Booking Through Thursday – “Dessert first?”

Booking Through Thursday is a blog that posts a reading-related question every week. You’re supposed to answer the question on your own blog, then go back to the original post and add a comment linking to your response. It seems like a cool way to discover new blogs (and get them to discover you, too), so I’m trying it for the first time with this week’s question.

  1. Do you cheat and peek ahead at the end of your books? Or do you resolutely read in sequence, as the author intended?
  2. And, if you don’t peek, do you ever feel tempted?

It’s easier to answer #2 – sure I do!

#1 – Sometimes, but not very often. I don’t have a problem with “spoilers” in principle, and I think peeking at the ending would pretty much be the same thing.

I record most of the TV shows I watch on DVR to watch later, but I’ll read recaps of the episodes online the next morning before viewing – I still get to see how it unfolds, even if I already know what unfolds. (I’m just not allowed to tell my husband anything when I do that, and watching him react to the story as we watch actually adds to my enjoyment, especially when it’s Lost or 24.) So in that case, I definitely read ahead.

I don’t do that nearly as often with books, unless the plot’s getting really twisted and I’m getting overly curious and frustrated. And depending on where I am in the story when I peek, it might actually make me even more interested in seeing how the heck things get to that conclusion – it’s a chance to enjoy the journey more, knowing the destination. Although if it’s not a well-crafted journey, I might just be annoyed when I get to the end for real.

I’ve very rarely skipped to the end and then decided not to read any more. Maybe I should, though…it might get me some closure on some books that have been languishing half-read for awhile.

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3 comments

  1. I’ll read an advance synopsis of a tv show – I’m a LOST fan too! – but with a book, I’ll often not even read the entire blurb inside the cover once I learn that the subject matter & the time period are to my liking. I want the surprise that comes with following the story through. {I make an exception if I suddenly get the feeling that I’ve read the story before – then I’ll sample a few random paragraphs to see if they feel as familiar as the one I just finished. There are too many books and not enough time to read “reruns”}