As many of you know, I’ve had a somewhat disappointing reading year so far. Continuing to pick up books that end up not working for me has gotten me thinking about what exactly DOES make a book work for me. The good news is I’ve pinpointed a few characteristics that have worked across multiple books I’ve loved in the past few years. The bad news is some of them are fairly intangible and hard to predict based on a book’s blurb…making accurately choosing books that will work for me pretty difficult!
Good Balance Between Plot and Style
I usually like at least some plot, but style and character are still extremely important to me. A plot-based book without style and character will generally not work for me, whereas a book that relies heavily on style and character can often (but not always) work for me without plot.
Examples: Shelter, Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Focus on the Mundane, With Dark Undertones
When you’re reading casually along about boring daily life and a dark bomb is thrown in with no warning.
Examples: Why They Run the Way They Do, The Throwback Special
Characters’ Backgrounds Revealed Little by Little
This feature stands out most in quieter books that aren’t heavily plot driven. Gradually learning surprising new information about the books’ characters adds a bit of suspense and keeps me wanting to read more. Think of it as “what else do I get to find out about this person?” rather than “what’s going to happen?”
Examples: Did You Ever Have A Family, My Name is Lucy Barton
The How/Why, Not the What
A story where the you already know the ending; the suspense lies in how you get there or why it happened.
Examples: Everything I Never Told You, My Sunshine Away
Gorgeous Writing
Well, yes, obviously! But, what does gorgeous writing actually mean (for me)?! I like writing that is clean, unpretentious, and perfectly describes something in a unique way. I do NOT fall for writing so flowery or esoteric that you can’t decipher what the author is trying to convey.
Examples: Infinite Home, Shotgun Lovesongs
Certain Themes
I think this is a characteristic that can change over time and is influenced by someone’s stage of life or particular experiences. Some themes I’m drawn to right now are maintaining your identity through motherhood, marriage, and social commentary.
Examples: Summerlong (maintaining your identity through motherhood), The Wife (marriage), The Dinner (social commentary)
What makes a book work for you?
I honestly haven’t given thought into what makes a book work for me. It’s hard to predict from any blurb, I think, because I’ve read books that I saw nothing of the synopsis in relation to the book and others that the synopsis read better than the book. I do love a good plot-driven novel that will keep me guessing and the character’s voice is very important in any connection I feel to the book and characters. You’ve given me food for thought. I wish there were some formula for knowing when a book will or won’t work for us all. Reading time would seem to stand still for those books we all want to get to.
I didn’t think about what works for me until I started having trouble…in an effort to improve my book selection! And voice is super important to me too – one of the reasons I loved Only Love Can Break Your Heart so much!
Interesting post. I like books that make me think about the world. I also like books that are logical because I’m not very good at suspending my disbelief. I tend to like nonlinear books and books with unpredictable plots and realistic characters.
I’m totally with you on not being great at suspending my disbelief! That’s why fantasy and sci-fi are tough sells for me.
I find I need at least one likeable character for me to root for. I need to get invested in the characters to be invested in the book and care about what is going to happen. My preference is for plot-driven rather than character-driven books, meaning I enjoy them more as I’m reading. That said, I often find that while I don’t enjoy character-driven stories as much while I’m reading them, they can make for some great book group discussions.
I think a lot of people feel that way about having at least one likable character. I’m not one of those, but I think I’m in the minority and have lots of friends that feel the way you do.
Not surprisingly, what makes a book work for me is basically the same as what makes it work for you. while sometimes there will be a book that grabs me that doesn’t fit my typical mold, more times than not I know what I’ll most likely like before I read it. I still try and push myself out of my book comfort zone from time to time because i have been surprised at times. I was hugely anti sci-fi, but I gave in and read some from time to time. I don’t like them all but I really liked Station Eleven and Ender’s Game a lot.
Station Eleven worked for me also even though I don’t normally go for post-apocalyptic stuff. But, I think that one was especially literary and a big crossover hit.
I’ve thought about this some too, and a lot of my preferences are pretty similar to yours…I also tend to prefer a well-written character-driven drama. Obviously I read and like plenty of things outside of that range, but if I’m picking a book that tends to be what I look for. I’ve always suspected as much, but since I’ve started blogging and thinking more critically about what works for me in a book and what doesn’t it’s become much clearer to me. I agree, though, it can be hard to tell just from a cursory examination if something is going to be my kind of book!
Blogging has definitely made me think more critically/analytically about this! I never thought about this at all before blogging!
I think my answer would be similar to yours. Even your themes are ones I’m interested in. The only thing I can think of right now to add would be settings; I’ll read any setting if the book is good, but sometimes I’m drawn to a book *because* of its setting or time period.
Seems we might be in the same stage of life – haha!
If I could answer this question I would. It is mostly the writing. I just feel in synch with how some authors do it. This week so far I have read Shelter and was not pleased, though almost everyone else seems to love it. Then I started Edna O’Brien’s The Little Red Chairs and was instantly in the groove with her. Of course, Shelter was a first novel and O’Brien has been writing for decades. It is all a mystery to me and I guess I prefer the mystery to trying to analyze it. Good discussion topic though.
