Years ago, I would spend almost an entire day reading a book, racing to get to the end. For example, I would spend a Sunday afternoon reading a novel and if it really hooked me, I could finish it by evening. I felt like I was immersed in that world, living and breathing with the characters as they struggled with their conflicts, or trying to achieve their goals.
But now I tend to read in brevity. I don’t finish a novel a day. I’ll read it in sections, a couple chapters at a time. It has a different feel to it than finishing a novel in a day. I notice I’m reflecting on the story more, reflecting on the characters’ thoughts, as well as how the narrative worked, not to mention the pacing. It feels like I’m taking a walk with the characters, whereas when I finished a novel fast, I had more of a movie experience.
Neither approaches to reading are right or wrong. It just depends on what kind of reading experience you prefer. Both can be valuable in their own way.
Fallton Havenstonne 