Monday, January 18, 2010

Booking It--Flapper? Or Not a Flapper?


Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?


Sometimes before. Sometimes during. Sometimes after.


I'm always tempted to read them, and sometimes I do. But they often contain spoilers, which I hate. And they shape the way I experience the book, which I don't like. Additionally, sometimes the supposed blurb actually contains an interpretation of the story that I disagree with, and that's aggravating to me.


So, the best time for me to read the flap is after I've read the book. Then I've experienced the book on my own terms, and I'm ready to argue with the flap if need be. :-)

4 comments:

Alex said...

I only read the flap if I am convinced I will never end up reading the book anyway.

Heather Manes said...

I hate hate hate when something I've read on the flap doesn't happen until near the end of the novel.

Stephanie said...

I know! Because I'm waiting for it to happen and expecting it with every page I turn.

Heather Manes said...

Exactly! And it always makes me wind up liking the book less because I can't guess what's going to happen. I think that's happened with a few Picoults before...