In writing circles you will repeatedly hear, "If the word isn't necessary or doesn't contribute to the story, leave it out." That's laughable. Every novel would be reduced to Flash Fiction if that were the case. Or blurbs. Or back cover copy. Or reruns of Ernest Hemingway which would please some and alienate the rest of us.
Granted if authors were allowed to leave every word they wrote in stories, editors would be out of jobs. And readers would have to adapt to throwbacks of longer novels. War and Peace? Moby Dick? Hope of Glory? Ha!
I'm a fan of long novels. I love the details. Well-written long novels are the ultimate in reading pleasure. However, the not-so-new normal is short novels, and frankly not every author can do them well. Leaving words out under the guise they aren't "contributing" or aren't "necessary" to the story sometimes serves up skimpy novels with abrupt endings and shallow characters.
Your preference and thoughts?
Father, your variety in creation carries over in all things we do. Thank you for the amazing inspirations you give to your people. Apart from you, we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.