Rereading: The Joy of Rediscovering Favorite Novels
Rereading is something I often do with my favorite novels. The dog-eared pages, bent covers, and loose pages of a paperback I bought when I was eleven are all signs of how many times I’ve read and reread that book. For instance, my copy of “Emily of New Moon” eventually had to be replaced after my 20th rereading. This habit of mine made me wonder, why do we keep coming back to the same stories with the same characters? What makes reading the scene where Elizabeth Bennet meets Mr. Darcy almost as exciting as the first time? Why do I still smile when Mr. Rochester proposes to Jane? What is it about Emily from Lucy Maud Montgomery’s series that keeps inviting me back?
Gail Carson Levine, the author of “Ella Enchanted,” says it so well: “There’s nothing wrong with reading a book you love over and over. When you do, the words get inside you, become a part of you in a way that words in a book you’ve read only once can’t.” The more you reread a book, the more it becomes a part of you. The characters and the story start to influence your own life choices and decisions.
I first read “Emily of New Moon” when I was eleven, and I haven’t stopped rereading it since. Like Emily, I aspired to climb the “Alpine path” to success one day. This idea deeply resonated with me, as becoming a writer has always been intertwined with my journey as a reader.
Despite her flaws, and she had many, Emily Byrd Starr became the character I identified with the most during my childhood. No reading moment stands out more vividly to me than the one where I lost myself in Emily’s world. It was a turning point, my own experience through the looking glass, which hooked me on reading for life. Although books were already significant to me by then, “Emily of New Moon” truly propelled me into a universe filled with books. Would this rich world of books have resonated with me as strongly if I hadn’t revisited Emily’s world multiple times?
The answer is no. Without rereading, Emily would have faded into the background like many other memories and books I never revisited. Each time I reread, I delve deeper into the story, discovering new metaphors, symbols, or details I missed before. How exciting is it to return to a familiar story and uncover something new every time? So I encourage you to keep rereading. Go back to the books that have become a part of you, the ones that helped shape who you are. Return to them for new experiences and new memories.
What books do you like to reread? Share your thoughts below…
