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My suggestion, based on what worked for me, is to use a highlighter. Highlight things that are both interesting and confusing. At the end of a chapter, review. I found the passages I highlighted because they were confusing ended up being truly interesting.

Yes, very hard because it is like my lecture notes: good for an educated person, bad for a student.

However, I always make the decision: better getting the gist of it and if, possible, reread later on than stopping too much the first time.

Of course, it goes with personalities, I know.

I have read the Ethics. Tried the metaphysics and simply could not, though.

Trying to get through the Ethics without taking notes is just self-sabotage and a fool's errand to begin with. It's really just work.