct and weird feeling not being in the middle of a book. TBR piles are so intimidating sometimes.
ReplyDeleteYes, exactly! Series do tend to be where it comes off the harshest. I've started trying to focus more of series that are already complete so I can just binge them all and not have to reread them 2 or 3 times each time another book in the series comes out.
ReplyDeleteHaha true! :D
ReplyDeleteLOL I'm definitely not a fast reader, and it is rare for me to be able to read a book in one day. I don't think I've read multiple books in one day anytime recently. So yea but I get it, there are pros and cons. You tear through more books, but then you feel even more of them. I would have a hard time remembering all the details too.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm really enjoying the book I'm reading, I tend to just plow through it. Sometimes I seriously regret it afterwards because I feel like I didn't dive into the book deep enough :(
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