Monday, January 01, 2007

Flashbacks

I wonder if anyone else has the extreme aversion to flashbacks that I do. I recently rejected a Reginald Hill novel because he kept skipping back and forth--much as I love his style, I decided to just skip it.

I once skipped 70 pages of flashback, and completed the novel without harm.

So tonight when I put a hold on the new Elizabeth George, What Came Before He Shot Her, I wondered if I would stick it, once the book was in my hands. Sounds like one long flashback to me. Of course, I have lots of time to chew on that conundrum--I am something like 190th on the list--unless I opt for the large print copy--and I hate those--then I think I would only be 11th.

I always complain about George's novels, but that has not stopped me from reading them all. Sigh.

3 comments:

Jen said...

I hate flashbaks too! Especially when they're intercut with the regular story but in italics or some other annoying typesetting.

I have a whole bunch of George novels I got for a really good deal at goodwill, but have only read one or two of them. would you recommend going in order? What is it you like best about her books?

Patty said...

Jen, I always recommend reading a series in order. I like George's main characters, beginning of course with Inspector Thomas Lynley, who in the English tradition (though I know George isn't English, yet she keeps to the genre) is an aristocrat reminiscent of Peter Wimsey. I like her attention to detail. I get immersed in her books, but still find myself railing against them.

Jen said...

Hee! I forgot about your order fetish. For what it's worth, I like to read them in order too, when possible. Now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure I've read the first two of her series (in order). I've seen plenty of the Lynley mysteries on OPB, though!