The Joy of Reading a Classic Novel Serially

Read as the Victorian first readers did.

Can you imagine reading the whole of the Fire and Ice series without stopping? The books are big; if you read them continuously, you will not know where one book ends and another starts.

Could you see where the sections should have been? Probably, but not necessarily. Would you lose something in the experience for not having this knowledge? I think you can answer most definitely.

This is exactly what you lose when you read some great books without establishing where the sections are and where the breaks are. Even if you do not miss something, you gain a lot by reading serially.

The History of Serial Reads

In the 19th Century, there was a literary boom. With the invention of the steam train came an endless number of bookshops at the stations. However, it was rare that the average person could afford a novel or would read a novel. Instead, they read their literature in journals and magazines, a few chapters at a time.

Charles Dickens, one of the most notable figures of this era, popularised the serialised novel format. Beginning with The Pickwick Papers in 1836, Dickens released his novels monthly or weekly. This format allowed stories to reach a broad audience who could afford the smaller, periodic payments.

Serialised fiction created a sense of communal anticipation as readers eagerly awaited each instalment and discussed the unfolding plots. This episodic approach shaped Dickens's writing style, allowing him to adapt stories based on public feedback and set the trend for other authors, making serialised storytelling a cornerstone of 19th-century literature.

The Joy of Serial Reading

The first joy is reading the book as the first readers did. You wait to see how the story unfolds and see the natural breaks the author intended in the story. Having done this with three books to date, I would not have seen these natural breaks if I had not adopted the same reading schedule.

An added benefit of this type of reading is that it allows you to slow down and enjoy every page. The pressure of rushing through the book has been removed. When you slow your reading, you have more time to see how the writer constructed language and drew the reader in.

The last advantage is that when you follow the original schedule, you read the seasonal chapters while experiencing the seasons.

Not Always Easy

Some might think this is a crazy way to read, but that is because we are now in a society where we consume at a lightning rate. We have forgotten the art of taking our time. But it was not always like this. You must remember when we watched our favourite series weekly, waiting to see what happened and discussing the plot with our friends.

This reading system, though, is not always easy. Some of the stories are so good that you don't want to stop reading, which is how the Victorian writers hooked their readers.

Every month, I feel sad as the serial read is over. I almost hate that I rushed through it and had to wait a few weeks before discovering what happened. There is always the urge to keep reading, which you have to resist.

I still feel this way and have read three novels following this system. To alleviate that this year, I am reading two books at once. I am unsure whether this is a good idea, but I will let you know.

So, I urge you to try reading one of these larger classic novels serially and see if you get the same joy as I do. A quick Google search will easily find the original publishing schedules. You might have to try a few books on your TBR to find one that fits in with the month you start, but it is a hugely rewarding way to sit down with a good book.

Have you ever read serially?