For the last several months I have been dedicated to creating a reading review of what I read each month. Some months are filled with exciting Netgalley reads or novels I’ve been eagerly anticipating their publication. However, September has left me in a slump. I feel unmotivated and unenthused to pick a book up and read. The last time I experienced a devastating reading slump was during and after completing my BA degree in English Literature and History and then the following year after completing my MA degree. I read so much academic and critical non-fiction or fiction pieces that I couldn’t focus on reading anything in the little free time that I had and I lost clarity on what the current reading trends were and how I could navigate the growing platform of Booktok. When I was growing up, Booktok didn’t exist – Booktube, instagram and generally browsing book shops, were my only sources of understanding what was being published and which books I might like to read. Now Booktok has developed into this reading community that is a maze of recommendations and jargon that seems to have magically appeared out of nowhere. Are there courses one can take to keep up to date on this new jargon? This month’s reading review is slightly different where I explore various reasons as to why I have experienced a reading slump and how I plan to reignite my motivation for reading again.
Why the slump?
For those who are unfamiliar with the term Reading Slump I shall explain to the best of my ability to define the condition. In my opinion, it is a period of time where an individual feels unmotivated or unfocused to read for pleasure. This usually occurs when one is under stress, a hectic lifestyle and feels overwhelmed to sit and read. They can sometimes feel that they should be doing other things instead of immersing themselves into literature. In the following bullet points, I will explore some of the reasons why I have fallen into the void that is a reading slump. [Disclaimer: the following are personal observations / opinions and everyone is entitled to their views. I will continue to read a variety of genres and tropes irrespective of my reading slump.]
1. Booktok
I have immersed myself into Booktok and have been open minded to recommendations and reviews of many popular books that have been widely talked about and gained notoriety amongst the reading community. However, I am greatly disappointed when reading many of these recommendations. I have noticed the trend of many books that have become popular on TikTok are written in first person. Personally, I dislike this writing style and hate the messy narrative voice that many writers create – intentional or not. I think many of these books become popular because they follow a similar tone and for many who do not read regularly it is a way to dip their toe into the water of reading . This, I do not have a problem with at all, I think everyone should read irrespective of whether it is a complex masterpiece or a light and easy story. I have the problem with many of these books falling into the same traps, they are – in my experience – messy and lack the character depth that fleshes out well-rounded characters. The narrative voice is uncoordinated when in first person and the reader experiences a lot of telling rather than showing. The first person narrative is limited, while the reader does have more access to the character’s inner thoughts and vulnerabilities, this leaves the other side characters as static puppets. They are only used when the scene becomes animated by the narrator again.
I have read many Booktok ‘famous’ books that are written in third person and I have enjoyed the story. But when I read other novels by the same author the difference in standards are notable. I think Booktok has a habit of praising one novel and weaving a web of superiority where each other novel is held as being just as fantastic, when in fact that one novel that became notable in the community, did something extraordinary that cannot be recaptured again. Similarly, authors have one book that exceeds expectations and becomes placed on a pedestal, whether the novel is particularly good or not does not seem to fit into the remit of Booktok ratings. The novel becomes famous and trendy. This then inflates a potentially not so good book to superseding very good books, written by authors who do not get enough credit or hype. This cycle then continues where these Booktok famous authors publish books of the same standard and same tropes and become best sellers. I think that there needs to be more honesty within the reading community, where readers explain what they did and didn’t like about a book, without the fear of hostility from other readers. I think many reviewers feel they should agree with past comments and cannot outright criticise and this perpetuates the cycle of hype. To conclude, I have become disillusioned with the reviews and recommendations of books overhyped online. This has been one contribution to a reading slump, where I have read many books that haven’t lived up to the hype.
[disclaimer: I am not saying these authors do not deserve the credit and hype, everyone who writes a book and manages to defeat the beast and enter the castle that is publishing, deserves so much praise.]
1.5 – Writing Style
A sub category to the recommendations on Booktok, is writing style. This is similar to the first point but explores writing style that is confusing or pretentious. Personally, I enjoy reading books that are easy to read but has some complex language that is witty or cleverly used throughout. However, books that are very overly wordy or use very complex and pretentious language makes my head hurt. I have an English Literature degree so I am well versed in reading complex and frankly mind boggling work – *cough cough, I’m looking at you Modernist literature*. But in contemporary society these type of texts are unnecessary. In a society where we are trying to make reading accessible and immersive to everyone, the desire to include pretentious language is elitist and inappropriate. I think an author’s main goal should be to create a story that is loved and immersive, primarily and then secondarily, has those more complex points or elements of satire. Throughout my reviewing and journey of writing my novel, I have explored what makes a good opening chapter or hook to continue reading. The language used and way the setting is created is very important. If the language is too wordy or flowery it is very difficult to grasp initially what is happening. This is one of the reasons I struggle to continue reading. I have a problem where, if I’m not enjoying a book I feel deeply disappointed when I cannot force myself to finish reading the book. I have read so many novels where the concept has so much potential but misses the mark and I feel upset when I comes across as a bad book . (A bad book in my dictionary means one that has been let down in the editing and reviewing process and has so much potential.)
2. Genre
I enjoy a variety of genres from fantasy, adventure, historical fiction and romance. Through reviewing ARCs provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, I have discovered a plethora of exciting novels and characters. However, at the moment I cannot seem to find that book that I crave to become lost in and explore a new world. I am currently writing my first draft of my debut fantasy adventure novel and this is a world and a novel that I want to read about and cannot find elsewhere. At the moment there are very similar tropes that are being recycled, many re-tellings and stories that fall into the same pattern. I haven’t read anything that captivates me and is so good that it is shocking. I adore books that are a full circle, where the small details are suddenly revealed as major plot points. For example, I have recently finished re-watching the Harry Potter films and the full circle of horcruxes and characters throughout the series is well developed and is shocking to the audience when they realise how everything interconnects in the final showdown. I want to read a novel that is fresh and bold, but doesn’t try too hard to be something extraordinary. That in itself is extraordinary. Now I do understand that this is asking the impossible as well as contradictory. But I have hope.
Final thoughts
In order to crawl out of this reading slump, I plan to reread some of my favourites in a hope to reignite that process of sitting down and becoming immersed in a fictional world. I also plan to look beyond the repetitive hype that is perpetuated online and seek out reliable and critically honest reviews and reviewers to help guide my reading towards lesser known or hyped books that deserve the limelight. I also aim to continue writing my novel and create that story I crave and others I hope will enjoy too.
Please, let me know in the comments of via email if there are any books that I am clearly missing out on and help me crawl out of this slump and find my passion to read again. I am ready to undertake another adventure from the comfort of my home.
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