I have a rule about reading fiction: I don't read summaries or reviews before I start. I read the first page, or the first five if the first doesn't engage me, and I decide from there. I know nothing about what happens, who the characters are, or whether the book is considered good or bad by critics.

This rule has given me experiences that pre-briefed reading couldn't have. The Remains of the Day would be diminished if I knew in advance what Stevens had sacrificed. The twist in Piranesi would be partially spoiled by any description of the plot. Never Let Me Go's emotional impact depends on the slow accumulation of knowledge that mirrors the characters' own.

I've read some bad books this way. I've also had reading experiences that I couldn't have had any other way. The ratio is worth it.