The DNF (Did Not Finish) Thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A Little Life. how is this so highly rated. It was terrible.

The Book of Longings. It got returned on my kindle when I had maybe a chapter left and I just didn't care enough to get back on a waitlist to finish it.

I liked both of these. But disliked The Midnight Library.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A Little Life. how is this so highly rated. It was terrible.

The Book of Longings. It got returned on my kindle when I had maybe a chapter left and I just didn't care enough to get back on a waitlist to finish it.

I liked both of these. But disliked The Midnight Library.

NP. A Little Life was bad! I didn’t really like The Midnight Library either, but I did finish that one (probably only because I was on a plane with no other books to read).

[Anonymous]

I did finish it but as a PSA for others: Trust.

Description A+
Plot A+
Accolades high

But it reads like someone speaking in monotone for 6 hours in a row.

Not worth it.

And I love books.

[Anonymous]

I'm currently reading a YA fantasy by an author who lives in the DMV. I'm at about page 175 of a 450 page book and I'm struggling. I usually like YA fantasy because it's lower stakes than adult fantasy, but this one is really boring me.

I want to hang in there. I'm trying to read all Black authors for February just to see if I could and this is the first DMF candidate. Maybe I'll give it 50 more pages?

[Anonymous]

The Unconsoled by Kasuo Ishiguro. Hoo boy. although I will say that pieces of it have stayed with me, so while unsatisfying it might not be bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Unconsoled by Kasuo Ishiguro. Hoo boy. although I will say that pieces of it have stayed with me, so while unsatisfying it might not be bad.

^^Kazuo

[Anonymous]

I feel like I've been given permission to give up on Our Missing Hearts, thanks

Other recent DNF -
Great Circle
Wish You Were Here Jodi Picoult - Too soon for pandemic book, but really it was just bad.

I thought All Good People Here was terrible, but finished the audiobook.

I usually get though about half before giving up. If I really want to know how a book ends, I will look it up.

I think it's interesting when people say they may quit a book because they don't like a character. I don't mind an unlikable character if that's part of the story, obviously villains and such, but even just selfish jerks or other difficult people that are part of the point.

[Anonymous]

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was the first novel I haven’t been able to finish in years. It was just so slow and drawn out.

[Anonymous]

I am a patient reader, even slogged through Lord of the rings (the part the hobbits crossing the dead marshes seemed never ending), but I did not finish a lot of famous literature, including:

Look homeward angel
Ulysses
The sound and the fury
Moby Dick (maybe I finished it, but can't remember much of anything)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lincoln in the Bardo.

A friend said this book made him feel as if he’d won a ticket straight to the bardo.

+100

My sister loved it. I struggled through more than half thinking it HAD to get better….?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my wise old age (lol I'm 38) I DNF all the time now. A small sampling.

A court of Silver Flames (Sarah J Maas) -- felt unnecessary
Things we never got over -- Didn't like the characters
She Regrets Nothing (Andrea Dunlop) -- same
A School for Good Mothers -- actively felt miserable reading it.

I tried a School For Good Mothers and hated it. Felt kind of Stepford Wives ish. Also could be that I’m a social worker and they portrayed the SWs as truly horrible people.

SAME! Like jeez, leaned on the social worker as baby snatcher trope in a major way. I just finished it even though I hated it all the way through. I wish I hadn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was the first novel I haven’t been able to finish in years. It was just so slow and drawn out.

I hated Addie Larue so much even though parts of it have really stuck with me! I did finish but I was really tempted not to.

[Anonymous]

Demon Copperhead. So bad.

[Anonymous]

Madly, Deeply - Alan Rickman Diaries. REALLY needed an editor

Spare

[Anonymous]

Love Michael Chabon but have tried multiple times to read the Wonder Boys. Just can't do it. Tried to watch the movie just to find out the story, hated that too.