Quote:
Originally Posted by DiapDealer
I really don't get why people think " could be read alone" is somehow synonymous with " should (or was intended to) be read alone!" Or that "could be read alone" is even in any way objectively defined for all readers. 
No two readers' coulds are the same. So such a statement is fairly unhelpful. |
I guess before you take someone up on their recommendation for a "standalone" book, you need to ask how they define "standalone". I absolutely understand wanting to know if a book is part of a series so you can make your own decision as to whether or not to read out of order.
Personally, I usually like to read the first book in a series first. If I really like the book, I will probably read the rest of the series in order. If I find the book to be OK but not great (the kind of book I might read as a time-filler while waiting for a better book to be available) I might read other books in the so-so series in whatever order they happen to become available for checkout from the library. If I am not very invested in the story/characters then spoilers are less likely to bother me.