As a thirteen year old, I picked up a nora Robert novel for the first time and my taste in books changed. In my late teens, I picked up those same stories to relive the memories and nostalgia that the first books brought me. It did refresh my mind on details i had forgotten and it also deepened my initial love for the books.
It was after this imcident that I became more open to the idea of rereading books. Yes, there are a billion stories in the world and millions of new books are publishhed everyday. In this article, we will uncover a few reasons why i go back to books i read years ago.
It’s Not the Same Story — Because I’m Not the Same Reader
One thing that constantly boggles my mind is the fact that there are so many books I am yet to read. My teenage and childhood years were spent consuming books and still, I have not made a dent in all the books that exist. With this, You would think that I would spend more time reading new books to make that dent and yet, I often find myself gravitating towards familiar stories.
The first time I read You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle, I was in my late teens. It was funny read and I remeber the story made me laugh so much. Picking it up again about two years later, I laughed still but with reservations this time. Naomi was not the innocent victim I thought she was infact, I found her annoying this time around. Not for anything particularly but for being so lost in herself and apathetic in her relationship. I learnt then that a relationship takes two people making an effort and not just one.
Note that neither the plot nor the characters in this book changed, I did. I went from being oblivious to certain character flaws to being more aware of them.
Safe Stories in Uncertain Times
Another reason I run back to old books is the familiar factor. New stories often feel daunting to me because most of the time, I like to know how things end. Life is full of uncertainties and enough surprises, the books I read don’t have to be. A story I’m familiar with, one that is predictable gives me a sense of stability.
For the longest time, my comfort read used to be The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. Whenever my life was moving in an unfamiliar rhythm, i would run to read about Olive and her shenanigans. It felt like a cool jar of water after an exhausting run. Yes there are new stories to explore but there is a comfort in the old stuff.
Healing in the Repetition
Not all the books on my list are satisfying to reread. Jane Brown compared rereading books to catching up with old friends. She said,
“Books are like people. Some you meet once and that’s enough. Some you want to get to know better, and whenever you are with them you discover more about them. Some are old friends you haven’t seen in years but to meet them again is a joy…”
As I’ve grown, there are certain genres, tropes and stories I rather not revisit. One of such books is Stealing heaven by Kimberly Cates. A while ago, when looking for a book to read, I stumbled upon it and picked it up. The first time I read this book, I remeber feeling pity and rooting for the main characters to fall in love.
Rereading this book made me wish the FMC would just leave the MMc alone. Seeing how unkindly he treated her, I was less than open to her remaining with him. This change in perspective made me realize that my tolerance for certain behaviours in characters had changed. At sixteen, I would have been swooning and yet here I was fuming instead.
It’s Okay to Love What You Already Love
A lot of people wonder why people reread books instead of just consuming new ones. It seems unfathomable that with the vast library of literature that exists, people prefer to read familiar stories over and over again.
i have learnt that it’s okay to like what you like and go back to it as many times as you want. There are a lot oof new lessons you’d pick up again. Perharps thefirst tme you read the book, you simply glanced through it. the second, third, fourth and even fifth time would definetly reaveal things you’ve missed.
Conclusion
According to Emily Rudow, “When we’re dealing with a particular problem in life or feeling stuck, sometime the answers we seek are not to be found in the new; new works, new knowledge, new insights, new experiences, but rather, in the old; the solution may lie behind us.”
take it upon yourself to revisit books you’ve read before. You never know what could be waiting for you hidden inbetween those pages. Do you reread books? If yes, what old favourites have you picked up lately and what new things did you discover?
