The short answer to the latter question is NO.
My reading experience is actually a big factor to my level of enjoyment of a novel. If I am busy and it takes me weeks to read one book, it will not get as high of a rating if I read it in one day. I wouldn't be as connected to the characters, and I might even forget parts of the plot.
Take one of my most recent reads, Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton, for example. My schedule has been pretty hectic, and reading has taken a back burner. I read the book in three sittings, but they were spread out among 18 days. When I finally sat down and finished the book, I didn't care for the characters as much. Finishing the book suddenly became more important than me completely understanding the book. I didn't get some references from earlier in the book, and I sadly didn't care enough to go back and refresh my memory.
Some of my mediocre reading experience can be attributed to my actions. However, it still spoke to me that after a week of not reading a book, I completely forgot some of what had happened in the first third of the novel. Rebel of the Sands didn't capture my intrigue enough for me to keep thinking and wanting to read it. Should that affect my rating?
To be honest, I think yes. If a book doesn't fully grab me that I'm not stop thinking about it, that means that there is something lacking in the story for me. I've had many experiences lately where I look back at my reading experiences and notice that my rating is very much correlated to it.
A couple month ago, I railed on both The Fill in Boyfriend and Biggest Flirts. Looking back, I wasn't in the right mood for contemporary and yet forced myself to read the two. I was too critical and cynical while reading the books because I wanted to be reading something else the whole entire time. But should I go back and change my rating? Well, that is for a whole entire other discussion post.
Thanks guys for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!
Happy Reading!
Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!
Yes I definitely think your reading experience can influence your rating. I also have had weeks when I don't have much time to read and that makes it harder to enjoy the book I am reading or it feels like I enjoy it less because I read less? I am not sure, but I have noticed that effect as well a few times. And when I am not in the right mood for a book it can influence my enjoyment as well, which is why I usually try and read the book I am in the mood for. Great topic!
ReplyDeleteI get where you're coming from! If I'm not reading at my usual pace, I tend to be more critical of the books I'm reading. Sometimes I think I'm in the mood for something when I'm really not. I'm slowly but surely improving on not feeling guilty for having to put a book down. Thanks Lola!
DeleteI know exactly what you mean. The overall experience can totally affect my rating, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's actually sometimes the opposite for me! Whenever I read a book too fast (like how I just read Geek Girl in 4 hours), I tend to feel like everything is moving too fast and the plot isn't worked out enough and the characters aren't developed enough when maybe they're just fine. Normally, I try to read books a second time, more slowly, if I read them quickly the first time to really get the whole experience and validate my rating (hopefully!). Also, like you, I can just not be in the mood for a genre of book and then suddenly everything that happens in the book is 'cliche' and 'unoriginal' simply because 1) I'm not in the mood or 2) I've read a whole lot of the same genre in a row and no matter how great of an author they are, there are bound to be similarities within genres! Lovely post, Genni!
ReplyDeleteLaura @BlueEyeBooks