There have been a few times in my book-reading career that I've started a book that everyone is talking about, didn't really get it, almost put it down, but ultimately pushed through and finished. In rare instances (I'm looking at you, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) I got into the books more and more as I continued on and by the end was certifiably obsessed. That being said, this experience is definitely the exception to the rule and most of the time, well, when you feel you have force yourself to read something, you should probably just cut your losses (and re-read Harry Potter).
One of those series where I was just plain stupified was the oft-pined about Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. Truth be told, I never finished the last book because I was so bored and it was getting so weird. I'm sorry, but if I birth out a baby with a full set of chompers and then she has the audacity to "imprint" on a 20-year-old at age 2 or whatever, I don't know...you've just lost me, amiright??
So then, you take Twilight, a series that isn't very well done in the first place, and layer in some weird kink and now E.L. James is making $1.3 million a week? My goodness, there are no words!
Grad Student can attest, but I'm dug my way through this Grade A Waste-o-Time over Memorial Day weekend. I think I kept reading because I wanted to get to "the part" that could explain to me why people were so obsessed with this book. If you're wondering, there was no part, but I begrudgingly finished the book.
So with that I leave you with what I can only describe as exactly how I felt throughout the entire read:
I love you for posting that pic :D I admit I didn't finish it. Less than hundred pages into it I decided that life's too short to waste on bad writing and went to read some Graham Greene.
ReplyDeleteAMEN to that!
DeleteGood on you for giving it a chance? I really have no idea what people see in it...
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, if I am going to read a romance novel, it will be set in Scotland, a hunky Scottish warlord with a soft heart will be steal away a princess and make passionate love to her... just hypothetically of course... I got like 40 pages into Shades of Grey before I stopped.
ReplyDeleteOK FINE. This is a real book. Try not to judge, I read this during a hurricane last year.
Deletehttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7098832-the-devil-wears-plaid
CRAZY CAMPER DID YOU REALLY READ A BOOK CALLED THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID!?! WE NEED A REVIEW. The world is waiting.
DeleteI'm so so sorry for you.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha, I'm laughing about the illustration at the end :)
ReplyDeleteAnd, oohhh, poor you...
I realised about the Twilight & the 50 Shades of Grey series on time that I just shouldn't waste my time, so I'll never read them.
I've been "burned" myself a few times, too with too hyped books, so now I'm really picky about what I read, if I have a feeling I won't like a book, even if everyone loves it, I follow my gut :)
And yeah, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the exception to the rule, I got into it after around 200 pages, but it was worth it, and although I rarely give up on a book, I have done that, so I agree with you :) "cut your losses & re-read HP"! :)
I felt the same way about Twilight and 50 Shades. Both had HORRIBLE writing, and were not worth the hype, IMO. I think I automatically get a sort of "hype aversion" to anything my friends tell me that I HAVE to read or watch. The exceptions are The Hunger Games series and the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. Those were pretty awesome. Good post!
ReplyDeleteTOTALLY AGREE!! The thing that bothers me about Twilight is how people swoon over Edward but he's actually a controlling asshole :/ Is that what girls want in their relationship? Guys who break their possessions, control who they can and cannot visit, where they can and cannot go, and regularly lie to them? My expectations are higher than that!
ReplyDeleteAnd god, Fifty Shades... WHAT THE HECK! That book was a nightmare. I was just like you -- I kept reading thinking "Okay surely I'll get to the 'awesome' part soon." But that totally never happened. It just got worse and worse. I feel like this book sends a HORRIBLE message to women! It's basically saying, "Stay in your abusive relationship because one day it might get better!" No, no, no! That's horrible advice!
Grr.