Maybe that’s it?

In the post I just wrote, I typed

I guess I’m too invested in the hero

Maybe, at last, I’ve finally answered the question of why I don’t read the books I really want to read, and read the easy ones instead.

I get so invested in the characters that I don’t want to see them hurt – but that is often a part, even a huge part, of the things that befall main characters in fiction, and how they grow, survive and triumph.

So to avoid going through that with characters I love, I avoid reading the books.

When I’m reading a light book where I’m not invested in the characters (and as much as I love a good setting or plot, it’s all about the characters for me) then it isn’t so scary and its safer to read.

I’ve said before that I have what I call “book fear” and I suspect perhaps this is at the root of it.

Of course a book is better when we’re invested in the characters, but we go through their downs as well as their ups and that can be hard.

Any suggestions on how to use this new realisation to overcome by book fear?