Beyond My Years
Jan. 9th, 2008 01:05 amApparently admitting that I'm mopey to the world in general helps me feel better.
Meanwhile, I'm a little over 200 pages in to Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It's been slow, but in all honesty the last couple of months haven't been the most productive reading months for me. I'm really enjoying it so far.
After quickly glancing at the reviews at Amazon, I'm wondering at the readers who said that the book is too slow and difficult to finish. Is this merely a matter of taste? Of reading ability? Or is it also a reflection of the modern mind-set that faster is better? Where we want everything and we want it now? Have we gotten so used to television and movies (my most recent example being the adaptation of The Golden Compass) and books being about instant gratification and a surprise in every scene that more and more people can't appreciate a story that takes its time?
Who knows what I'll say about the book when I finally finish it. And I definitely won't be able to say it was a quick read, but I don't mind that. I like that I have to stop and read it, instead of consuming in like snack food. But maybe after another hundred pages I'll change my tune.
Also, randomly, on Sunday we sang "The First Noel." Except it was "The First Nowell." I did a double-take. And then pointed it out to Dad, who checked his book. I'm standing there going, "Who's Nowell?" and quietly laughing at Dad because, seriously, what? When did we change the spelling? We asked the pianist afterward and she said she noticed the same thing and checked several places to make sure it was the right song. Apparently someone has decided we have to use the English spelling now, at least in those books. Weird.
*
( What Age Do You Act? quiz. 'Cause it's been awhile and the results made me laugh. )
Meanwhile, I'm a little over 200 pages in to Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It's been slow, but in all honesty the last couple of months haven't been the most productive reading months for me. I'm really enjoying it so far.
After quickly glancing at the reviews at Amazon, I'm wondering at the readers who said that the book is too slow and difficult to finish. Is this merely a matter of taste? Of reading ability? Or is it also a reflection of the modern mind-set that faster is better? Where we want everything and we want it now? Have we gotten so used to television and movies (my most recent example being the adaptation of The Golden Compass) and books being about instant gratification and a surprise in every scene that more and more people can't appreciate a story that takes its time?
Who knows what I'll say about the book when I finally finish it. And I definitely won't be able to say it was a quick read, but I don't mind that. I like that I have to stop and read it, instead of consuming in like snack food. But maybe after another hundred pages I'll change my tune.
Also, randomly, on Sunday we sang "The First Noel." Except it was "The First Nowell." I did a double-take. And then pointed it out to Dad, who checked his book. I'm standing there going, "Who's Nowell?" and quietly laughing at Dad because, seriously, what? When did we change the spelling? We asked the pianist afterward and she said she noticed the same thing and checked several places to make sure it was the right song. Apparently someone has decided we have to use the English spelling now, at least in those books. Weird.
*
( What Age Do You Act? quiz. 'Cause it's been awhile and the results made me laugh. )