Comprehending a novel

So I have a lot of trouble with comprehension of a novel. Such as whatever the hell is happening in a single chapter (the plot of the chapter, its main idea and the overall plot), or the description of something. So far my solution to it has been to point with a pencil as to whatever I'm reading, and underlining any key points or details, and making notes during and after a chapter. Yet, I still struggle with properly understanding the text which affects my enjoyment of the novel (This has been an endless cycle- I somehow get hooked to the plot of the book after seeing the blurb and summary, I go and buy the book, read a few pages, understand nothing, and it collects dust)

Any other solutions to help (Still yet deciding about audiobooks based on feasibility)