This week’s #NovNov prompt is ‘What is a novella?’, and invites bloggers to share their definition of a novella (and/or list favourites).
I see novellas as books to be read in essentially one sitting – reserved for those days when you know you have a few glorious reading hours ahead of you and you can truly settle in. The ‘one sitting’ bit is the key to deciding how ‘good’ it was because if I do read it in one sitting, it has held my attention.
I wrote a post years ago about favourite novellas – it is still accurate, with a couple of additions. In more recent years, I’ve loved stories by Claire Keegan, Alan Bennett, Hanne Ørstavik, Dimitri Verhulst and Gwendoline Riley.
Looking forward to a TBR blow-out when I see other readers’ favourites.
I reckon that’s my definition too… and no more than about 180 pages (depending on font size, spacing etc )
You and Peirene are as one on this and I’d agree. I think I remember them saying their books were a length that can be read in an afternoon.
Yes, and I have a few of their volumes in the novella TBR stack 🙂
I think the perfect length is around 150 pages for me and I agree with the ‘one sitting’ definition for sure. I read Cheri by Jo Ann Beard yesterday in one go and it was wonderful.
Cheri looks excellent – I need to get my hands on a copy.
I read it at the weekend and adored it. It’s a killer though, have tissues ready!
I like this definition Kate! I’d agree, something longer than a short story but which can be read in one sitting – I think 70-200 pages or thereabouts.
I am also fully expecting my TBR to spiral this month!
Well, you are the queen of novella reading in my opinion! Your TBR stack might spiral this month but at least you know it will be tackled come May next year 🙂
Yes, I agree. Between 100-200 pages, readable in one go, and some character development.
Yes to the character development. I don’t need their history but I want to see a shift in them.
If it’s quite a lot of white space and bigger font, then 210-220 pages might work too, so I guess I am thinking sort of under 200 pages. And upwards of 50, I suppose.
Agree that it is somewhere in the 50-200 range, with allowances for font and white space. Oddly, two of the books I have in my novella pile have tiny, tiny font – so much so that I think if they were printed at a normal size, they’d be 300 page books. I understand why publishers do this but they need to start considering our #NovNov requirements! 😀
Well, I can’t really get behind the “one sitting” bit, because I’m a slow reader due to my dyslexia. But the 200 page mark is about right for me.
If I can’t do it in one sitting, I at least want to feel peeved that something is pulling me away from the book I’m engrossed in!
I have really enjoyed the novellas I’ve read by Claire Keegan. She writes ambiguous endings really well!