Recently, I skimmed through a book. I can’t say I read it, even though I looked over every page and pretty much followed the plot. Reading it would have been excruciating. The writing, characterization, and plot “twists” were…um…awful. And no, I won’t say which book it is, because I have no intention of writing a semi-review lampooning a book I didn’t even fully read. The only reason I write this at all is because the entire time I was skimming it, I kept wishing I had a place to go online, some sort of book database, that outlined the whole plot for me, spoilers and all.
There’s a whole range of feelings on spoilers in the book world, from one extreme of wishing to know absolutely nothing about a book to the other extreme of wanting to know the whole plot before reading. I fall somewhere in the middle. Generally, I avoid major spoilers, but like to have a little bit of an idea what the book is about before beginning. Sometimes – like when I read Jane Eyre for the first time in my late 20s knowing absolutely nothing about the twists – it’s awesome to read a book spoiler-free. And sometimes, like with the book above, I wish wish wish there was a blog out there devoted to outlining entire plotlines.
I would love to have outlines of the fourth and fifth Song of Fire and Ice books, for instance, because I don’t actually want to read either – I just want to know what happens. There are books, like the one I skimmed this week, that have a somewhat-interesting story but the writing or characters drive me crazy. Sometimes a book is so portentous that I’m afraid to read forward, but still want to know what happens. Sometimes, I just want the damn spoilers!
Anyone else feel this way? Anyone?
The Zen Leaf 
I think there already is this thing of which you speak. 🙂 It’s called Wikipedia….at least for some of the more popular books.
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Yeah, sadly this particular book was REALLY not popular, heh. And many others. 😀
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Yes! I want this!
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I know what you’re getting at.l..but nope I don’t want it. 😉 Though I do think you could find entire plot summaries of some books. Song of Fire and Ice is Game of Thrones? I would bet you could find the summaries of those…actually I would think series in particular for those who have gone a long period of time between reading books and want a catch up.
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I found summaries of the third book, and it kept me reading it even though I was bored, but I went back for book four and couldn’t find it! Maybe one day.
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It’s rare for me to feel this way, but yes, sometimes. I get to where the book is driving me nuts for whatever reason, but I still kinda want to know how it ends. I usually end up not caring, though, and just quitting.
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Usually I quit, too, or I finish and am annoyed with myself. I don’t skim often.
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I do go on Wikipedia or search for other summaries when I’m picking up a series book and I need refreshers on the past book(s). But before I read? Nope. I guess I have read the whole plot summary for books that I didn’t want to bother reading but wanted to know the jist of but it’s not something that I’m looking for very often!
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Not often for me either, because as I said to Hannah, I usually just quit a book in that case. But sometimes. Sometimes.
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