The Kindle’s most underrated function is my new secret weapon

I’ve had a Kindle since 2011. Within the 14 years since, I’ve learn 1000’s of tales through the E Ink pill and indulged in each style — from younger grownup dystopias to World Warfare II spy novellas. Whereas I principally keep on with science fiction and romantasies these days, my Kindle Library is crammed to the digital brim with my favourite e-books.

As a voracious reader who typically has a number of titles open directly, I do a reasonably good job of preserving all my fictional characters and their respective worlds separate. Nonetheless, as an editor who juggles freelance work together with her personal artistic writing, generally my studying behavior falls by the wayside, and my present reads should go on pause. Once I lastly click on again into them, I generally get confused and expertise one thing alongside the traces of Jack Sparrow stepping onto the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.

Whereas I am not writing that off as a possible avenue for a implausible space-pirate crossover, I actually need to know what is going on on in my guide if I am studying to calm down or benefit from the story. Positive, I may open my cellphone or laptop computer and get a fast reminder, however that simply opens the door to doomscrolling on Instagram or TikTok. There is a purpose individuals love e-readers: distraction-free leisure.

Fortunately, there is a hidden function solely two faucets away that may get you on top of things with out even leaving your guide. It is known as X-Ray, and I feel it is essentially the most underrated Kindle feature.

What’s Kindle X-Ray?

And the place yow will discover it

X-Ray is a reference device inside your e-book that permits you to “see by way of” the story by mapping out each character, place, and noteworthy idea. It gives readers deeper insights, related passages, and generally even exterior context from sources like Wikipedia. It is out there on most books you purchase by way of Amazon, as metadata is pulled from the guide itself — however some authors additionally add additional info to X-Ray manually.

The X-Ray device is not new. In actual fact, Amazon rolled out the function again in 2011. Nonetheless, most customers nonetheless do not benefit from it, in the event that they even comprehend it exists in any respect. To seek out X-Ray, full the next steps:

1. Faucet the highest of the web page to open the menu.
2. Faucet the three dots on the far proper.
3. Choose X-Ray.

There are 4 tabs inside X-Ray: Notable Clips, Individuals, Phrases, and Photos. Notable Clips is a curated assortment of essential passages that Amazon and publishers flag as significantly vital. It exhibits brief excerpts of memorable quotes, character introductions, turning factors, and common highlights from different readers. It is mainly the guide’s “biggest hits” reel with regards to excerpts.

The Individuals tab is actually a catalog of each character talked about within the textual content. This one’s particularly helpful should you’re making an attempt to recollect a love curiosity, an enemy, or just which narrator you are following in that chapter. It first exhibits the characters on the present web page, however scrolling down reveals each character within the guide, their first or most memorable excerpts, and what number of occasions they’re talked about all through.

Phrases acts as a glossary of ideas, areas, occasions, or concepts that seem throughout the textual content. It gives definitions, descriptions, and related quotes. As somebody who reads principally fantasy and sci-fi, I exploit this part essentially the most. Should you’ve ever learn (or needed to learn) Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, I extremely suggest doing so on Kindle. I devoured that guide in a single sitting and was nonetheless confused by the handfuls of locations, sorts of magic, and political alliances in that world.

Photos is pretty self-explanatory: a visible index of each illustration, map, or picture embedded within the e-book. Many of the books I learn function solely two photos — the quilt artwork and the map originally — however X-Ray makes referencing them easy. Once I learn A Court docket of Mist and Fury, I used to be always flipping again to the map of Prythian to see the place my favourite characters have been teleporting to and from.

While you use X-Ray, you get rid of all of the confusion, page-flipping (or tapping), and psychological gymnastics it takes to choose up the place you left off — or to remain oriented in a posh story.

X-Ray will not be an AI abstract

But it surely did one thing related manner earlier than it was cool

Should you seek for something on-line today, chances are high you may run into a fast TL;DR AI abstract. Left and proper, we’re being bombarded with machine-written blurbs that cease our analysis in its tracks with lazy roundups. X-Ray will not be that — and it by no means has been. It gives a deeper, extra considerate approach to have interaction with a narrative by jogging your reminiscence as an alternative of pondering for you.

Kindle may simply fall down the AI rabbit gap, however it is aware of its viewers. Anybody who calls themselves a reader is in it for the love of the sport, not an AI shortcut. We need to learn and really feel extra — not simply skim a soulless gist and transfer on.

The most effective occasions to make use of X-Ray

I by no means need to learn with out it once more

Studying is my favourite pastime. After a few a long time of required studying, I am comfortable to say that 80% of the time now, I am studying purely for enjoyment. Whereas I used to like selecting aside The Return of the King for my JRR Tolkien seminar in school, today, if I am unable to keep in mind Éomer’s complete arc, I simply open X-Ray for a fast reminder so I can hold my studying momentum going.

Fantasy and science fiction tales are solely pretty much as good as their world-building — however that additionally means remembering varied magic methods (and their limitations), fictional cities and cities (generally even planets), villains, henchmen, allies, and forgotten facet characters who reappear for a full-circle second on the finish of an eight-book saga.

The clearest instance I can consider is the Throne of Glass collection by Sarah J Maas — it is a hill I will die on with regards to character arcs and world-building. However inside these eight books, Maas does not neglect a single character. If you wish to really feel the complete emotion of her storytelling, you’ll be able to’t both. So when a beloved facet character briefly talked about within the first guide makes his comeback 4,500 pages later, it is sort of a giant deal — however one which’s simple to overlook.