I noticed lately that I like books a lot more when they're character focused. Not that I cant get behind a good plot, but oftentimes when I read the blurb in fantasy/fictional books and they try to entice me with the actual world building and future conflict instead of dueling on the romance or the characters themselves, I get bored?

I would even enjoy said book, but even thinking about all the plot I'm suddenly getting tired and disinterested

I have a major interest in psychology and I end up reading a lot of contemporary stuff bc I care more about the characters psyche and personal journey than anything else (all my plot ratings on here have been a 3 at most lately 😭😭). So understanding someone, even if they're fictional, and seeing life through their eyes is more fun to me than any sort of action (If anyone has any supernatural/fantasy/whatever character focused stories I'll take them)

So I wanted to know what type of stories grab your attention the most and why

The above is an interesting question I've been thinking of anew after watching Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another, which is itself a (loose) adaptation of Pynchon's Vineland (as much a read as OBAA is a watch!).

The purpose of an adaptation, in my eyes, is more of a translation or transformation. An act that inevitably distorts the reality of the work to best suit its new format. Sometimes, that means very little changes, or that every minute detail must be twisted in one way or another. The point being that a new name and fresh coat of paint help that translation stand taller, in my opinion.

But what I'm more so after is how people see the same question. If Emerald Fennel's Wuthering Heights bore a different name, would you think people would be more receptive to it? If One Battle After Another carried Pynchon's source material with more visibility, would it have been as well received as it was?

Once again, I know my answers to these questions but I'm very interested in hearing what others have to say!

I've hit Chapter Seven. I didn't think the point Tartt was trying to make about the small town and their islamaphobia was bad per say, it was just a little out of nowhere and I wish it flowed better. Maybe it's just because of the world today but her points felt very relevant, albeit basic, especially with how the group reacted.