"Hungarian punch!" May 16, 2011

"Where do writing, plot, characters, and setting rank in importance in a book?"

For me, I really consider all of these things to be hugely important, but the plot is huge for me. I could have a book with characters that I don't necessarily love, but still enjoy the book because of plot. The plot is what makes you start to read a book. That little plot synopsis sucks the reader in, so it's definitely number one for me. But characters are so close to beating it.
I know that, as a reader, it's most hard for me to enjoy a book with characters I don't like. I want to be able to feel for, and at least be interested in all of the characters. Even the ones who do stupid things.

I have a much harder time taking a book seriously, and appreciating it in full if it doesn't have good characters. Very rarely will a plot make up for that.

Next, is setting. Usually, the setting doesn't matter too much to me. You could put interesting characters anywhere and I think that if the book is well-written, it's good. I do like me a good setting, though. Particularly in historical fiction or dystopian novels. When the author takes the time to really and truly create that world, and they do is correctly, it creates magic in a book. 

The writing, for me, isn't something I'd generally put on this list. The way it's written doesn't usually matter to me that much. I'm not reading for grammar, I'm reading to read. So, whatever way the author writes is usually okay with me. There's only one author who's writing style has really bugged me.

Today I saw: Hippo. A lot of Hippo.

Today I heard: Lots of cussing, and screaming, and yelling. Mostly Austin. Still love him.

Today I smelled: Pizza. Healthy dinner choices here in my household.

Today I touched: Balazs, a lot. He was wearing a black shirt, and there was lint, and I am OCD. It's just... habit.

Today I tasted: Grapes. So. Many. Grapes. Too. Many. Grapes.