Do you read the flap of a book before you read the book itself? Or do you want to be surprised? (2 question marks but really only 1 question.)
I'll answer my own question 1st. I do NOT read the flap at least until I have finished the book - or not at all. I don't want to know anything that happens before it happens. I start on page one, and, unlike Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally, who read the end of every book 1st, I never read ahead (well, almost never - but NEVER the end).
What do you all do?
Sometimes I'll read a flap, especially if I've never heard of the author. But mostly I like to be surprised.
ReplyDeleteSo far, after posting the question on a number of different social sites, you're the only other person who doesn't typically read the flaps. I'm glad to have a little company.
ReplyDeleteIt depends.
ReplyDeleteIf the book strikes my fancy but I haven’t heard of it before, I usually read about halfway through the flap. However, I usually pick up a book because it has been recommended, so I don’t try to read the flap, seeing how they usually explain what it’s about when they tell me about it.
When I go to the library, I usually read the flap to see what that book is about and then force myself to forget what it says.
I often read the flap after I finish a book, simply to see how the summary compares to the actual story.
I like to be surprised when diving into a new book/series.
I usually start at page 1 as well- unless they have prologues that really happen to be epic spoilers (HATE those). Those I try to skip when I can catch them early.
I despise the act of reading the ending before you finish. I, personally, read by what is going on. I do not register new chapters or page number unless there is no bookmark on hand. So when someone shouts out the ending/a part near the end, I assume that they have read up to that point and want to talk about something in the middle that they have happened not to have read yet (because they were way to busy reading the end).
Kiki, thanks for the detailed answer.
ReplyDelete