The Subjective Nature of Reading
Different books appeal to different readers.
Last night I was reminded of just how subjective reading is. I was watching an interview with Dean Koontz, one of my favourite authors, and he got emotional when speaking about A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
Interestingly, I had just ranked my favourite Dickens novels earlier this week, and A Tale of Two Cities came in at number four. I completely agree with what Koontz said about the ending and the power of the characters. But for me, there are stronger Dickens novels. It just didn’t hit the same way.
And this is true for all reading, not just the classics. A Court of Thorns and Roses, which is hugely popular on BookTok, didn’t work for me at all. I hated it. Don’t come for me.
This subjectivity also affects us as writers. Just because someone writes a negative review doesn’t mean the book is awful. It simply didn’t appeal to that particular reader at that particular time.
I’ve spoken about this before. When I first picked up The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, I didn’t finish it. It didn’t connect with me. But the second time I read it, I loved it. It’s now in my top five books of all time.
Reading is, and always will be, a deeply personal experience. If it weren’t, book clubs wouldn’t be nearly as popular. Imagine how boring it would be if everyone agreed on everything they read.
So if someone doesn’t like the book you spent years perfecting, don’t lose heart. The next reader might be your biggest fan.
For those who are interested, here is the link to the Dean Koontz interview. It’s a masterclass in writing.
What book didn’t resonate with you the first time but ended up becoming a favourite?
Until next week. Read to learn. Read to escape. Read to smile.
Sam
Reading is breathing in and writing is breathing out. - Unknown
