Lately, I have been thinking about what it is that makes me come back to a story! I have been wondering about this one quality that makes me either read a novel twice, or at least makes me not want to put it down at all.
Have you read some novels twice? I most certainly have, and I know of people who simply cannot go through it all over again. I guess I like to dwell in moments.
Knowing that a moment actually happened can be so comforting. Especially when there had been a sad ending, rereading and remembering all the things that had happened before has been something I did several times. Whenever I was reading „Never let me go“ by Kazuo Ishiguro, each time it was a little relief so see how many moments had been there before their fragile short lives reached the final stages. It was almost a healing experience.
To have this kind of experience with a novel, you have to be willing to accept these kinds of emotions. Willing to be heartbroken, willing to shed some tears – I understand that not everyone is open for this. I myself become more and more careful with this (looks like I‘m really growing up).
Another thing that makes me cling to a novel is the way in which the characters come to life. Seeing them move, hearing their voice, and feeling them right next to me, as if I am actually following them is a thing I enjoy! It is the reason why I love the hollows series by Kim Harrison so much. Having the main character Rachel with me in my daily life felt wonderfully warm and comforting. When I read „The whispering muse“ by Laura Purcell, it impressed me how within two sentences a person was coming to life that felt as real as if I could reach out and touch their skin and as familiar as if I had known them all my life. And then, of course, tragedy happened, as in most of the books I love.
Maybe, I just have to admit that I love the torture myself and am open for all these dark emotions and the tragic experience that wakes up nostalgia like nothing else, but I still think there is one more thing to it. When I read „Die Hexe von Freiburg“ (a German novel, „The witch of Freiburg“) by Astrid Fritz, I was devestated in the end, but also my heart felt full. My heart felt so full and warm, while leaking and aching at the same time! Because the story had been wonderful and heartwarming, as well as tragic. Besides all its tragic, it had had a spark of light.
I think it may be the most important thing to have this spark of light. This one thing that fills up the heart and makes it worth it.
I could come up with examples of novels that did not have this and therefor are not as close to my heart as those I mentioned, but I do not see the point. There might be people out there who found just this in those novels that did not work for me, so why put it in question?
I am a nostalgic reader. I love to dwell on moments, let characters close into my heart, and to even be heartbroken by a piece of literature, as long as my heart can recharge something meaningful within that story.
I want my witching novel to accomplish this. It is written by me, so it will be dark and tragic, but I hope it can provide this spark that makes it all worth it. I hope it will bring to life characters the readers need in their life and keep close to their heart, and for that heart to find something meaningful in my dark little story.
Sounds like a huge challenge? Yes, this goal does not make me question my life decisions leading up to this at all …
Now that I think about it, there are of course so many more reasons even for me to read and reread. I am even rereading Frank Herbert‘s „Dune“ at the moment, but how and why I am doing that is probably an own blog post.
Mistress witch writes 