Green Room - Week 2 - Day 8

[clauderainsrm]

https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1002642.html is where all the poll fun is happening - why not go join them?

Read. Comment. Vote for your favorites!

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I finished a book the other day. Which isn't huge news, people finish reading books all the time. What is remarkable about it though is that it left me feeling "blah". Not a "this is awful", more of "why did I spend my time reading that?"

I'm not going to "book shame". ;) But it's been awhile since I picked up a book that while it kept me reading it, it really didn't make me feel like it was worth my time by the time I reached the end.

Which I think is a cardinal sin that all writers need to be acknowledge - make it worth the reader's time! Granted, other people may feel differently (I checked the reviews and it has a 3.3 on Goodreads, so decidedly mixed). Ultimately though, you need to be writing to justify MY time reading it. Me. Gary. Other readers? Do we really care about them? No, of course not...

Comments

[murielle]

I've been reading and commenting and loving what I'm reading. More than halfway through now, so I'm looking forward to voting sometime today.

Also, feeling so much better today. Yay! Hope you all are having a great day!

Gary, what's the name of the book? Do you rec? I recently read all of Gillian Flynn's books in a week. Enjoyed every one of them.

[sonreir]

I've generally found that anything below 3.8 on Goodreads will not be something I'll enjoy. 3.3 is decidedly "eh" reviews, I think!

I'm not going to bookshame you, Gary. I don't remember the last time I finished something myself. :/

[codenamewanderlust]

This is how I felt about The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

[bleodswean]

Really? That book is still *heh* haunting me. I thought the ending was weak but that's my personal issue, I think 98% of all endings of things are weak. But the beginning and middle of that book knocked me sideways. The writing and the suspense building I found to be top notch.

[halfshellvenus]

It's so hard to know what one person will love and others will hate.

There are things so poorly written that you can't imagine anyone but the author and their friends and relatives liking it.

Then there are trickier books.

One of my current favorites skews towards "WTF was this? It totally doesn't make sense!" and "Wow, this blew me away. Spooky and gorgeous." It's like you either "get" the book or you don't. If you get it, you'll tend to love it. If not, you'll think it's a time-waster.

And genre-specific stuff is often that way. I've read a few things that turned out to be a form of Romance or Erotica that were a disappointing waste of time for anyone who didn't sign on for those particular genres. But the people who embrace those genres rave about them. So, you can't always go by the reviews!

[sonreir]

This is why I don't give book recommendations to anyone unless I *know* we like the same things! :) I'd rather not have the "what the fuck, how does anyone like this?!" conversation with people.

(Well, that and the last time I recommended someone read a book I enjoyed a lot, they finished it, somehow, and told me that they were surprised that I'd recommend something that had incest as a subplot. Yup, hadn't picked up on that. I'm terrified to re-read it now...)

[halfshellvenus]

Though it's always possible they were wrong?

OTOH, a friend was reminiscing about "The Outsiders" being a slashy book, and I agreed-- though the overtones were more brothercest than anything. And her response was, "Huh?" But the thing is, that might be most people's reaction. They might notice the tone, but not the specifics.

[flipflop_diva]

I'm hoping to make good progress on my reading and commenting today!

I always have a hard time not finishing a book, unless I really really hate it, so it's always so disappointing when one doesn't live up to expectations. Maybe that explains why I'm re-reading Harry Potter for the umpteenth time instead of any of the new books I've downloaded to my ipad :)

[bewize]

The day I learned I could walk away from a disappointing read without finishing it was life changing. LOL.

I'm about 1/3 of the way through reading, commenting and voting. I'll get there! Just taking my time and trying to actually work at my job today. ;)

[bleodswean]

The day I learned I could walk away from a disappointing read without finishing it was life changing. This. There isn't enough time in the world to stick with entertainment that isn't working. So many books to be read! Move on!

[bleodswean]

Saw a rather amazing and seriously thought-provoking small film on Netflix last night and I think many Idolars would really get something out of it. The Kindergarten Teacher.

It's about art. And poetry. Wanting to be an artist and recognizing artistic genius in others and wanting to cherish it.

I won't say more. DON'T watch the trailer, don't google, just watch and I would love to hear what others think. I'm still turning it over and over in my mind.

[hwango]

I am mercilessly picky, so my response to a lot of books (or partial books) that I read is in the range of "blah" to "this is awful." I just struggled to the end of something that I really wasn't enjoying at all, but was curious how it ended. It was recommended by a friend, so I was tempted to just give up and ask her how it ended, but also...it was recommended by a friend, so I thought I should give it a little more leeway to see if it grabbed me. Alas, I found the conclusion unsatisfying, as wish I hadn't bothered. = P

[adoptedwriter]

I felt this way when about 2/3 of the way through Gregory McGuire's Wicked. Loved the start, so I got "hooked", but the story was less engaging the more I plowed through. I read it b/c my sister read it, and I wanted to be able to discuss it, but...