Book Skimming

5.09.2014


So lets say you find a book to read. Interesting summary, it looks like it has potential. Nice cover too, nothing that turns you away if cover design is something important to you when it comes to choosing reads. You start the book and so far, no complaints!

So far, the characters seem ok, you start to like them more as you read. The plot isn't bad at all either, though maybe you're not sure yet because all hasn't been revealed or you're waiting to see how things go down at the climax to judge. But you get to the climax and then bam, things go down the drain. Plot events aren't going the way you think they should in the book and it's frustrating you so much you want to throw the book but you also don't want to flounce because you must. See. The end. 

The end is what could change your feelings or make them build but ultimately the conflict has changed the game up. However, you're getting impatient and the plot has gotten you so worked up and you want it to end so you do the unthinkable: you skim. You try to catch the dialogue as quick as possible, you find yourself skipping or glancing at the thoughts in between, and your eyes are moving across the page fast enough that some words may blur. You just find yourself working hard to get to the finish line that ultimately the full reading experience has changed.

Does this sound familiar? I have to say, sometimes it can be me. Sometimes books throw me into such an unpleasant loop that my impatience wins and I do a lot of skimming. I try to keep myself from taking a peek at the end, though I have done that before as well *hides*. And, maybe it's silly, but I feel a little ashamed. Because when skimming you miss the little stuff, and they might be as important to the story as the overall picture. Like, I'm breaking some rule in the world of reading or something! But sometimes books can just make you go a little crazy, I suppose. And sometimes when this happens, it leaves me disatisfied with the book so I'm usually give it a rating of about 3 or lower. It takes a lot for me to quit in the middle of a book, so maybe this is a topic that goes along with going the DNF route that many have discussed before.

So, it begs the question: do you skim? For similar reasons or completely different ones? Let me know your thoughts!