I’m a rereader. Not always, and not with every book, but there are times in my life when I need the comfort of an old friend I know I like. When I don’t want to take a chance on something new and potentially awesome — or awful.
I reread when I’m sad or anxious. It’s a bit like emotional eating, which I also do, but it doesn’t go to my thighs.
I also reread when I’ve had a run of bad luck with new books. I’m sure you’ve been there…the alst four or five books you’ve tried made you cringe or want to throw them across the room? That’s when I think…forget it. I know *this* book is good, and I’m going to read it.
What do I reread? Surprisingly, it’s not always the books I love the most, although those are more likely. There are some 5-star books that are great reads, but that I wouldn’t want to revisit. Meanwhile, I’ve read some 3 and 4-star books that called to me months or years later, enticing me to give them another chance, if only to relive one particular favorite moment. (In those cases, I often skim heavily until I get to that moment.)
I have reread the Harry Potter series more times than I care to admit. (Seriously…I’ve lost count.) I have reread Ender’s Game, A Wrinkle in Time, The Chronicles of Narnia, and nearly every romance by Judith McNaught.
Books with strong characters and exciting moments of pain, loss, love, or hope are the ones I am most inclined to reread. I want to try to recapture that moment. Of course, it is never quite the same the second time around, but in many stories, there is at least an echo of the experience there, and in the best stories, you can find something new to love the second time around. Something you missed before.
Which books are your old friends? When do you reread them?
I’m not much of a rereader, but there is one or two books that I read when I am down and I know they will make me feel better.
I reread constantly. These times, mostly Terry Pratchett books. You are right, some books feel like old friends. 🙂