I don’t know about you, but I love to reread my favourite books. It’s a somewhat controversial opinion. Some readers wonder why you’d waste your time on a book you’ve already read when you could be reading something from your never-ending TBR pile.
I get it. I always feel a little bit guilty when I reread books. So many of us have precious little time to read as it is, which makes rereading seem indulgent.
So why do it? I could probably write you an entire essay on the topic, but I’ll keep it short and sweet with my top five reasons why you should take some of your best-loved (sometimes even your least-loved) books for another spin.
Why You Should Reread Books
1. Get Yourself Out of a Reading Slump
My go-to method for pulling myself out of a reading slump is to reread books that I know I love. It’s low commitment because even if you don’t finish it, you already know how it ends, and you don’t have to worry about investing yourself in a story you aren’t even sure you’re going to like.
I recently did this with Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. In April I found myself in one of the biggest reading slumps I’ve had in years. I tried pulling myself out of it by trying no fewer than 10 different books on my TBR. Not one of them grabbed me. I was in a funk.
So I went to my list of favourites and picked one.
It worked! I’m still reading a bit slower than I usually do, but rereading Six of Crows got me back into a regular reading habit.
2. Improve Your Writing
Calling all writers! We’re both writers and we approach reading from a writer’s perspective. I’ll often reread a book when I’m trying to work out a problem in my own writing. Reading as a writer is one of the best methods for improving your writing because you can analyze how that author’s style made you fall in love with the story.
I look at everything from the big-picture story structure and character arcs, right down to the nitty gritty of word choice and rhythm. Oftentimes, after I’ve reread a particular book, I’ll keep referring back to it, like a guide. When I’m stuck on something specific, like dialogue or the mechanics of getting a character from point A to point B, I’ll flip through familiar books to see how those writers handled the same issue. Don’t underestimate the value of rereading books to solve your own writing problems.
For more about writing listen to Episode 41: Making A Routine of Writing.
3. You Missed Things the First Time Around
The first time you read a book, it’s for the story. The second time you read it, you start paying closer attention to the details and the larger themes. I’m not saying that you’ll completely miss something like theme or symbolism on the first read through, but I guarantee they’ll have a bigger impact when you reread books.
This is just how our brains work. We don’t know what’s going to happen next, so that’s our focus. You get the chance to slow down a bit when you’re rereading books. Since you already know what happens next, you can savour it:
- Notice a neat detail that you didn’t the first time around.
- Get a better understanding of a character’s motivation.
- Realize that what seemed like a throw-away line was actually a clever bit of foreshadowing.
For me, savouring the details is just as fun as the ‘what’s-going-to-happen-next’ feeling of a brand new story.
And if it’s been years since you read that book, you’ll be surprised at just how many details you forget. If you loved it once, it’s worth revisiting.
4. The Book Deserves Another Chance
I’ll admit that asking someone to reread a book they didn’t like the first time around is a big ask, but hear me out. Sometimes a book comes to you at the wrong time. Either you’re in the wrong headspace or the wrong point in your life.
The first time I read 1984 by George Orwell I was a young teenager with very little worldly experience. Most of it went right over my head. I didn’t hate it, but I wasn’t thrilled by it either. It left me underwhelmed and wondering what all the fuss was about. When I read it again in my early twenties, I gained a much deeper understanding of it. I got it. And I’m sure if I were to read it again now that I’m in my thirties, it would have a different impact.
Sometimes a book isn’t right for you at a certain time, but age and experience can alter you in such a way that it becomes the right book for you later in life. Not every book will be worth a second chance, but keep an eye out for the ones that are.
Listen to Episode 24: The Books We Hated and let us know if you think any of those ones deserve a second chance.
5. It’s Comforting to Reread Our Favourite Books
On the flip side of books that weren’t right for you at a certain time are books that feel right no matter when you read them. These are the comfort books. The books you loved as a child or the ones that feel like they’re part of you.
I’ve read His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman more times than I can remember. It’s my go-to comfort read. I can sink into that story like no other. Every time I read it I fall a little bit more in love with the story and the characters. It’s familiar, like putting on an old, well-loved sweater. When I’m stressed out or overwhelmed with reality, there’s nothing I like better than diving back into one of my favourite stories.
“I’d read this book again.”
The highest praise I can give to a book is that I’d read it again. It’s my gold standard when evaluating books. A book that I’d recommend is a great book. But a book that I add to my reread list? Phenomenal.
Of course, I’m not immune to the pull of my TBR list and my priority always goes to the unread books. I reserve my rereading to either a couple books a year or to a specific time frame. I love to save my rereads for December. It’s always a hectic month, so it’s nice to read something that doesn’t require as much focus. And it leaves the rest of the year free for all those shiny new titles that I have on my bookshelf!
Do you reread books or do you only read new ones? Let us know in the comments below.
