By Zenia deHaven
How It Started
I’m an avid reader. Always have been and always will be.
However, avid reading easily leads to the accumulation of a lot of books.
Now, some would say that isn’t a problem. And to a degree, it isn’t. Collecting novels and finding unique and aesthetically pleasing ways to arrange their spines across bookshelves is a pastime. For those who annotate or highlight as they read, each book is a time capsule of their thoughts, feelings, and reactions to the story.
However, if you’re a reader who has moved from one place to the next, you have also realized that book-filled boxes are very heavy.
After moving for the fourth time in the last two years and suffering far too much back pain than I deserve, I caved.
I got a Kindle.
What I Like
1. Books are Cheaper
This makes sense because when you pay for a “book” on an E-Reader, you pay for a digital copy of the novel. You aren’t purchasing the paper, ink, and cover of a flesh-and-blood paperback or hardcover. Almost every book on the Kindle store is on a discount. Full-price titles are usually new releases.
I reviewed my recent purchases and compared them to their retail cost at Barnes & Noble. I bought Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson for $2.99, and the listed price on B&N is $25.99 for paperback and $39.99 for hardcover. My purchase of Legendborn by Tracy Deonne was $1.99 on Kindle, the paperback was $13.99, and the hardcover was $21.99. Finally, I bought Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt for $1.99. The retail for the paperback is $19.99, and the hardcover is $29.99.
2. Portability
If you travel or have to haul around two laptops like I do for work, adding a 1,000-page novel to your already heavy belongings isn’t practical. I’ve done it and cannot recommend it.
As of writing this, I have 63 downloaded on my Kindle. On a device that’s barely over two pounds, I can read any of the 63 in my library. That’s crazy. Though I pride myself on my strength, I can’t comfortably carry over sixty novels simultaneously unless I grow a few more pairs of arms. The Kindle’s portability cannot be overstated.
3. Kindle Unlimited
Kindle Unlimited is a monthly subscription that gives members access to digital books, audiobooks, comics, and magazines. Users can borrow up to 20 titles at once. I pay a monthly subscription fee of $11.99. Twenty of my 63 novels are from Kindle Unlimited, whose catalog includes titles like Harry Potter, The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden, The Empyrean by Rebecca Yarros, and The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu. I like Kindle Unlimited because, like a library, if I don’t like a book, I don’t feel compelled to finish it since I didn’t pay for it. I can just return it to the store without guilt.
What I Don’t Like
1. Slow Loading Times
I have the Kindle Paperwhite, which uses E-Ink technology for a glare-free screen. While I love that I can read outside and get in my summer beach reading, the E-Ink screen can lag. It’s entirely touchscreen, and sometimes, if I input too many tasks, like turning the page and then swiping up to switch from Light Mode to Dark Mode, it can freeze, and I have to reset it. The reset process only takes a minute or two, but is irritating. It’s not a deal-breaker, and I still prefer its screen over an electronic one that glares in sunlight, but it interrupts the reading experience.
2. Lack of Color
My Kindle is entirely black-and-white, so many of the vibrant books in my library lose their personality in their digital thumbnail. The maker of Kindle, Amazon, attempted to remedy this frequent complaint by releasing the Kindle Colorsoft. However, the reviews are poor, to put it nicely. It has a 2.7-star rating out of 5 on the Amazon store, with 32% of the reviews giving it 1 star. Many customers claimed that the screen has a yellow tint and the colors aren’t as vibrant as the advertisements promised. They also said that the hefty price tag of $279.99 did not accurately reflect the quality of the product (for comparison, a generic Kindle is about $109.99). This is Amazon’s first implementation of this technology, and I anticipate them improving in later generations.
3. It’s Not the Same
As much as Amazon tries to make Kindles akin to real books, I won’t try to convince you that a tablet is the same as a book. It’s not. That doesn’t mean it’s better or worse, just that it’s different. Even though I love my Kindle, I do miss the crisp feeling of turning the page or closing the book and admiring how much progress I made based on the location of my bookmark. There is a je ne sais quoi about them that no E-Reader can replace.
Is a Kindle Right for You?
It depends. I know that’s not a satisfactory answer, but every reader has their preferences. If you travel or move a lot, it might be worth it. If you’re like me and only read books once and don’t like how they take up room and collect dust for years on end, it might be worth it. However, if you’re the kind of reader who lives for each page turn and loves organizing a gorgeous bookshelf, then a Kindle’s probably not for you.
Whatever your preferred format, happy reading!
