By Sydney Loder
Book series have never been something for the faint of heart. Sometimes they can take a couple weeks, a couple months, or even a couple years to read. This led me to question why exactly we do it. Is it because we long for a different world that we feel we can grow with and in, or is it because we as humans crave a sense of familiarity and pattern? After thinking it through I discovered that such a broad spectrum required some outsourcing, so here I am posing the question, what makes people want to read book series? My first answer came from one of my friends and avid reviewer on the site, Cara Butler, who said, "The attachment readers feel to the characters is like an alternate reality, and book series readers want to see how their life pans out due to the unmistakable feeling of being part of said characters life." Then I asked another friend, Hannah Hylton, her opinions on the matter and she said, "I started to read books and book series because my sister would beg me to read her favorites so she could talk to me about them. This led me to understanding that we as humans like to read books/book series because it gives us something to relate over and talk about which ultimately brings us closer together." However, I began to wonder whether or not different genres effect the question and its answer, so I turned to sci-fi reader, Riley Geddes. He states that, "Series of books often appeal to some, opposed to other types of books, like stand alone novels, simply because of their plot depth." Another factor that came into play as I was writing this was the opinions of those who would be considered outliers in this question, non-readers. While they're hard to find, I was able to ask around and find the perfect subject, a student named Alex Byrd. When asked to answer this question he said, "Readers like to feel like they are part of something and book series allow for an individual to be to enter a realm beyond themselves." Lastly I turned to reader/writer, Haley Hylton, who added a wonderful point of view when she said, "I like to read series and books that suck me in and make me feel everything, the type of books that have me submerged. I think people look to read to take a break from everyday life, to step away from their own issues and problems and focus on someone else's. I think people read for a sense of adventure and excitement. People read series to enjoy their own life more."
Commenti