Many people consider me a fast reader if a book in three days but I consider people fast readers if they read a book in a day!
So this question just stumbled into my mind and it is how do you define a fast reader? And do you think you’re a fast reader?
Do you think reading a book in a week is fast? A couple of hours? And what about a slow reader?
Please leave your answers below because I am really interested to see how I fit in the spectrum.
I’ll write soon.
-Astra
A Stranger's Guide To Novels 
I have always considered myself a fast reader– when I actually have the time to read that is. I can read a short novel (200-400 pages) in a few hours (probably 4-6 or less). I know I can finish The Giver under 3 hours (I love this book and I reread it every couple years). So I look more at how many hours it takes to read, not how long I’m in the process of reading it. Sometimes I start a book but life gets in the way so I have to stop reading for maybe a week, but overall It would still only take me a few hours to finish said book.
I think it just comes down to what context you are looking at here. Sometimes life gets in the way and slows us down, even if we can read quickly.
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Yeah I guess there are many factors that could affect reading speed and readings overall. But still it normally takes me two days to read a 400 page book during a normal week. I guess that might seem slow to you as you can read a novel of that side in a couple of hours (seriously wow though!). It depends on the author as well, if there writing is usually slow paced or fast paced (like Rainbow Rowell).
Thanks for commenting😄
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I also usually read like a 400 – 500 page book in 4 – 6 hours, if I’ve really got nothing else going on. I can read Harry Potter 1 & 2 in one day, and the rest also takes me about a day, except Order of the Pheonix that’s like a day and a half. But I have also found that if I’m really intrigued by a book it tends to take me a bit longer, because I kinda savour every minute. When I’m busy and can’t spend most of my day reading – a 600 page book might take me two days.
I know I’m a fast reader, I have been ever since I was a child. But there’s nothing wrong with reading fast/slow, as long as you read and enjoy it 🙂
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Oh my gosh that’s fast! The Harry Potter series can take me about a week or less to finish because it’s Harry Potter. Yeah that’s what I do as well with a book I really like! Sometimes I think I read too fast so that all of the scenes and words turn into a blur which is a bad thing but slowly I am making sure I am taking my time with novels to reflect back on them.
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Same! I never rush through a book, I always take my time. People have told me that I read really fast and then I’m always like – “I’m sorry”
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My friends take two weeks to read one book so if I read one book in like three days they are all in awe and say don’t you do anything but read😑 I’m a fast reader okay. Anyway yes if you are rushing through a book I don’t think your enjoying it as much.
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Yes! You are, if you think you are then you are 🙂
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I personally judge how fast one is a reader by how quick they read a paragraph, or an article, of something I’m showing them. For example, my brother, a slow reader, reads it slower than my mom, who is a fast reader. I don’t judge how fast someone goes through a book as what type of reader they are. There are a bunch of contributing factors; if you enjoy a book, you’ll fly through it. If its slow,even at first, you’ll be slower. If you’re in a slump/ have no motivation to, you won’t finish it in a day. It’s not a consistant thing. I’m not a slow reader, but I’m not the fastest. I have finished novels in a day, but sometimes it takes me 3 days to a week to finish a book despite how much I’m enjoying it. You can be considered a fast reader because a book in three days isn’t bad, especially when you deal with life. It all really depends on the book and how you feel while reading.
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Yeah I know there will be many factors to how fast a person reads a book, so that’s why I was asking you guys how would you define a fast reader. I agree with you about judging people on how fast you read a paragraph or something. If a person takes longer than me to finish a book I don’t look down on them or anything-it’s just how people read after all. I basically just ended up agreeing with everything you said 🙂
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I think completing a book in a day or some hours Is a fast reader for me.
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Same I’m often like WHAT when a person finishes a 500 page book in under 24hrs.
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Yeah that’s too much…! 500 pages in a day?!?!?!?
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I think I’m a slow reader, I just spend a lot of time reading so that many people think I read fast. But there was like a test on how many words per minute can you read somewhere, if you’re curious on the real reading speed.
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Yeah I was thinking of doing a test like that on the Internet. Sometimes I feel like I have to reread a page like three times before I understand what’s happening which slows down the pace of my reading.
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I’ve read a book in one day and I’ve read a book over the course of several weeks. It really mostly depends on the style of writing and the content of the story. Classics take me forever. Contemporaries between 1 and 3 days. However, everyone tells me I’m a fast reader and they are often concerned that I don’t cherish the book enough by flying through it. But I don’t read it fast in order to get to the end, but because I really, really, really want to know what happens next. Unfortunately that’s what brings me closer to the end as well.
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I kind of avoid Classics because the would take me ages to read. Yeah I would say that if you are enjoying the story that much and you are flying through the pages then that’s okay, if you get what I’m saying, but just finishing the book quick so you can finish the book quick is what I kind of frown upon. But hey if you are enjoying the story I wouldn’t care if you are taking three months or three hours. Yes! I have to force myself to put the book down so that I don’t finish the book too quickly!
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I consider a book in at least a week to be a fast reader. Of course you have those people that can read a book in a single sitting or in a day, but honestly I think having the time to devote to reading is also a key factor. You can still be a fast reader if you read a book a week if you don’t have much time during the week to read. A slow reader is probably someone that takes a month to read a book (even reading some each day of that month).
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Yes that’s another factor as well- about how much time you actually have to read. Good point👍 If a person has only read one book in a month but had been trying to read it all through the month, I’m not going to hold it against them of course.
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Nope, I’m not one for shaming slow readers. As long as you’re reading, then that’s all that matters.
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Preach!✌🏾️
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I consider myself to be a pretty fast reader. I can finish a YA book in a day or two. Before I started blogging I read about 20 books a month, but now I’m down to about 15 because of the whole reviewing and blogging process. But it’s definitely more about quality and not quantity!
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You used to read 20 books a month! Wow that’s really fast! Yep it’s absolutely more about quality over quantity when your reading. I’d rather read 1 really good book than five terrible ones.
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Unfortunately, I am a slow reader, but I put this down to procrastination and distractions rather than my average reading speed. But I feel that if you “whiz” your way through a book you don’t take in the full beauty of it.
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Some people who read fast can take all of the information I and I am seriously jealous of those people. And that’s kind of the same with me- I get distracted too much while reading.
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I have a friend who can do that! She’s a sponge! I don’t know how her brain works!
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I do consider myself a pretty fast reader – well, when I do read, that is. I don’t seem to spend much time reading compared to the rest of the blogosphere, and I usually only end up reading about 2 books per week. I tend to get distracted with the internet when I should be reading, and I often put my homework off until the last minute. If I do read for a long period of time, like in read-a-thons, I can usually finish a 400 page book in about 3-4 hours. Interesting post!
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Than you! I am like the only person who only reads one book at a time always :p What can I say? I love just immersing myself into one world at a time 🙂 I get seriously distracted while reading, but reading for hours on end without an disturbances is pure bliss!
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