What is it about those BIG books? The ones that thunk if you drop them on the floor, the ones that just feel like something extra in your hands. I’m drawn to them like a faerie to glitter. Some of my favorite books have been big books — and yet I often procrastinate reading new ones.
How big is big?
I suppose everyone has their own definitions when it comes to book size.
My definition of a big book is in the 500+ page range. Then there’s the really big books which are in the 600+ page range, and there’s the BIG books which are like in the 800 to 900+ page range.
I’m currently in the middle of The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (aka Outlander #5) and it’s only about 1.5 inches thick. But the pages are ultra-thin and there’s 979 of them (plus it’s formatted with a lot of text on each page compared to my standard diet of YA fantasy/sci-fi). I love this series, and I do love the floppy/lay flat feel, however it isn’t quite as satisfying as holding a tome that’s as big on the outside as it is on the inside, if that makes sense.
All the words and none of the weight?
Forget e-books. I get zero pleasure out of reading a long-ass digital book with no glory to show for it on my shelf. Even if my wrists hurt, even if it’s inconvenient to read anywhere but laying on my bed (I’m a hobbit, I don’t go anywhere anyway).
A compromise is what I call “brick books” (aka mass market paperbacks that are nearly as thick as they are wide). Like my little-big copy of The Witchwood Crown. 990 pages awaiting my enjoyment (the paper stock on this one smells really good too). Much easier to fit in a bag but still has that thick essence.
I’m not the fastest reader in the world. Faster than some, but average for a book nerd. So it can be intimidating for sure, to pick up a book nearing 1,000 pages — and I love my share of average size books — but if it’s a book or series you love, it’s comforting to know you’ll be in it for a while. Know what I mean?
Then again, not all big books are created equal — some might be 900 pages of nope.
That being said, even if it is a book I love, I tend to get a little antsy and start reading other books at the same time so the goodreads goal tracker doesn’t give me the ole “you’re however many books behind schedule” message. I love being ahead of schedule. Not that that matters as much as enjoying the books, but big books just are not great for smashing those reading goals.
Still, I noticed recently that I have quite a few BIG books on my shelf that I want to read soon (seen above), if I can summon the willpower to focus on them. I wish I could just take a year off and do nothing but read gloriously large books.
Other people winning the lottery: new car, mansion, private yacht!
Me winning the lottery: builds hobbit house and reads ridiculously large tomes all day.
Joking. Kind of. I’d pay off those student loans first.
Favorite big reads?
Do you like big books? What about really big books? Or do they have you running in the other direction? The Name of the Wind is one of my other favorites in this category… I’d love to know some of your favorite BIG books.
The first one I’m going to dive into here is probably Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas… after finishing The Fiery Cross of course. Maybe. Maybe I’ll throw all caution to the page-scented winds and try to read both at once.