How Do You Keep Track of Your Thinking When Reading a Book with a Complex Story Line?

While reading a book with a complex story line, I often stop reading to ensure that I am comprehending what I read. I pause briefly after long paragraphs and, if I have understood, then I read on. If I didn't understand what I read, I re-read repeatedly until I have understood. I also occasionally encounter a name or an idea which I realize that I don't recall seeing before. I'll look backward in the book until I find where it was introduced. Finally, what helps me most to keep track of my thinking is pacing myself in my reading so that I'm not in a rush to finish the book.
--Grade 12 student

When I have trouble keeping track of my thinking during a complex story, I usually try to take notes on each plot line. I'll keep track of each of the characters also and how they relate to one another. It's a kind of chart that makes the reading clearer to me.
--Grade 12 student