It doesn't necessarily invalidate your point, but I think the main difference is that historically novels were much more verbose, in a style that would be consi

It doesn't necessarily invalidate your point, but I think the main difference is that historically novels were much more verbose, in a style that would be considered prolix today. You can basically read any page of Dickens to illustrate the point! But maybe its just because there was less going on they could afford to dwell on the minute to minute.