The “Should I finish this book?” thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I tried reading the Slow Horses books. DNF early on.

That is a shame. They really spring into gear around book 4 then 5.6.7.8 are all terrific. Do not buy the new one #9 however, its a sad, empty rehash and the life has definitely gone out of it

[Anonymous]

The Goldfinch was the first time I decided I did not need to fully finish a book. It is very empowering to be like, "that's it, I'm done with this."

Demon Copperhead almost fell into that so I switched to 1.75 speed audiobook to finish it.

Beartown. After reading "Beartown is a hockey town" for the 100th time it went in the donate pile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Understory. I tried twice.

Any chance you actually mean The Overstory? Because a huge +1 to not being able to finish that one! I loved the beginning and then it fell off a cliff. I kept seeing it on best seller lists and wondered if anyone who bought it actually made it to the end.

The collection of short stories in the first part of the Overstory was magnificent. The second part that pulled it all together—meh!

I finished the Overstory and have absolutely no idea what the point was. It was terrible.

The Overstory took me a while to finish, but I’m a big fan of trees so I persevered and ended up loving it. So then tried Richard Powers’ Playground from last year and was could barely finish that one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Goldfinch was the first time I decided I did not need to fully finish a book. It is very empowering to be like, "that's it, I'm done with this."

Demon Copperhead almost fell into that so I switched to 1.75 speed audiobook to finish it.

Beartown. After reading "Beartown is a hockey town" for the 100th time it went in the donate pile.

+ 1 on the Goldfinch.

[Anonymous]

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Listening and can’t stand the narrator’s voice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tender is the Night - Fitzgerald

- Have had trouble getting into it, but I love Gatsby.

This book is definitely not as good as Gatsby. I'm glad I read it but I felt that he paid close attention to writing beautiful sentences to the detriment of the story, but the story is also sad and depressing without any levity or letup. And when you compare it to his first novel, This Side of Paradise (also not as good as Gatsby), which is youthful and insouciant, it is such a sad sign of how his life went. It is likely something of the story of Zelda's hospitalization. His stories are very good, especially the early ones, but even the late Pat Hobby stories are worth reading, which are funny and light.

Well said. Tender is the Night is actually one of my favorite Fitzeralds-- if only because of his gorgeous sentences. I was drawn in by the intrigue of the backstory and current state of Dick and Nicole as it unfolds through glimpses.

My DNF is Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. I love literature and sci-fi and this was just too stupid AND complex for me. It's like, pick one. I think I left off after some church/cathedral scene.

Wow, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell is an all time favorite! I don't know how far you got but there is a definitely a bit of a curve where you just have to accept that not everything makes sense right away. But the footnotes and the story and the weaving of the mythology all came together (for me).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tender is the Night - Fitzgerald

- Have had trouble getting into it, but I love Gatsby.

This book is definitely not as good as Gatsby. I'm glad I read it but I felt that he paid close attention to writing beautiful sentences to the detriment of the story, but the story is also sad and depressing without any levity or letup. And when you compare it to his first novel, This Side of Paradise (also not as good as Gatsby), which is youthful and insouciant, it is such a sad sign of how his life went. It is likely something of the story of Zelda's hospitalization. His stories are very good, especially the early ones, but even the late Pat Hobby stories are worth reading, which are funny and light.

Well said. Tender is the Night is actually one of my favorite Fitzeralds-- if only because of his gorgeous sentences. I was drawn in by the intrigue of the backstory and current state of Dick and Nicole as it unfolds through glimpses.

My DNF is Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. I love literature and sci-fi and this was just too stupid AND complex for me. It's like, pick one. I think I left off after some church/cathedral scene.

Wow, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell is an all time favorite! I don't know how far you got but there is a definitely a bit of a curve where you just have to accept that not everything makes sense right away. But the footnotes and the story and the weaving of the mythology all came together (for me).

I also thought Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell was a masterpiece. Also loved Piranesi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Understory. I tried twice.

Any chance you actually mean The Overstory? Because a huge +1 to not being able to finish that one! I loved the beginning and then it fell off a cliff. I kept seeing it on best seller lists and wondered if anyone who bought it actually made it to the end.

The Overstory is still sitting on my shelf. The person who gave it to me thought it was the best read of that year, and I don’t dispute that— I just cannot get into it.

The first half +\- of the Overstory was one of my best reads of the year but then the rest was like a different book.

So I guess if you can’t get into the first part you should definitely move on.

I was the opposite. The individual stories were near at first but I found they moved very slowly. The pace picked up for me when they began to weave together in the second half. Some threads were stronger than others but the second half made me love this book

[Anonymous]

+ 1 DNF on the Goldfinch, Stoner, and Creation Lake

My DNF (that I feel guilty about): Savage the Detective and Fraud by Zadie Smith.

Thanks to PP re Demon Copperhead. I am not interested in trauma porn. It seemed to be a "must read" but I kept picking it up at bookstore and libraries, and putting it right back down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Goldfinch was the first time I decided I did not need to fully finish a book. It is very empowering to be like, "that's it, I'm done with this."

Demon Copperhead almost fell into that so I switched to 1.75 speed audiobook to finish it.

Beartown. After reading "Beartown is a hockey town" for the 100th time it went in the donate pile.

I ultimately enjoyed The Goldfinch, but I do think at least 1/3 could be cut without materially damaging the book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Three Body Problem

Keep plugging. It’s worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ditto Creation Lake. Also returned the Salt Path early. Defies logic. I thought Sound and Fury worth reading, very different writing style. I am much more intolerant of books that I don't live these days.

Salt path is on my list of books to read. Say more about what you didn’t like…

[Anonymous]

Demon copperhead is a DNF for me too and I got quite far into it. Ultimately trauma/poverty porn just isn’t for me—even when it’s “well written.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I tried reading the Slow Horses books. DNF early on.

Enjoyed Slow Horses audiobook & the show. (Have not moved into later books / episodes yet). Listening to narrator/ actor's voices tell the story made it very enjoyable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Re: Barbara Kingsolver books...

Demon Copperhead is among my top 5 favorite books. I loved everything about it.

I craved her writing after and read Poisonwood Bible, but it was definitely lacking for me. I know that it's a classic, but it didn't compare to Demon and I didn't connect to the story in the same way. I finished it, but had to muscle through.

I find Ann Patchett similar- the books of hers I love, I LOVE (Bel Canto, State of Wonder, Patron Saint of Liars). But there are a handful of others that I find very boring and disappointing (Commonwealth, Tom Lake).

Interesting re Ann Patchett. I’ve only read the Dutch House, and found it soo boring, but perhaps it’s not reflective of her better books.

I love most of Ann Patchett's books, but did not get into Dutch House. Tom Lake is probably my favorite, even though I'm not a huge fan of Our Town