Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme, hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books & Dani @ Literary Lion, where they discuss certain topics, share their opinions, and spread the love by visiting each others’ posts.
JANUARY 28: REREADING BOOKS (Fives @ Down the Rabbit Hole)
How many times is enough? Why re-read at all? Is re-reading just a comforting pastime? Or is there excitement to be relived? What kind of books do you re-read? Do you ever re-read books you don’t like in hopes that it will be better the second time? Were there any books you didn’t like as a child but liked as an adult, or vice versa?
Welcome back to another week of LTB here at DTRH! This week’s topic is suggested by none other than yours truly! I actually suggested it a while back, and I almost forgot that I did so. Still, it’s an interesting topic that I wanted to share with you all, and would love to hear your thoughts on it too!
Funnily enough, I just reread a book, albeit by accident (review out soon!). But it was strange, since it was a thriller. Usually I’d remember the endings much more clearly so I am not inclined to reread then. For some reason this time I just had a strange inkling that I’ve read the story before. Luckily it was a very quick read, so I just breezed through it anyway. Surprisingly, I still enjoyed it!
If we’re talking about the old classics like Harry Potter, undoubtedly I’ve read it many many times. And let’s be serious, for things that you love, it’s never enough. But I think for the most part I reread for the nostalgia, and the feeling that I felt the first time reading it. There is a tiny bit of excitement involved if I’ve forgotten certain details, but I’d say for the most part it’s the whole reliving process that I reread for.
I rarely give books a second chance. If I didn’t want to finish it the first time, I doubt I want to finish it even the second time. That being said, if I finished the book and I didn’t feel it was that good, I don’t really have the urge to re-read that either. I will occasionally try for classics though, like Pride and Prejudice, but honestly not too much success with that.
Here’s an embarrassing anecdote though—do you all have bathroom reads? Books that kind of live in your bathroom for those times where you just feel like hiding out or chilling in your bathroom? Sounds kind of weird, but I definitely feel like a good bath and book (an admittedly dangerous affair) is often a good time to reread a book, when you’re not really committed to finishing it from beginning to end.
One post that I came across mentioned that they reread books in different languages. Now that is a great idea I had not thought of when I made this prompt. That is certainly something I’d like to do, and a great reason to reread a book. It would be easier to try and see the differences across languages across translations, as opposed to reading a whole new book in a new language, which would be much more challenging. Definitely something I would like to try out this year!
What do you all think about rereading books? No time for it? Or something of a guilty pleasure? Let me know in the comments below!
Down the Rabbit Hole 
I never reread books but this was a super interesting post to read!!! I just don’t think I ever have enough time to read the books I want to read and have never read, so how could I possibly reread a book where I already know the ending!! I don’t re-watch tv or movies either so I think I’m just generally a one and done type person
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Thanks Jocelyn! I generally just go through things once too – it’s never quite the same experience reading (or watching) something the second time!
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I reread an old favorite from childhood, Tuck Everlasting, earlier this month and I found it was really comfort and interesting to read as a child vs adult now!
I love that reading books in different languages – I’ve never become proficient enough in a second language, but I studied German in high school and always wanted to read a story I already knew, like Harry Potter, in German but I just never did and I don’t think I remember enough now to do it – but thats a fun idea!
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That’s almost exactly what I want to do as well!!!
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I feel like Harry Potter is such a good starting point for foreign language books since we all already know the story so well!
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I think there’s a lot of value in rereading books, but also, have so many titles on my TBR list. So when I have time, I like to combine my Completed and TBR lists, and use a random number generator to decide what to read next. Let the random numbers decide!
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Another great idea! Totally relate with the long TBRs…I mean it’s just impossible to read it all!
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Your post made me realise I had tried (and failed) to read Wuthering Heights 4 or 5 times – I now leave the classics for those who enjoy them.
I had never re-read a book until the UK went into its first lockdown in March 2020. I totally lost my reading mojo and dug out some books where I hadn’t finished the series but did own all the books. I started from the beginning so all details were fresh in my mind and realised how much enjoyment I could get from a re-read – I’d forgotten more than I would have thought. Now I do re-reads mainly to get me out of a reading slump.
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That is actually so true, Louise! I have also reread books to get out of a reading slump too. Something about the ease and comfort of it all that is very encouraging, I think!
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I definitely agree with what you said! It’s the same for me with older books, sometimes I just reread for the nostalgia. And great point about rereading in different languages, I hadn’t thought of that, either! Will hopefully be trying that out as well this year!
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Harry Potter would be a re read for me. I don’t have time to re read books these days and in actual fact I think I have only ever re read a couple. I have re read the classic Pride and Prejudice because I did it at school, so wanted to read it outside!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
P.S I didn’t see the list of questions from the link I followed so mine is only a short post!
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