Does Page Count Affect Your Decision To Read A Book Or Not?

Maud Fitch · Post by **Maud Fitch** » 06 May 2013, 18:20

Personally I think that's a shallow outlook on reading. It's like saying "I only read books written in first person". Think
of what you're missing! Why restrict yourself when there are many wonderful authors who write in a variety of ways. Shorter stories may lack punch but longer stories may be padded. It's the author's storytelling skills, not the length.

sout000008 · Post by **sout000008** » 06 May 2013, 19:55

Yes, word count does affect my decision to read a book. Size of the font is important as well. The people and places that I read about become part of my life for awhile and I hate to form that relationship and then have it end right away.

thea · Post by **thea** » 07 May 2013, 10:29

I read the auschwitz violin which was really short and liked it a lot - though I tend to read monster sized books as a rule

Carlotta Melzi · Post by **Carlotta Melzi** » 08 May 2013, 03:19

Page count doesn't affect my decision to read a book but, especially when I was a (poor) student, it affected my decision to buy or not a book.
I mean, if I had to pay the same money for 200 or 600 pages, I bought the 600 pages book!
Now I have more money, so it's less important.

praxistest · Post by **praxistest** » 08 May 2013, 04:52

Yes, I think it might affect the decision if the book is not so important but if the book is important to read then it won't affect. For example, If you are going for Praxis exams then it become necessary for you to read the Praxis 2 Study Guide at any cost.

uknovelista17 · Post by **uknovelista17** » 10 May 2013, 15:28

Well, for me not at all, the only things I take into consideration are the theme and epilogue. If a book seems interesting and it has about five hundred pages it doesn't matter to me, reading sensible material is my only goal so a book's page count definitely would not affect my decision.

Meeka40 · Post by **Meeka40** » 11 May 2013, 01:23

I love reading books that have lots of pages, chapters, parts, and series. It just adds more life to what you're reading. It keeps on going so that you can really become familiar with the characters making them real to the reader instead of just another story.

lydia51 · Post by **lydia51** » 11 May 2013, 17:20

When my children were toddlers, I would take them to the town library in a stroller. I would then go to the new fiction shelf, and, knowing that I had a short period of time before they (my children) noticed that the stroller had stopped moving, I would pick the fattest book I saw. It didn't matter what the title was, or what the cover looked like, or what the plot of the book was, I was only interested in the book lasting until the next time I could get to the library. I read a great, many books that I wouldn't ordinarily have considered before. Now, I have time to pick out only books that look interesting to me, but I still prefer a nice, long read.

kaityy12 · Post by **kaityy12** » 11 May 2013, 19:27

For some reason, I used to have the idea that shorter novels weren't going to be as well-written, but now I definitely see the fault in that. There's something very nice about a short and sweet story, and you definitely have to be a good author to get your point across in lesser lines!

rekha123 · Post by **rekha123** » 15 May 2013, 06:20

Sometimes I'd find it difficult to move on as few authors will keep on dragging the matter content and cilmax is only in the end...then I'd run the pages like anything at all! That time I'd count the pages and feel like I forgot what I am really reading at the moment!

Saoirse200 · Post by **Saoirse200** » 19 May 2013, 12:03

If a book has less than 400 pages and does not have a sequel I probably wouldn't bother reading it.

Dean Koontz · Post by **CinnamonB** » 19 May 2013, 13:01

I honestly used to think that it would make a difference to me. But as I got older and always wanting to reach for big books with nearly a 800+ pages, I realize it would only be something to brag about. I enjoy reading regardless of the genre, the amount of pages or the cover. But, if I were to say similar, then yes, on occasion, I'd like to read a book with a high page count.

Zena · Post by **Zena** » 19 May 2013, 13:33

Yes, page count is important to me. It may be my misconception, but I think that it is difficult to develop characters in shorter stories. When I choose a book I want to settle in and be there awhile. I guess I feel like I am getting my money's worth with the longer books. I am sure that I have probably missed some great reads with this quirk.

hazelk · Post by **hazelk** » 22 May 2013, 03:03

I usually tend to avoid long books, however at the moment I am reading one with 614 pages!! there is always the exception to the rule.

After this it may lead me into reading three long reads that I own, Anna Karenina, Don Quixote and Gone With The Wind.