Halfway through a book--you give up reading, shake your fist at it, and vow to never glance at another page.
Halfway through a book--you can't stop reading, and find yourself saying things like, "Just one more page..."
What is it? What determines the outcome of that walk across the tightrope? Are you going to jump off halfway through, or will you run full-speed to get to the other side?
Why did you jump off? Had you grown bored? Was it not your genre? Did you want to take the heroine to a shrink?
Or were you sitting on the couch with your legs curled up under you, eyeing the shadows before diving back into the thrill?
How many times do we see 5-star reviews and 1-star reviews for the same book? It could be that Sybil and her multiple personalities had reviewed it. It could be that the plot was about horse racing and the reader's husband had just recently spent too much money at the track. It could be that the heroine used indigo paint in her bedroom and you love the color.
Not every novel will connect with every reader, that much is inevitable. But have you ever read a book that multiple readers have labeled with bad reviews, and yet you find it was one of the best books you've engaged in this year? Is there something wrong with you? Are you more liberal than others?
Every time we walk that tightrope, we never know if we'll make it to the other side or jump off to the net below. But gosh, there is no force on Earth that stops us from trying again!
Maureen
9 comments:
I must admit, I am guilty of bailing on many a book. It doesn't matter the genre. If I don't connect with the characters, I'm just not all in. I will say, I've never done that with any book I've read by members of this talented group!
I never used to jump off that tight rope, but with time at a premium the past couple years, I've learned that sometimes letting go is more freeing. :)
I've always wondered what makes one person passionately defend a book where another person hates it and sets it down without finishing. Sometimes, as you mentioned, I think mood or life circumstances have a lot to do with it.
I've given up on a lot of books lately. I have so many stacked up on my iPad, as well as a healthy pile of print books, that if the characters haven't grabbed me after a couple of chapters, I give up on it.
I've given up on bestsellers and I sometimes wonder if all the hype has made me expect too much. I'm the same with movies. If one gets hyped, I'm always disappointed. Then I'll watch it later and decide it was quite good after all. :)
Hello ladies. I spent a great deal of time in the car recently, so I had some queued up audio books to try out. One was from a well-known bestseller.
Let's just say, I was going 65 miles per hour, so I couldn't jump off the tightrope...but boy I wanted to! LOL
I recently listen to a book by a once favorite author. After chapter six I skipped to the last four chapters and I was still bored. The first part I listened to was 90% narrative. The last part wasn’t much better. I can’t tell you how disappointed I was. I read a book every one raved about and found it was absolutely horrible. I’m afraid not one is changing what I like and don’t like.
The older I get, the less forgiving I am. Hey -- I don't know how much time I have left and I can't afford to waste any of it with characters that aren't likable, or at least relatable. I plan to stop feeling guilty about it any time now.
I never used to give up on books. I used to suffer until the very end. Nowadays I give it a chapter or so and then, if I'm not hooked, it's gone. If I've read half the book I usually finish it. I don't know what the secret is--I suspect it is a glorious thing called diversity, interspersed with mood :)
The mystery of not knowing ahead of time when we crack open a book--or "Kindle it up" as someone said to me just yesterday--we're embarking on an adventure. Whether we end up in the Arctic Circle or Tahiti is the luck of the draw. Maybe not knowing keeps us searching. That's my philosphy for the day--off to have a Girl Scout cookie and a cold drink.
If I identify with the characters--they must be real to me--it's one page more and then another. But since I realized the impossibility of reading every book that's ever been written, when I'm bored I close the book and donate it to the library. Can never throw a book out.
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