Reading Profile
My reading taste is actually something I’m pretty proud of. Something I have worked hard on these past two-ish years is branching out of my comfort zone in terms of what I’m reading. Last year I tried my best to read more science fiction, a genre I don’t read much of (except for Kurt Vonnegut and Stephen King, two guys who *technically* write some sci-fi stuff). Through branching out I read Neuromancer by William Gibson, the book that pretty much inspired the Matrix movies, and I enjoyed it a lot! I’m hoping that through the genre annotations, I can really dive into genres I don’t read much of (if not at all), such as gentle reads and fantasy. I have always wondered about the appeal of Debbie Macomber to my patrons, so I am excited to see what the hype is! Hopefully, I will be able to recommend books in genres I had no knowledge of before this course.
My main squeezes in terms of genre are usually horror, classics, and literary fiction. Some of my favorite authors include Stephen King, Kurt Vonnegut, Chuck Palahniuk, Toni Morrison, and Ottessa Moshfegh. Some books I’ve finished in the past few months include Firestarter by Stephen King, Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh, The Butcher by Laura Kat Young, and I am currently reading three books: The Tommyknockers by Stephen King, Leech by Hiron Ennes, and Universal Harvester by John Darnielle. All three are horror books. As I was reading through the NoveList article on appeal, I had a realization about my reading habits: I enjoy “unlikeable” characters, a character type that NoveList states is “deliberately painted in an unflattering light, these characters will not gain the sympathy of readers, so there is less emotional investment if and when bad things happen to them” (NoveList, 2018). I love reading about the gritty and gross!
One last thing about me: if I don’t like a book I will immediately stop reading it. Case in point: I tried reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown a few years ago and couldn’t get past chapter one. If that is your favorite book I am sorry, I don't mean anything by it! Everyone has their own unique tastes and that is what makes Readers’ Advisory an art in itself.
References
NoveList. (2018). The secret language of books: A guide to appeal. https://www.ebscohost.com/uploads/novelist/pdf/NoveList_Appeal_2018.pdf
Hi Megan, I was super pumped to read your genre preferences—we’re on the same page! I just finished John Darnielle’s Wolf in White Van over Christmas break and absolutely loved it. Universal Harvester and Devil House are on my to-read list right now, are you liking Universal Harvester so far? I also really identified with your statement about enjoying unlikeable characters and enjoying the gritty and gross. Glad I’m not the lone sociopath in class, haha.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! Universal Harvester is amazing so far, and if you've read Darnielle before I think you would love it, too. Who woulda known that a novel set in Iowa would be so exciting! No offense to Iowans. After I finish I am definitely going to check out Wolf in White Van. Unlikeable characters are the best!
ReplyDeleteHi Megan! I'm so floored that I clicked on your blog today; I'm fairly new to reading horror but it's quickly become one of my new favorite genres, so I'm adding some of your recents to my TBR list! Realizing how big into the "gritty and gross" I am was a fun surprise for me (since I've always considered myself to be kind of a coward), but I just love the visceral experience of being horrified and disgusted and delighted and feeling like I've been socked in the stomach all at once, if that makes sense? I had forgotten that I read some Palahniuk in high school and I'm realizing that it has stayed with me longer than most other things I've read, so maybe I'm actually just rediscovering my latent affinity for horror? Wild.
ReplyDeleteI also very much relate to wondering about the appeal of authors that library patrons just seem to adore, except my specific fixation is on Danielle Steel instead of Macomber. Hopefully this class will help us get to the bottom of this mystery!
Hi Olivia! Welcome (back) to the world of horror! If you ever need any other horror book recs, lemme know and I would be more than happy to share :)
DeleteAlso, that whole sentence about feeling grossed out yet delighted was spot on.
I too like gritty and gross and I LOVE Vonnegut! I tend to lean towards likeable characters - but every once in a while an author writes such an amazingly unlikable character that I go along for the ride. Great profile!
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