Before modification by AgentApple at 10/03/2024 10:30:17 AM
Confession: I've moved to listening to audiobooks as the almost-exclusive way I get through books, these days. I'm probably stuck in "The Wind through the Keyhole" for more than a year.
Having said that, I do have some thoughts:
It's true that listening while doing some task means you're not really listening. That's why, if I find a book gripping, or a specific scene, I might stay in the car to listen while parking, or take an aimless walk. Otherwise I'm only 60% in it.
Books with too many characters are too hard to follow. I'll exempt WoT from this because I know it too well. But I listened to the Brothers Karamazov and boy was it confusing. Didn't help that everyone has a name but also a Russian nickname that I'm supposed to know on the spot.
You do get a more immersive and thoughtful experience actively reading, but I can't say I agree that it is like watching TV. You're still getting what the author intended without all the other shit from showrunners, studios and such.