Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings. For today’s post, I will be discussing why reading for comfort is so beneficial to me in the darkest months of the year! I have always been a reader, having picked up a taste for classic literature by the time I was 7 or 8 years old, and obviously, I am always reading for research and enjoyment as I dive deeply into the legends, folklore, and mythology that I love so much. However, I am also a massive fan of re-reading books, especially old favorites and classics that bring me such comfort. That is what this post will be focused on!
While there is so much delight to be had in each discovery of a new book on a topic that I adore, or a new novel in a series that I cannot get enough of, in the Winter I often feel drawn to re-read books I love. Of course, it is not only in the darkest months that I re-read books, as I also adore re-reading old favorites around my birthday in early September. That being said, I find this desire is often more pronounced when the nights are long and cold. Thinking on this subject, I have found that what I am seeking is the comfort of delving into a story that I know so well. This is the appeal of re-watching beloved films and television shows as well, and I am also an avid re-watcher. The appeal of re-reading and re-watching is that there is no question of what will happen; you can simply enjoy the experience of spending some time in the world of that book, film, or television series without surprise.
Now, beyond there not being obvious surprises, therefore, there is great comfort in re-reading a beloved book; the other important aspect of re-reading is that you can find a new depth of meaning in the story. I find this to be very true when it comes to some of my favorite classics, as each time I read them, they mean something new to me. I can peel back more and more layers of the narrative to realize something I had never considered, a new way to analyze the text. This can also mean something new to me because I am at a new point in my life. This is true, even with books I re-read often, as each new year adds layers of life experience, which will color how we react to a book! This is possibly even more true with poetry, as with each re-read of some of my favorite poems, I find new meanings that can provide interesting context into my life.
So, yes, I am a huge proponent of re-reading books we have enjoyed. Whether they are tried and true classics, collections of poetry (or folklore, or fairytales), or a book that spoke to us deeply upon a first reading. In the darkest of months, there is something even more special about curling up with a beloved tome and a hot cup of tea on a cold night. I find that it is sometimes even more delightful to do this when I am revisiting a story for the umpteenth time, as I can luxuriate in the flow of the prose or poetry and the comforting predictability of the story!
I hope you have enjoyed this short meditative look at why re-reading in the Winter is such a beautiful comfort. I will provide a list of some of my favorite re-reads in the further reading section. What are some of your favorite books to re-read? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a lovely artwork of stacked books by KaraAshleyDesign. I found the art on https://www.etsy.com/listing/208520274/stack-of-books-art-print-for-bookshelf?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share&epik=dj0yJnU9NlAxSWV3NkdTN2hGVFBFbzFXcDJWOV9xY0l2STB3V2kmcD0wJm49RlJBVDZSSGtZRXN2T192SDgzZG56dyZ0PUFBQUFBR2tjbVg0.
LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries
Further Reading
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
- The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory
- The Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes
- Melusine by Jean d’Arras
- The Complete Fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen
3 responses to “Comfort Reading in the Darkest Months”
Maranda, what a beautifully written and deeply relatable post. You’ve articulated a feeling I know so well but have rarely seen expressed with such clarity and warmth.
I completely agree that the desire to re-read becomes almost a physical need in the long, dark winter months. That pull towards the familiar is a form of literary comfort food, and you described it perfectly: “you can simply enjoy the experience of spending some time in the world of that book… without surprise.” That absence of narrative stress is so restorative when the world outside feels so bleak and unpredictable.
Your point about finding new depths in a familiar story is what truly elevates re-reading from a simple habit to a profound practice. It’s so true that we are not the same person we were the last time we read a book. The story may be fixed, but we are constantly changing, and that dialogue between a static text and an evolving self is where the magic happens. I find this especially with Jane Austen’s novels; each decade of my life, I identify with a different character or understand a social nuance in a completely new way.
The image you ended with—curling up with a beloved tome and a hot cup of tea on a cold night—is the absolute essence of winter hygge. It sounds like a perfect, soul-nourishing ritual.
Thank you for this meditative and insightful piece. I am genuinely looking forward to your list of favorite re-reads
I am so glad that you enjoyed reading my thoughts about re-reading books in Winter! As always, thank you for reading and commenting.
You are most welcome Maranda 🌷🤝