Chris will quite often stop reading a book at the drop of a hat no problem. Me? Well I rarely do but this year so far I have stopped reading three books and that's not bad I guess considering I have read around 30 this year so far.
The thing is that none of the books I stopped reading were what I would call 'bad' books and I stopped reading around page 130 on all three. So why did I stop reading them?
Going Bovine – this is a simple case of I just didn't get into it. Sometimes its like that with a book, for whatever reason the book doesn't grab you. Perhaps it was because I have just read The little stranger followed by Rebecca and the jump to a book narrated by a teenager speaking teen-speak was abit much. Or maybe because I don't have much luck with YA books, I practically had to drag my way through the Northern Lights. Or perhaps because I guessed the point of the whole thing within a few chapters? This book has had rave reviews and it was proving to be a quick and easy read, just not for me.
The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey – again another book which has had rave reviews and has been short-listed for prizes so please don't let me influence you on this.
The reason I put this book down at page 120 was simply because I didn't like the main character. The book was narrated by this character who is slowly dying from Alzheimers which is a brave a difficult subject for the author to write about. Having worked in the care industry for many years this was an illness I was familiar with. But the narrator was an A-hole, pre-illness he was a man who had cheated on his wife and was quite a selfish and demanding person. I don't have to like a main character in a book I'm reading but in this instance it made a difference to my enjoyment.
The Rapture – I was quite enjoying this book about a disturbed teenager in a mental institution who can foresee natural disasters. The way she taunts her disabled therapist was quite chilling. But around page 130 I realised I had skim-read the last 20 pages so I put it down.
Do you think I gave these books a fair chance? I did read over 100 pages for each of them but maybe I should have pushed on? I don't really have a 50 page rule or anything but what makes you decide you've had enough and close the book?
I divorce a book after 50 pages so in my opinion, you were incredibly fair with these.
ReplyDeleteI am known for divorcing books that aren't great but sometimes I divorce a book that has gotten a lot of praise. I gave up on The Book Thief recently. Not because it wasn't good, but I just wasn't in the mood for it. I will probably pick it up again but it took me 6 weeks to read 50 pages.
The Northern Lights is the only book I have never finished. I just didn't like the main character and couldn't care less what happened to her. I make it a rule never to quit a book. I would have put down The Old Man and the Sea, but it was only 100 odd pages anyway!
ReplyDeleteI definitely think you gave those books a fair chance--I usually quit after 50 or 100 pages if I don't think it's the right time for me to read the book or if I don't like it.
ReplyDeleteTi - Chris had trouble with the first 100 pages of the book theif too, it took him AGES to get through them but then he ended up loving the book. I love your expression of 'divorce a book' LOL
ReplyDeleteBethany - I didnt realise the old man and the sea was so short. For some reason I always imagined it to a big 500 page book. I only finished northern lights because the set is one of my mums and sisters favorites otherwise I would have quit.
Zara - I think 50 seems to be the general rule doesn't it?
The 100 pages 'rule' is totally accepted at my book club. Call me stubborn but I just have to see a book through to the very bitter end - there have only ever been a handful of books I have given up on but that's generaaly because of something particular to that book (too much swearing, graphic sex scenes) rather than anything in general. The last book I came close to giving up on just because it was so dull was The Girl With Glass Feet.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to see which books you didn't finish. The Wilderness was one of my favourites of 2009 and I'm sure I'll enjoy the Rapture too :-) I review every book I read, whether I finish or not, so I read as much as I need to be able to explain why I didn't enjoy it. This is normally 80 - 100 pages, but sometimes I end up reading it all as I just can't work out why I don't like it!
ReplyDeletePetty - I cant go on reading a book I dont like, I'll quite happily switch a film off halfway through too. I must get girl with glass feet one day just to see if I agree with you!
ReplyDeleteJackie - The Wilderness and The rapture were well written and were not bad books so its funny those are ones I couldnt finish. Im glad you do review books you dont like as I do like reading those kinds of reviews also.
My question is "Why did you even start with the Bovine one?" :)
ReplyDeleteThe book, Going Bovine was in my mind this morning as I was also thinking of Libba Bray's other books which are the Gemma Doyle trilogy. And now I'm reading about it here and why you couldn't finish the book! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that you didn't finish it though I'd like to give it a try!
Kim & Josette - Going Bovine has had really good reviews and I sometimes like quirky books. There wasnt anything wrong with it I just couldnt get into it. Josette - dont let me put you off it!
ReplyDeleteI liked The Rapture a lot, but if you find you're skim-reading, what can you do? Obviously it didn't interest you enough.
ReplyDeleteI found it a good story, quite interesting.
leeswammes - the bit I found myself skim-reading was when they kept trying to find theores for Beths visions. It seemed to go on for ages and not progressing really. I did really like the character Beth - well not like exactly but I found her realistic and abit scary. I wouldnt want to be left in a room with her.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel bad about putting them down. I put books down too. Some I don't like, others I do, but for whatever reason am just not into reading it at the time. I've picked those up at later dates and loved them.
ReplyDelete