Bookish Confessions is a new feature on Mostly YA Lit. Inspired by The Broke and the Bookish’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt on blogging confessions, I realized I had so many bookish or blogger confessions that I needed more time to explore them all. Once every two weeks, I’ll share one shameful truth about me as a reader, blogger and booklover. Ready? Let’s go!
Yup, it’s true.
I don’t like big books, and I cannot lie.
I know I’m supposed to be like, “Yay, big tomes! Yay, more words! Yay, more of living in this book’s world!”
I am, after all, someone who spends half her free time reading and writing and tweeting and instagramming and tumblring about books.
But, honestly?
I don’t like big books.
When I see a 500+ page novel, my palms get sweaty. My brain starts thinking through how many hours it will take to read it. And my body gets in fight-or-flight mode.
Other people see big books as a challenge, an accomplishment. And I wish I could see them that way. But truthfully?
They just get used as coasters.
I’m here, I’m admitting it.
I DON’T LIKE BIG BOOKS AND I CANNOT LIE.
I DON’T LIKE BIG BOOKS, AND HERE’S WHY:
1. They’re heavy.
It might be just that I’m getting old, but this is seriously the number one reason I don’t like big books. They HURT to carry around and hold, man! I’m one of those people who brings books with me everywhere. Carrying around Ulysses, or even a big hardcover like Gemina tires out my shoulders and makes my whole bag bulky.
Also, have you ever dropped a big book on your face (or arm, or leg)? It really, really hurts.
2. They’re usually hardcovers.
This is my second weirdo admission: I FAR prefer paperbacks to hardcovers. Again, it’s all about the weight. And fitting it into my purse. And the fact that hardcovers tend to have pointy edges that can stab you.
3. They tend to be slower-paced, or have a lot more description
I know, I know. It’s part of the book. But honestly, I get so bored when there’s too much description of landscape or world or just…too much description in general. This is my whole issue with fantasy books and why I often can’t get into them – there’s just too much filler! Call me a lazy reader, call me a cultural pig, but there you are.
4. If they don’t have too much description, they have too much of everything.
Books, to me, should be well-edited and tight. They should only say what they need to and not a word more. Unless you’re writing, again, Ulysses, or something epic that really, really needs a ton of words or pages to say it in (again, Illuminae and Gemina come to mind), I’m pretty sure you don’t need that big a book.
5. They’re a time commitment that I’m not often willing to make.
And herein lies the real problem with big books. As a blogger, I receive, buy, and borrow tons and tons of books. When faced with a big book that will take me 2-3 weeks to read, versus three shorter books that will take me three weeks to read? I always choose the shorter ones. I’m sorry, Big Books.
All that said, I leave you with three big books I’ve read recently that were worth the heaviness, the pain, the description, the wordiness, and the time. Click on the covers to read why:
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Confession time: Are you on the I Like Big Books and I Cannot Lie train, or are you Big Book Side-Eyer like me? Let me know in the poll below – and if you have other big books you think are really, really worth it, let me know in the comments!
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My biggest problem with big books is that they are heavy. You can’t bring them with you in your bag because they take a lot of place and it takes energy to carry them around. The only solution is to read them in ebook format.
But I have to admit, there’s a great satisfaction when I look at a big book and know that I read that monster. 😀
This is me EXACTLY!! I blame it on being a slower reader, mostly. I can read two books instead of just one. BUT I also agree with everything you said here! Heavier, more detail, etc. I’m right there with ya, girl!!
don’t you think book series is actually a big book divided in parts? there are so many book series now that I think I’m starting to hate them but when you think about it, if they combined them, then we would end up with big books, right?
I don’t might big books but I would not carry them around, I read them at home instead.
have a lovely day.
I don’t like the fact that big books are heavy, but I still enjoy reading them. Good stories come in all shapes and sizes. I like reading e-books too, so it doesn’t matter how big a book is, I just need to worry about how much battery I have left.
I can get intimidated by big books for sure! Sometimes I do put off reading them, especially if I have to lug them onto the buses for work. But if it’s a series I love I’ll jump into them as soon as I can.
YASSSSS , finally there is someone who felt the same as me TT i found ACOMAF unnecessary long :/
It really depends on the book for me. I can get really intimidated by big books if they’re over 500 pages, which is why I haven’t finished certain series like Harry Potter or the All Souls Trilogy. But usually once I get into the book it doesn’t end up being as hard to read it as I thought it would be. This happened with Voyager by Diana Gabaldon that I read recently. I thought I was going to get bored or it would take me over three months but it actually went okay. Sorry for the rambling comment. lol
It really does depend on the book for me. If it’s part of a series, and the books are just getting longer, like with Harry Potter, etc. then yeah, I’ll definitely read it. If I just see a stand-alone novel and it’s HUGE, chances are I might not give it a shot if I have a ton of other things to read. Then again, if it’s something I really, really want to read? I guess I better make room! I do like smaller books for carting around though.
-Lauren
P.S. Happy Birthday!!!
YES TO THIS POST. I mean, I love reading, but that doesn’t mean that I love reading 800 pages of words. Some of those big books are awesome, but to start those books I need a HUGE motivation. They just scares me. I also absolutely loathe description. Which is why I don’t continue the OUTLANDER series despite liking the plot and characters and settings, and haven’t read LOTR yet. I really think books should be MAX 500 pages. More than that is just too much of an effort…
Ugh, I HATE big books…they take up wayyy too much time (and with two kids and a job, it’s so difficult to find time to read anyway), so I always like to stick to books under like 350 pages. Plus those things hurt like no other when you drop them on your face. Sheesh.
[…] Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit admits that she doesn’t like big books and explained her reason. […]
YESSS they are SCARY. I dread them! I know most people get all excited when a sequel or finale has a ton of pages but I am like, running in fear.I think it is probably the time commitment that gives the most anxiety too, but I feel you that hardcover big books are just plain painful! OH and they are totally over-descriptive more often than not. I spend half the book being like “well, they sure could have cut THAT scene out” bwhaha. LOVE this, glad I am not alone 😉
Yes! *grandma blogger rant* I think many YA books have gotten way too long. There’s a bunch of major YA books I have not yet read and their length is a major reason. I feel like I have to clear my calendar lol. And stay home because they’re too large to carry out of the house!