Has anyone here ever read a book that was so good that you were so engulfed in that you had to put it down to make it last as long as possible? maybe read half a chapter instead of a full one? there is always re reading the book but that doesn't seem the capture that same magic of the original read. for me the last book that I took my time on was - Out by Natsuo Kirino - she has other out as well (not all printed in English) but then captured that first read of OUT.
I don't know if this fits your definition, but I have often found books that make me think, make me dream. I mean books that keep making me stop reading, and I stare off into space, exploring the emotion and the ideas, maybe crying a bit, maybe playing my guitar, maybe talking to myself for fifteen minutes or so. Those are my favorite books. They put me through the wringer. I learn from those books. I grow from those books, and it isn't always a pleasant process. Still, a book that makes me stop reading and talk to myself for a while is a book I value highly.
The Pullman Dark Materials Trilogy had that effect on me. Then I saw the film and it destroyed the first book for me forever more; I haven't been able to read it since.
All of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. I had to invest in a small table lamp so I could read in the middle of the night.
Just checked out that book by Natsuo Kirino - it sounds interesting but scary. I'm often afraid to read books like that, especially when it's by the Japanese. It sounds violent - I steer clear of a lot of crime novels these days because I can't stand the graphic violence that seems to have become the norm in the genre these days, at least amongst American and Swedish crime fiction. (British crime fiction is still, thankfully, more mystery-oriented rather than violence-oriented). And let's face it, neither the Americans nor the Swedes have anything compared to the Japanese - I don't mean violence. I mean their ability to dig deep into the very core of human emotion and human fears and human tragedy and expose it in all its raw sensitivity. And books are scarier than movies, in a way. I've seen their manga, anime series and films, and the odd live-action movie, and they wring my heart - I can't imagine what their books would do to me. Yes, I want to read it but I'm kinda scared to... lol. Ah, the Japanese - scary little culture with just so much worth admiring.
I love most any Asian culture so the just magnifies my interest in Out and Natsuo, you are right about how the Japanese are excellent at creating a real sense of fear and emotions. It's the same with their movies (not the American versions).
Oh totally. The most recent one I saw was Edge of Tomorrow, and only later did I read the manga. Seriously, if I'd read it first, I probably would've sat through the film going WTF the whole time... I've only ever watched 2 Japanese live-action movies - The Departure and I believe the other was called The Hula Girls? Never would have thought a film called Hula Girls was gonna make me cry, especially when the plot was teaching villagers how to dance in order to build a holiday resort to earn money for the village. But yeah. Cried in both. Is Natsuo a man or a woman, out of interest?
A woman, she has a few more books out in English and the rest are in Japanese. I own a few Japanese flicks, some or scary and some are just pure gore, i would rather see scares then gore any day.
If I'm fascinated with an awesome book that I'm reading, I end up reading it as quickly as possible so I can find out how it ends as soon as I can.
I've never watched Japanese horror and never want to American horror scares me enough. I don't want to imagine the Japanese!
I live on a steady source of horror be it from movies, books, tv, toys, Halloween or my own vortex that its atop my head.
You know you've read a good book when you're glad you found out what happened to the main character at the end of the book.
I know exactly what you mean. Reading the last few books I read (a series of four books), I was seriously afraid of continuing to read. It was not because the books were scary (they were not), but because I knew that the more I read, the closer I got to the moment when I would reach the blank pages that marked the end. I agree with every word! The books I just mentioned were like that. I continuously found myself leaning back with my eyes closed, thinking, imagining, experiencing. Actually, I still do just that, even though I read the last word of the fourth book days ago...
There's nothing like reading a book late into the night. You're half asleep. But you can't stop reading because it's so interesting.
I've not put it down, but I loved House of Leaves so much when I finished reading it I just went straight back to the beginning and read it again. It was literally: I read the last word, then just flipped back to the first page and started reading again. I actually have been itching to reread it too. It might be one of my favourite books.
I try not to put down a good book, but sometimes they have moments where you need to pause and reflect upon the events that you have just read. But that seldom happens, so usually don't put it down.
Yup. Just about everything I've ever read by Stephen King. I admit there were times when I put his books down while I tried to get all the gory images out of my head, but the other times? It was to keep the story going as long as possible.
Me, too, but then it starts all over again: putting it down, keeping that story alive for just a bit longer.
Good poetry makes me stop and reflect. Recently, the poems of Pablo Neruda made me put down his collection a few times to really think about what he was saying. I realize now that doing this has made me appreciate him more.
I love King although Rose Madder was a disappointing read. It was ok it just didn't feel like ...King
I didn't read that one, but I think my wife did. I should ask her if she felt the same way you did. ... I asked and she said it stood out from other books by King she's read because (apparently) he was trying to get away from being just a supernatural horror writer, so he was delving into psychological horror for a change.
LOL! I'm just the opposite. If King writes anything that isn't horror, I'm all over it. I've read 11.22.63 twice so far, but I'm a sucker for time travel.
