I have been trying to finish a book for two weeks.
I am embarrassed to reveal the name of the novel because it has been hugely popular and on the New York Times Best Seller list for weeks and months.....
And yet I force myself to pick it up every day and read a few pages only to throw it down again in disgust and frustration.
So the question is-
At what point do you give up on a book or do you force yourself to finish it because pride won't let you quit???
I don't often get disgusted enough to throw a book down, but it has happened on occasion. I asked some friends who were readers the same question and their response was, "Life is too short to force yourself to read something you really don't enjoy. There are way too many books out there to waste your time torturing yourself over finishing something you hate." I have come to really like that advice. I say, you've given the book a fair shot. Just toss it aside and move on to something else that you will like...and oh, make it something fun since you've had such a bad time with this book.
ReplyDeleteI am tempted to know what it was, but I understand your not wanting to say. Honestly, there are plenty of books I know everyone likes that I've hated (The DaVinci Code comes to mind). I also saw that someone on a book forum said their worst book of all time was Life of Pi which is my favorite book of all-time. To each his own, right?!!
I used to force myself to finish anything that I started, yes, a pride thing I guess. Anymore though I give it 50-100 pages and if I am still not hooked I put it down.
ReplyDeleteBUT, I will say a couple of books that fell into the put down catagory I did go back and listen to on audio and liked them so much better.
I understand the whole NYT bestseller pressure. One book I had a terrible time with was The Thirteenth Tale. I tried to read it about 4 times cause of all great reviews, etc but just could not. When I tried it on audio I loved it!
Good luck and let us know how things turn out.
Tammy, girlfriend, let the book go!! :-)
ReplyDeleteI give books 50 pages and if I'm not hooked, it's gone. Now, I will say that I occasionally put one aside and come back to it at another time and love it. Don't know why that happens, but sometimes. Someone one told me that the 50-page-rule should have an alternative - take your age and subtract it from 100 - that should be the number of pages you give a book to hook you. I also agree with SenoraG that sometimes the audio works better for me. And the NYT list - eh? Sometimes OK, many times not so much. Go pick up something you have been dying to read. Come on. You know you've got one of those books around. :-)
What's the book??????
ReplyDeleteInquiring minds really want to know :)
I say, "Give it up." I actually just wrote a post about this. I spent a week forcing myself through 40 pages of The Monstrumologist and just couldn't read it. As soon as I officially gave up, I felt relief!
Just because it is a best seller doesn't mean that it is great for you, let it go my dear. I give you permission:)
ReplyDeleteIf I'm not into it by the 3rd chapter, I'm out!
ReplyDeleteI am trying to decide if I'm giving up of The Elegance of the Hedgehog, myself. I am on p. 85 but haven't touched it in 3 weeks. I am going to give it one more try but I just am not feeling it. Life is too short to read bad books (well, bad to me.)
ReplyDeleteBeing that everyone has been so helpful and given me free therapy- it's with great sadness and shame I whisper the name....The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larson.
ReplyDeleteI did muddle through the first one(The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and really started to like it by the middle of the book. The sequel started with a bang and then......
Oh I am so glad I'm not the only one with an issue with that book! Uggh don't bother finishing it. It's the kind of book that makes a much better movie I think.
ReplyDeleteBut to answer your question, I really try to finish a book. If I'm at the halfway point and I'm just not into it, I will put it aside for later. I like the tip about trying it on audio.
Don't feel bad. We just read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in my real life book club and the leader said she started The Girl Who Played with Fire and wasn't impressed (and she really liked the first book). I will reiterate, "To each his own." Life is too short to torture yourself with books you don't like. That's what school is for! hehe!
ReplyDeleteI had to push myself to get through the first 150 pages of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I ended up liking it in the end. But don't feel bad putting a NYT bestseller book down. I always wonder how many people who buy these list books acutally like them and read them through. I see alot of NYT bestsellers that I look through and go, huh? really? people are cray for this?
ReplyDelete