I'm currently reading Mark Haddon's A Spot of Bother, a book recommended to me by beta reader J because of Haddon's strongly written POVs. Each of the four principle characters get to hold the camera and the perspective switches between them chapter by chapter. They all have unique voices and Haddon is always careful to include a sentence right away that clues readers is as to who is the main character of the moment. It is truly well written. The kind of writing that pares everything unnecessary out (not like Cormac McCarthy, more like orange juice sans preservatives).
But here is my problem: I don't care.
There's a plot. This is not one of those books that is so deep into its own linguistic merit or character portraits that nothing happens. I just don't care about the plot. I don't care about the people.
So, when I'm reading A Spot of Bother, I really enjoy reading it. But I'm not excited about reading it. I don't take the local train home just so I have more time with it. Heck, over the course of a lounging weekend, it didn't even occur to me to pick it up. Instead I focused on the productive (working on my MS), the ridiculous (compulsively checking Twitter updates) and the sad (watching the Mets lose).
I just want to finish the book already, so I can move onto all the ones I am excited about. (And no, I do not give up on books. Except one. I've tried and failed to read Jitterbug Perfume a half dozen times over the years.)
There are books I read for plot (Twilight and Kafka on the Shore, anyone?) and those that I read for the language (anything by Byatt, Winterson, or McEwan). A lot of them even fit both categories. But if I am not reading it for plot, I find it much easier to forget what book it was that I was reading and much harder to go a few hours without sneaking a few minutes to read.
How important is plot to you? I didn't used to think I ranked it terribly high on my list of "why I read." I love language, I thought that was why I read. Turns out I like a story as much as the next guy.
But here is my problem: I don't care.
There's a plot. This is not one of those books that is so deep into its own linguistic merit or character portraits that nothing happens. I just don't care about the plot. I don't care about the people.
So, when I'm reading A Spot of Bother, I really enjoy reading it. But I'm not excited about reading it. I don't take the local train home just so I have more time with it. Heck, over the course of a lounging weekend, it didn't even occur to me to pick it up. Instead I focused on the productive (working on my MS), the ridiculous (compulsively checking Twitter updates) and the sad (watching the Mets lose).
I just want to finish the book already, so I can move onto all the ones I am excited about. (And no, I do not give up on books. Except one. I've tried and failed to read Jitterbug Perfume a half dozen times over the years.)
There are books I read for plot (Twilight and Kafka on the Shore, anyone?) and those that I read for the language (anything by Byatt, Winterson, or McEwan). A lot of them even fit both categories. But if I am not reading it for plot, I find it much easier to forget what book it was that I was reading and much harder to go a few hours without sneaking a few minutes to read.
How important is plot to you? I didn't used to think I ranked it terribly high on my list of "why I read." I love language, I thought that was why I read. Turns out I like a story as much as the next guy.
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