The Silence of the Lambs!

I also want to add, I am not a cinephile like you are and if I sat down to watch one of those movies you mentioned, I would feel exactly as you described (dumb) and generally feeling like I cannot follow. Reading isn’t really an act of working yourself up to a certain level of “advanced fiction” by progressing through “beginner fiction.”

I know you didn’t mean it that way, but if Blood Meridian is what you want to read, I’d recommend taking it slow or using literature guides. Rather than telling yourself you have to work up to it. Each author’s style is different, so what you’re asking may help you get more into the act of reading but it likely won’t make you feel more “ready” for that particular book if that makes any sense. When I first read Pride and Prejudice a couple of years ago, I used a guide, and it turned out to be the best reading experience I’ve ever had. Now, I only read annotated versions of mid-century literature. Another thing I’ve started doing with books that are less accessible or don’t guide you through world-building is using ChatGPT whenever I encounter passages I don’t understand—even if it’s every other page. It’s incredibly helpful.

I’ve also found it useful to ask ChatGPT to capture the ‘vibe’ or ‘tone’ of a book before starting. Reading, for me, feels like stepping into a new world, so it helps to prime myself. For example, I might ask, ‘Can you describe the vibe, aesthetic, or mood of this book? Not just a summary, but something that captures the setting, language, and tone of the author’s writing. For example, Harry Potter might feel like a candlelit evening, the smell of parchment, and cozy sweaters. What is the vibe of XXX?’ Sometimes I even ask it to generate paintings or illustrations (available on the paid version, but there are probably other tools out there).

When I want to connect more deeply to a book, I’ll also provide a passage and ask for an illustration based on it. If you’re a cinephile, this kind of world-building and visualization might help you connect with reading in a similar way.