The impression is fresh for a while. What is the first thing you do?

Do you discuss it? Do you write some kind of review for yourself? Do you explore professional reviews/analyses instead to compare the perspectives? Do you give yourself some time to form an opinion? Do you do something else?

  • Oh god this is depressing. I used to immediately go on reddit to see if anyone else had read it and read what they thought 🤣

    Apart from that I wear the ear off my partner about the writing and the themes and the cultural context and how reading it in the 21st century changes the text. I rarely write down what I thought of a book, but that actually sounds like quite a nice thing to do.

    • Same. It’s also helpful in remembering the plot later if there’s a sequel or two. The only time I don’t do this is when I know I’ll want to re-read the book later, so I will actively try to forget parts of the book. That way, it’s a fresh (well, fresher) read when I get back to it.

  • After having avoided spoilers I start searching discussions on it and theories to look through. Did this right after reading through all the A Song of Ice and Fire books, and more recently Fire and Blood

  • I think as long about it as it requires me to on my bed and then do something else. Then I might tell someone/some people about it.

    Rarely, when I absolutely had no idea wtf was happening, I made up a thesis and then looked up online what others think. Last time I had that was with Peter Handke’s Mein Tag im anderen Land 1. I was apparently right there with my thesis… but… still really didn’t know WHY. :D

    Mostly though I shove reading sessions into the day like taking out my phone, except if the book is REALLY exceptional (Schachnovelle 2, Der aufhaltsame Aufstieg des Arturo Ui 3 or Traumnovelle 4).

    1 My Day in a Foreign Country

    2 Chess Story

    3 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui

    4 Dream Story