The Not-So Austen Bookclub discussion

What's your stance on re-reading novels?

Do you think it's great or a waste of time?

Share your thoughts and opinions below!

I personally think that re-reading is brilliant! I love getting to know the world and the characters that I love so very much all over again. Especially if it has been a while since I read a certain book that is close to my heart it can mean so much to re-read it and be hit once again with that jolt of love that I may have forgotten about.

Also when you're re-reading you notice things you didn't notice before. First time round you can be so engrossed in the novel that it is mainly the plot that exists in your mind but when you re-read you notice and touch on themes and ideas and different techniques such as foreshadowing which can really add a whole lot of meaning to the story and just how much it means to you.
Books that I have re-read and will gladly read again
- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
- All the Harry Potter books by J.K Rowling
- The Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover
- Divergent & Insurgent by Veronica Roth
- Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil & Death Bringer by Derek Landy
- Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Stories are made for re-reading. If they are memorable and impacting...you know those stories that remain with you forever like the world of Harry Potter or journeys into Narnia, then they must be revisited! It is a crime to not permit yourself the pleasure of being sucked into such a story once again, and usually the second time is better than the first. You might know what to expect, but then isn't that the exciting part?! That tingling sensation as Lucy walks through the wardrobe and out into a snowy wonderland. That spinechilling moment when you once more gaze upon the great eye, lidless that is wreathed in flame atop the tower of Orthanc. That buzz you get when Harry boards the Hogwarts Express for his first year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. I personally wouldn't miss those feelings for anything, as i never get bored of re-reading a book that i have loved so much and which has lingered within my mind for so long afterward. Indeed, when i open Harry Potter and the philosipher's stone again and begin at chapter 1, it feels in some way that i am going home. Books are a uniquely portable magic that can transport you to wonderous places as soon as you open them, hence i feel strongly that they are designed for being read more than once in a lifetime! If the story is worth telling and remembering of course.

Oh, books i have re-read.

...a lot actually! But the main ones that spring to mind would be ~

Harry Potter series (8 times)
Ken Follett's Pillars & WWE
Narnia (all C.S Lewis' books)
PP's His Dark Materials trilogy
101 dalmations
classics...Austen, bleak house by Dickens and Jane Eyre by Bronte
Lord of the rings and the Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
shannara by Terry Brooks
Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy (amazing! just love Fitz)

I tend to be an extremely fast reader when I have the time. So if I liked the book, I will read it once faster than the wind blows and then reread it slowly so I can get the full emotional blunt of the book. Good stories you can reread over and over again until your head spins. You can savor it and go over your favorite chapters again and smell the pages and lovingly stroke the dust cover (you might think this all sounds sappy and silly but DON'T LIE, you've done this before.) Think of it this way: if you went on a trip to another country and liked it or liked the people you met there, wouldn't you want to go back? Same with a book. If you liked the world you stepped into when you opened it, wouldn't you like to go back?

I reread books I liked more than I read new books. If I remember a book as being good, but I can't remember the details or why I liked it, then I'll pick it up again. If a new book in a series comes out and the previous details are fuzzy, then I'll reread the entire series as a refresher.

I like rereading books, but I need to branch out and try new things instead of sticking with the same old same old all the time.

e.g.
First three Harry Potter books
Fablehaven series (at least 5 times)
Princess Academy
Divergent
etc.

I had to reread Divergent the second I finished Allegiant. I actually read the epilogue alongside parts of Divergent.

I agree re reading is a great way to re live and to re love the book(s) that you enjoyed so much. I know for me I must re read Divergent and Insurgent and the Harry potter series. I just hope the divergent movie is good. What did you guys think of catching fire movie? I thought it was amazing.

@Emily - Catching Fire was so good. It followed the book almost perfectly, and I loved every second! It was almost better than the book at some points, but I still love the book more.

Some books that I LOVE reading and ALWAYS ANTICIPATE are:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
HP7
Divergent
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
Anna & The french Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Want to re-read Harry Potter books...again! {just watched Harry Potter & the Philosipher's Stone & it is just so magical}

Maybe I'm weird, but I only keep books I kno I'll reread. It's rare when I reread the entire book -I usually start from the middle unless it's been that long lol

It makes the escape all the more better for me, knowing I can relive the scenes I loved the first, second, third time around...or however many xD

I have a few books that I keep on a special shelf on my bookcase specifically for rereading. It's a wonderful thing to feel the worn pages in your hands and read the familiar words you know and love. I reread books when I am feeling down because they are dependable and I know they will make me smile :)

Alicat417 wrote: "I have a few books that I keep on a special shelf on my bookcase specifically for rereading. It's a wonderful thing to feel the worn pages in your hands and read the familiar words you know and lov..."

