We have all been told one time or another not to judge a book by its cover. Naturally, this advice makes good sense, unless you are looking at a cover simply to quickly gauge whether it is a genre you like to read or are willing to experiment with. If I judged by the cover, I would not have picked up The Berlin Boxing Club, for example. And that would have been my loss.
But aside from the cover, when do you decide whether a certain novel is one you want to read or leave on the shelf?
Is it the blurb on the inside jacket?
The first page?
The first paragraph?
Or just the first sentence?
I usually buy my books in a physical bookstore - there is something about being in the presence of so many works that simply cannot be had by clicking "add to basket" or "checkout." I will select books randomly, regardless of cover. I skip the blurb and go straight to the first page.
If I am hooked, I am hooked after the first sentence. ("The year was 1937; the month was September, the evening unseasonably cold.") If I am not fully satisfied, I will read the rest of the paragraph and, most often, the rest of the page. If the story and I do not connect after that first page, chances are we won't and the book is going back onto the shelf. Style and theme, in my opinion, do come across almost right away.
How do you judge a book?
Wow, first page, huh? Sounds like you'd be a great agent! LOL
ReplyDeleteor a really awful one :-)
DeleteHmmm...okay, honestly the title. ONLY because of how they are set up on the shelf. After the title, then the blurb. I flash a peak at the cover. I do a little judgment. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat point. But I made so many mistakes because of the title that I don't want to consider it in eliminating a book. As a kid I thought East of Eden just sounded weird and I did not want to read it at first. Now one of my favorites ever :-)
DeleteI do the same thing. Whether I'm buying a book in a store or online, I have to read the first page. If the voice doesn't pull me in, I don't buy it. Voice is key for me. Although, I will admit a great cover will make me read that sample, so I do think covers are important, too.
ReplyDeleteExactly how I feel - the voice has to speak to me, almost right away!
DeleteWhen I go to the bookstore, I head for suspense/thriller section or horror section. But, when I start browsing, I get very frustrated. The books are shelved with the spine toward you, so you have to pull it out to see the cover. If you have to pull it out, then the effort seems you should at least open and read the front cover blurb. If it sounds like a good story, I'll quickly read the first page. If the first page doesn't grab me, I put the book back.
ReplyDeleteIt's frustrating that I do this, because I know I'm by-passing some really great books. What I'm doing now is shopping for a favorite author. I found some books at the new Goodwill Bookstore that opened up close by.
Once I find a style I like, I'm a fan for life. :)
Yes, by-passing some great novels is definitely a concern, but I think this system kind of fits the selection process into our lives (as unfortunately we can't spend hours in the bookstore every day...). Selecting by author is almost always a sure bet too.
DeleteThank you Diane!
I usually judge a book on how well the main characters respond to the first--trying to think of the word--I guess you'd call it the first crisis. Also, how well it's written; sometimes it's rushed through or drawn out and that's a detractor, even if the characters are believable.
ReplyDeleteThat is some real effort - to wait out how the MC will react. I admire your patience :-)
DeleteThanks for visiting!
Usually the blurb, because I research them online.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise its recommendations :)
I'd love some great recommendations! Most of my friends / acquaintances have completely different tastes from me... but I do try sometimes :-)
DeleteI choose by the cover and feel of a book, then the blurb on the back. I rarely read the first page - just the blurb. But then I will often make a note and donwload the kindle version!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat - it is so interesting to see how we have so many different approaches towards the same end.
DeleteAt a book store, I'm drawn to the cover or enamored by the title, then I flip to the middle and back to the start to see if it's a good read.
ReplyDeleteFor the kindle, I download sample chapters of recommended books which I read before I purchase the remainder.
OK, I admit I have done that too, flipping to the middle and the back and then back front - but I fear I will sort of ruin the "surpise."
DeleteThanks for following!
The cover and the title draw me in, as does the author if I've read them before. Then I read the blurb. If still interested, I will read the first page. That's when I make my decision. And that's one reason why I try so hard to make my first page one that will make a reader want to read more.
ReplyDelete