Writing is so important to me too! And another blogger whose taste in books is normally in line with mine hated Shelter too! So, you’re not the only one!
I have no idea at this point and have had similar disappointments this year as well. I’m all over the place looking for something to hold my attention. So far the only think working is short stories (always my go-to) and picking up something completely out of my wheelhouse – Swans of Fifth Avenue.
YES!! Swans hit the spot for me too! Maybe we just needed some good, old fashioned sleaze?!
You know, I feel like if I could answer this question properly I would finally be saved from all the books I read and hate. Sadly, it’s just not that easy! I can pick up two such similar books – same genre, same author even – and still be totally drawn to one and completely repelled by the other.
I also think there is something to be said for timing – a book that doesn’t speak to you right now might be exactly what you need in only a few years time. Our own personal experience brings so much to the reading experience.
I totally agree – it is not easy and I’d be so much better off if I could accurately translate how to pick books in advance with these characteristics! How to tell that from the blurb!
I’ve given this a lot of thought over the years and it’s not surprising to see so many of preference listed here. No wonder I love the books you recommend!
You’re right about certain themes changing with a reader’s stage of life. When I was in college, I couldn’t get enough of those ‘finding yourself’ or coming-of-age stories, then moved on to maintaing identity through motherhood/marriage and ‘having it all’. I’ve got almost 20 years on you, and lately I seem to be drawn toward older protagonists looking back, contemplating life choices, etc.
The changing of themes makes perfect sense! And I remember my coming of age/quarter life crisis reading phase as well!
I tend to stick to genres I usually read, and authors I likely know. That said, there are themes I like and I also stick to those; I can usually get those things from the blurb. The gorgeous writing, the style, etc., are secondary because I can’t predict those from the blurb and those are the intangibles that make a book work or not in the end, at least for me.
Me too on the intangibles! Maybe books need an intangibles seal of approval on the cover or something – ha!
Woah, kudos for figuring this out! It feels like such an impossible task to decide exactly what it is that draws you into a book. It’s one of those things that you know in your head, but can’t describe in words. I identify with your first point the most – I’m a style lover all the way…it can really be everything sometimes.
I agree it’s super hard to get concrete about…especially when it’s style! So hard to articulate what that actually means…you just know it when you find it!
Great post! I honestly have no idea what makes a book work for me. I could probably write a list of bookish turn offs very easily though.
I will have to try to think about this and see if I can come up with anything.
Ha! You and me both! With cheesy romance being number 1!
This is such a fun post, Sarah! Every time I hear My Sunshine Away mentioned I want to read it again…ahhh! Also, this reminds me that I need to get a copy of Infinite Home; I’ve been saying FOR AGES that I’m going to read it and I don’t have many galleys coming up to review. Also, the fact that you’ve mentioned The Throwback Special and some dark happening in the same category makes me very curious right now!
Don’t get super curious about Throwback Special! It’s not some big dark thing…more like little dark bombs about the guys’ personal lives dropped in the middle of otherwise mundane conversation. Hope you’re enjoying it!
For me writing and characters are paramount. I think that if you have well-rounded, three-dimensional characters, the plot will fall into place. Plot is the least important for me if the writing is excelling and the author is giving me compelling characters. A great example of beautiful writing and character development is The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay. The plot in that one was so simple. I often call it a book about nothing because it really is just two teens falling in love unexpectedly.
Last year was the WORST reading year for me. I read a lot of books with romantic elements so many of my least favorite romances involved books where I felt nothing for the romance. I also don’t like it if mental illness is thrown in willy nilly with no research and isn’t dealt with respectfully. I’ve seen that a lot. This year I read a time travel YA and it was so confusing and convoluted plus the characters were dull. Yikes. Anyway, great post!
My friend just read My Sunshine Away and now I’m really curious about that one. (I’m a new follower of yours. Love your posts!)
Welcome and thank you so much! I hope your friend enjoyed My Sunshine Away – it was one of my favorites of last year! And I agree that well-rounded characters really make the plot!
This is an interesting question! Some types of books that tend to work for me are nonfiction by journalists, fiction with “documents” or other creative storytelling methods, a combination of genre elements in more literary writing. Those are maybe not the most descriptive, but they make sense to me 🙂
I do love nonfiction by journalists as well – Underground Girls of Kabul comes to mind!
I’m at the point where I’m trying to figure out if I’ve changed in my reading habits, or I just keep picking up disappointing books! My year has had a few highlights and some very big lows (like 4 or 5 DNFs in a row). I love dark, gritty fiction, but have put down the last few I’ve tried. Is it me? Or the book? Only time will tell.
I feel the same way – is it me or the books?! Trying to figure that out! I have some dark, gritty fiction on my backlist TBR at the moment – Bastard Out of Carolina.