--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was reading 'The Underground…" description: "\"When I was reading 'The Underground Railroad,' I had to actually hold my hand over the right-hand page so I wouldn't see, by mistake, what was coming u..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/jenna-blum-22612_failure_when-i-was-reading-the-underground-railr_441298.png" --- # When I was reading 'The Underground Railroad,' I had to… ![“When I was reading 'The Underground Railroad,' I had to actually hold my hand over the right-hand page so I wouldn't see, by mistake, what was coming up next - it was so suspenseful. it's really masterful.” quote by Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/jenna-blum-22612_failure_when-i-was-reading-the-underground-railr_441298.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/jenna-blum-22612_failure_when-i-was-reading-the-underground-railr_441298.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/jenna-blum-22612_failure_when-i-was-reading-the-underground-railr_441298.png) > “When I was reading 'The Underground Railroad,' I had to actually hold my hand over the right-hand page so I wouldn't see, by mistake, what was coming up next - it was so suspenseful. it's really masterful.” [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The book's suspense was so intense the reader needed a physical barrier to avoid spoilers. **In simple terms:** The story was gripping, requiring a hand to block future pages. Key Takeaway Use techniques to manage suspense while reading. Themes literature reading suspense Mood engaged thoughtful Type literary personal When to use this quote - novel reading - thriller enjoyment - self-control Key Concepts narrative tension reader engagement Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle spoilers? - What reading habits help maintain tension? A Different Perspective Overly intense suspense can cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Railroad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/railroad/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Suspenseful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspenseful/) [Underground railroad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underground-railroad/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I was the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-tubman/i-was-the-most-famous-conductor-on-the-underground-railroad/) [Harriet Tubman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-tubman/) > [The Underground Railroad, which was the first integrated civil rights movement, is a part of our history that not a lot of us know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/the-underground-railroad-which-was-the-first-integrated-civil-rights/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [Despite strong performances, Barry Jenkin's 'The Underground Railroad' is plodding and rudderless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/despite-strong-performances-barry-jenkin-s-the-underground-railroad/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [A lot of people, when they first hear about the Underground Railroad, think it really is a subway or a locomotive. When they find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/a-lot-of-people-when-they-first-hear-about-the-underground-railroad/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [During the Civil War, the Underground Railroad became a spy network, so we could still have fresh stories for these characters years into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/during-the-civil-war-the-underground-railroad-became-a-spy-network-so/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [Oftentimes, a history book in school will talk about the Underground Railroad as if it's one sentence. But thousands of people decided to run,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/oftentimes-a-history-book-in-school-will-talk-about-the-underground/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [Without question, 'The Underground Railroad' is beautifully filmed, and for the most part well acted. The show also manages to do something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/without-question-the-underground-railroad-is-beautifully-filmed-and/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [The story of the Underground Railroad is the story of American heroes, and who doesn't want to hear a story about American heroes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/the-story-of-the-underground-railroad-is-the-story-of-american-heroes/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [Stories about enslaved Africans can be depressing, exciting, educational and, yes, even entertaining depending on your taste. However, they should never be boring, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/stories-about-enslaved-africans-can-be-depressing-exciting/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [I was like, 'Oh, let's do a show about the Underground Railroad.' I never come up with great titles, and I thought, 'Underground' is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/i-was-like-oh-let-s-do-a-show-about-the-underground-railroad-i-never/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [The Underground Railroad was the first integrated civil rights movement. And it's a great example of when we work together, what we can go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/the-underground-railroad-was-the-first-integrated-civil-rights/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [In America, when you hear about the Underground Railroad, it's so evocative. You think it's a literal subway for a few minutes before your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/in-america-when-you-hear-about-the-underground-railroad-it-s-so/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [The Underground Railroad was a spy network for the North and that story has never been told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/the-underground-railroad-was-a-spy-network-for-the-north-and-that/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [As a white, female, half-Jewish writer, when I read 'The Underground Railroad,' it reminded me that America isn't just the sort of Sesame Street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/as-a-white-female-half-jewish-writer-when-i-read-the-underground/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [“Angel clicked on a few more pictures on the screen, and Alex made small talk about the place. Then he finally walked away. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-reyes/angel-clicked-on-a-few-more-pictures-on-the-screen-and-alex-made/) [Elizabeth Reyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-reyes/) ## More by Jenna Blum > [Life is so often unfair and painful and love is hard to find and you have to take it whenever and wherever you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/life-is-so-often-unfair-and-painful-and-love-is-hard-to-find-and-you/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [The success of 'Those Who Save Us' had an interesting effect on the writing of 'The Stormchasers.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/the-success-of-those-who-save-us-had-an-interesting-effect-on-the/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [Procrastination: as endemic to and dreaded by writers as writers' block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/procrastination-as-endemic-to-and-dreaded-by-writers-as-writers-block/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [I have a brother I love dearly, although we're not twins! I'm ten years older than he is, so I sometimes feel like his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/i-have-a-brother-i-love-dearly-although-we-re-not-twins-i-m-ten-years/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [I started writing when I was 4.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/i-started-writing-when-i-was-4/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [“The past is past. And better it remain so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/the-past-is-past-and-better-it-remain-so/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [“Thomas cracks his joints on the steering wheel. It’s all right. I mean, it’s not, but of course you wouldn’t know. It’s not exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/thomas-cracks-his-joints-on-the-steering-wheel-it-s-all-right-i-mean/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [Nothing is ever quite right, is it, after a parent dies? 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For one job, I had to wear a hat shaped like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/i-was-a-hostess-a-waitress-a-cafe-manager-and-a-prep-chef-for-one-job/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [Heimat. The word mean home in German, the place where one was born. But the term also conveys a subtler nuance, a certain tenderness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/heimat-the-word-mean-home-in-german-the-place-where-one-was-born-but/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [“So you see, he says softly, we are all ashamed in one way or another. Who among us is not stained by the past?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/so-you-see-he-says-softly-we-are-all-ashamed-in-one-way-or-another/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [“For one of the odd things about death, Trudy has discovered, is that in its wake one must go about business as usual; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/for-one-of-the-odd-things-about-death-trudy-has-discovered-is-that-in/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) [Explore all 26 Jenna Blum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. 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Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. 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