How long does it take to read The Awakening?
The Awakening by Kate Chopin is 49,821 words long. At an average reading speed of 250 words per minute, it takes about 3 hours 19 minutes to read — a normal-length novel.
Reading time at your speed
Reading speed varies more than most people expect — the gap between a slow and a fast reader is more than double. Find your row, or take the reading speed test to get your real number first.
| Reading speed | Words per minute | Time to finish |
|---|---|---|
| Slowcareful reading, or reading in a second language | 150 wpm | 5 hours 32 minutes |
| Below averageunhurried, easily distracted, or a dense text | 200 wpm | 4 hours 9 minutes |
| Averagewhat most adults read at | 250 wpm | 3 hours 19 minutes |
| Fasta confident, practised reader | 325 wpm | 2 hours 33 minutes |
| Very fastskimming, or very familiar material | 400 wpm | 2 hours 5 minutes |
If English is your second language, expect to read a little below your usual speed on a classic like this one.
How long if you read a bit each day?
Almost nobody reads a novel in one sitting. Here is how The Awakening breaks down at an average 250 wpm, depending on how much time you give it each day.
| Reading a day | Days to finish | That is |
|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 20 days | about 3 weeks |
| 15 minutes | 14 days | about 2 weeks |
| 30 minutes | 7 days | about a week |
| 60 minutes | 4 days | 4 days |
How long is each chapter?
The Awakening has 39 chapters, averaging 1,277 words — about 5m each. The longest is Chapter 7 at 10m; the shortest is Chapter 28 at 1m. Useful if you read a chapter a night.
Chapter times at 250 wpm.
Start The Awakening today
200 pages, level B2. Free on the 12-month plan, with a reading tracker, tap-to-translate vocabulary and a short quiz.
Common questions
How long does it take to read The Awakening?
The Awakening is 49,821 words long. At an average adult reading speed of 250 words per minute that is about 3 hours 19 minutes. A slower reader at 150 wpm needs around 5 hours 32 minutes; a fast reader at 400 wpm finishes in roughly 2 hours 5 minutes.
How many words is The Awakening?
The Awakening is 49,821 words across 39 chapters, which is a normal-length novel. Of the 26 classics on readClassicly, 14 are longer and 11 are shorter.
Can I read The Awakening in a day?
It is possible, but it would take most of a day. At 250 wpm The Awakening runs to about 3 hours 19 minutes of continuous reading. Spread over 4 days at an hour a day it is far more comfortable.
Is The Awakening hard to read?
At CEFR level B2, The Awakening is a moderate read, comfortable at upper-intermediate English. You can read it free at readClassicly and tap any word you don't know to look it up, which keeps a harder classic from stalling you.
Reading a classic to learn English?
readClassicly has a free plan for English reading for beginners: graded classic stories with tap-to-define words, audio, and a short quiz after each one. Start at your level and build up to full books like this one. If you are just starting, begin with the short English stories for beginners.