Thursday, December 12, 2013

An Apology to Long Novels

I used to steer clear of long novels. By long novels, I mean those that have 800 pages and more.

Those books intimidate me.

I can spend days and nights reading. But reading the same book for a long period of time? I didn’t think so. Until I met someone who finished reading Les Miserables. All fifteen hundred pages of it. And he’s a guy! I took it as an opportunity to conquer my fear, my terribly irrational fear, of long novels. What better way to do it than to read one of the best literary pieces of all time.


There is never a story too long. 

Reading Les Miserables took me a month. That period already includes nights when I can’t help but snatch the book from my bedside table, despite my conscience tugging me to sleep already. It was a lot to digest. It was a tragic story written in a language that is too lovely. Despite its dragging pace at some points, I still read very carefully so as not to skip a word.  Overall, the biggest hurdle was finding the right pace and sticking with it.  When it comes to reading, my heart and mind were used to a race . This book was a marathon and it taught me exactly how to deal with one.

Dear Long Novels,

I’m sorry for every single time I shrugged when I pick up one of you.
I’m sorry for looking at you with terror, instead of wonder.
I used to think that stories worth reading should be written in not more than 600 pages long. Anything beyond that is a bore.
But I was so wrong.
It takes a tandem of a gifted writer and a brilliant story to fill so many hundred pages.

 So, forgive me. 
I will not skip you on the shelves in my next bookstore trip.
Pinky promise. :)

# posted by Liana : 7:54 PM
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