I'm picky when it comes to the music I listen to, and even more critical about what I play in accordance to the time of day, weather, season, general mood, etc. As a result, I have an excessive amount of playlists for very specific times and settings. Similar to my musical habits, I prefer the books I read to match the season I'm in. In fact, the degree to which a book I read matches my real-life setting significantly impacts my reading experience.
During winter break, a couple of fitting book that I read were Murakami's Dance, Dance, Dance and After Dark. Both were set during winter, so I was more immersed in the story and scenes as they weren't so different from that I was living in at the time. I read Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki during two very gloomy days. They featured an overcast sky, chilled temperatures, and grey tones, similar to the story's setting and prominent mood.
On the other hand, I also read Sputnik Sweetheart during those frigid times. Afterward, i wasn't sure if my lack of a fulfilling reading experience stemmed from shortcoming in the actual writing or my own lack of relation in surroundings. Sputnik Sweetheart is distinctly summery. Both parts in Japan and Greece were characterized by an overbearing summer heat and suffocating humidity. While the characters were sweating profusely, I was wearing three layers in an attempt to stay warm. Though I would visualize scenes, I couldn't quite grasp the physical feelings and atmosphere of the story. Upon finishing the book, my takeaway feeling was just meh.
With my finding of how heavily I'm impacted as a reader by setting, I've shaped my reading plan with season in mind. For example, this summer, when I go to the Philippines, I'll re-read Sputnik Sweetheart in hopes of relating to the protagonist as he's living in intense island heat. Learning about these traits I have as a reader will hopefully allow me to grow.
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