I’m an exceptionally emotional person – I’m the sort of person that cries over a ‘help the poor/disadvantaged/orphans’ ad, as well as the beautiful baby/nappy ad!
When I read books, I tend to be right along side the characters – walking with them- as they experience their own story.
I’ve just finished a book and, as I shut the cover, I couldn’t control my sobbing. Maybe it was because I was so sad for the family who had just lost a Mum/daughter/sister to cancer, or maybe it is just because of my own experience from having friends with cancer, and it is still so raw.
Maybe it’s just the way I respond to everything! Whatever the reason, Jane Green wrote so well that I could picture what was happening, as if it was a movie in my head. The stark cold walls of hospitals, the overwhelming, gut-wrenching grief of the family and children, who did not really understand what was happening to their mum.
I’ve recently been blogging with Nicole Alexander (www.nicolealexander.com.au), from The Bark Cutters fame, and one of the things I wrote about was being able to lose yourself in the magic of books – letting them take you to another place or world. Sometimes, I do find it hard to let go of the places I’ve visited in the books I read. I go back, re-read, have another cry and try to work out why I’ve loved these pages.
The trouble is, as I shut the book, my brain, emotions and every other piece of me is in another place. I can feel gutted, emotionally exhausted, or on a high from finishing, but the people that share my house with me and haven’t been reading the same book, are not feeling the same as I am; this was proven to me a couple of days ago when I was shifting sheep!
Sitting in the ute pushing sheep down a laneway doesn’t require much brain power, so I was entrenched in my book! I didn’t hear the neighbours’ ute as he drove in the drive and I’m sure he didn’t expect to see my tear-stained face as he said g’day! His smile quickly turned to a look of horror (he wasn’t the only one feeling that way – I can’t believe I was caught out so badly!) and I tried to explain that there wasn’t anything wrong and there definitely was not (as he thought) a death in the family – it was just the book I was reading was SO sad! I couldn’t seem to convince him and he drove out the drive as quickly as he came, forgetting what he came to borrow!
That’s what I call, evoking emotion!
I’m the same – I’ll cry at anything!
I love it when a book affects you that much though. That really is a sign of amazing writing.
hahaha that’s hilarious! I know it probably wasn’t to you at the time, but hilarious nonetheless!
I too understand being so immersed in something I am reading or have read. My husband will always catch me out balling my eyes out and he looks at me like i’m a totally weirdo while i squeal “Don’t look at me! It’s just so sad!!!”
P.S I also cry at the drop of a hat. Example: watching biggest loser when they reunite with their families. Yes, very sad. And yes I know I’m the sad one.