I agree, the familiarity of rereading books you know you love is really comforting :)

I love re-reading books. I feel that it allows me to pick up on things that I missed before and I am completely re-entered into a world that I love. I have re-read many books more than once and I know that I always have a home to go back too.

Olivia wrote: "I love re-reading books. I feel that it allows me to pick up on things that I missed before and I am completely re-entered into a world that I love. I have re-read many books more than once and I k..."

I don't posess one book that i don't intend to re-read. All of the books {physical} that i own, i have re-read more than once and i intend to keep on reading time & time again.

Lucinda wrote: "Olivia wrote: "I love re-reading books. I feel that it allows me to pick up on things that I missed before and I am completely re-entered into a world that I love. I have re-read many books more th..."

Same! And it's crazy because I have so many new books to read as well but I can't seem to tear myself away from the ones that I have already read!

It's definitely a challenge to read new books when all you want to do is reread the ones you already love.

Lady Poppy wrote: "It's definitely a challenge to read new books when all you want to do is reread the ones you already love."

Agreed. Especially when the ones you love include Harry Potter and John Green books.

H99 wrote: "Lady Poppy wrote: "It's definitely a challenge to read new books when all you want to do is reread the ones you already love."

Exactly. It's hard to try something new if you don't already know tha..."

Yes! It's hard to read something else when you know you already have books that you love.

Which is where goodreads comes back into play! :D

Lady Poppy wrote: "Which is where goodreads comes back into play! :D"

True!

H99 wrote: "I take home so many books from the library only to discover that over half of them are horrible. That happens when I just browse the shelves and choose random books. GR, however, doesn't lead me as..."

Yeah, sometimes I manage to pick wonderful books from the library. It's a hit or miss usually, but goodreads has never given me bad recommendations!

I think re-reading some book is necessary...depending on the book.

For e.g., The LOTR trilogy was a must re-read. In order to fully understand such a complex and multi-layered series, I needed the re-read to appreciate it more, and to get my facts straight.

Other series', like the Inheritance Cycle, were also very complex. I found that a re-read help me notice things about the series I hadn't before, and I found clues throughout the series linked to events that happened later on.

I find rereading necessary when the next book in the series comes out. It's always good to refresh one's memory on what happened in the previous book.

Rachel, that quote is perfect.

I agree that everything done twice, or more than two times, is different each time. It's interesting.

Ehhh.. Maybe. I don't think I've reread a triangle book, but I can imagine that if you've switched sides it will be different. e.g. Shatter me series (team Warner all the way)

What do you mean?

I dunno... Love triangles get sort of... tedious after a while. Haven't read Throne of Glass yet though.

Ah, I see what you mean then.

Hmm not that I can think of at the moment...

Okay:) I will when I can. I really want too. It looks like an amazing book.

Let me see if I can get it first.

Rachel wrote: ""Think of it this way: if you went on a trip to another country and liked it or liked the people you met there, wouldn't you want to go back? Same with a book. If you liked the world you stepped in..."

I love that!

Re-reading books is great! My reasons: If it's a book/series you love and parts are getting fuzzy then it's easy to go pick it up again. The second, third, fourth, fifth etc. time through lets you understand and notice new things each time. When I'm going through a rough time I tend to go back and read a comforting book that I know I enjoyed very much.

I have a shelf for books I will, or have re-read: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

But the main ones from there are:
A Matter of Magic (read 5 times)
Ranger's Apprentice series (2, except the first book which is 3)
The Immortals (3 I think)
The Chanters of Tremaris (2)

Re-reads is an awesome thing to do, because it lets you go back and find out things you might have missed.

re-reading is awesome

I love rereading because I always seem to interpret things differently each time around. I might think a part of a book is sad, but then I'll read it again and decide that it's not sad at all. I'll also notice new things each time, which is wonderful beyond words.
Also, I love the quote about rereading:)

If you cannot imagine reading a book a second time, it was not worth reading the first time. Often rereading is all I have in many long months so I have come to admire the art of rereading. It is very comforting to settle down with a familiar volume and laugh at jokes you already know the punchline to, cry at the appropriate moments or cry before the bad/sad thing has even happened because you know it's coming, and slip into the rhythm of words that are already known to you.