Good morning sweet friends,
<Cozy Intro>
The Twilight series by Stephanie is not without controversy. I have posted a review of this series from a more analytical position, but today, I want to use this as a starting place to discuss the importance of reader experience. Reader experience is a factor I so often see left out of book reviews, booktube, and book club discussions.
I originally read the Twilight series because someone close to me loved the books and I was trying to understand why. I was also going through a bad break-up with someone I was engaged to. It was around Thanksgiving 2011 and I coped with the break-up by immersing myself in this series. I used it as an escape and I powered through all xxxx pages of the series in less than week. I remember literally spending all my time outside of work and basic self-maintenance (food, showers, etc.) reading. I needed to stay out of my own head. It is safe to say that the Twilight series saved me from a world of trouble in those tender weeks following the break-up.
It's because of this very personal experience that this series will always be a favorite of mine. Does it represent healthy relationships? No. Is the writing perfect? No. Are there some problematic representations of gender, power, etc. Of course. At the time though, these books were what I needed. These books got me through.
Reading is an immensely personal experience. As readers, writers, and sometimes scholars, we are often quick to judge people for what they prefer to read. We judge them based on whether they like a controversial series like Twilight and that judgement goes beyond just disagreeing with their preferences. That judgement moves into questioning the reader's morality, intelligence, and character.
As someone who deeply loves literature for the ways it helps people intellectually, emotionally, and socially, this is so disappointing to me. When I review a book, I like to share, not just what I thought of the book from an analytical, critical viewpoint, but also the experience I had reading the book. I like to talk about why I chose to read the book, what I was feeling and experiencing during the reading process, and what I reflected on upon finishing.
This is what literature encompasses and why I love it so much. It isn't about always writing politically correct characters. It isn't about always pushing the boundaries of the art. These things are important, but we also can't continue to dismiss the reality that literature is very much about who the reader is at the time of reading, what they are experiencing in their life, and how that book is then woven into a reader's perspective, and psychology. What a person likes to read is about more than just good prose, or healthy role model characters. It encompasses an complicated internal world, and quick judgement of this world do a disservice to a discussion. "Why did you like that book?" Imagine what you could learn about a person if you just ask this simple question and then really listen to the answer? And really listen. Listen to learn about the reader not just to find talking points to prove your opinion is better.
As a writer, a reader's experience reading my work is at the forefront of my mind. I'm not so much concerned with being a literary genius, or making sure my characters are representative (though these do cross my mind and inform what I write). My main goal as a writer is to give my readers an experience, to provide them the kind of solace and hope I experienced when reading the Twilight series during that dark time in my life.
What are some books that have created a meaningful experience for you? Do you have any "safe space" books--books that helped you get through hard times? Leave a comment below.
Until next time, stay cozy, friends,
Comments
Post a Comment
Eat Locally, Comment Thoughtfully: