I used to struggle through to finish books, even if I was hating them. I dropped that habit when I told my wise old mentor friend (who was the kindest polymath and beautiful mind I ever met) reminded me how many wonderful books are out there. More than we can read in our lifetime. That brought it home to me. Why keep reading a book I'm not enjoying, or I'm reading just to see what all the fuss is about? When I could drop it and read a classic I haven't read yet, or one of the other 200 or so books sitting on my "to read" shelf that I
would enjoy and learn from.
Now if a novel is challenging to read but worth it, like Dante's Inferno, or Flower's for Algernon - which is deeply sad, but powerful and one of my favourite novels ever, then it's a different matter. But if it's just a hyped bestseller or a random book I'm not enjoying, I can stop reading and let it go now.
See above! I never tried the book, but did like the How to Train your Dragon films.
Worst book I ever read was the Shades of Grey stuff. Also the worst films. I read those when they began appearing in charity shops, as I did with the Twilight ones. I read them to see what the fuss was about, and regrettably ploughed through the films too.
Fortunately, I was too old, cynical and experienced to go Twilight crazy, I also missed the Harry Potter craze, although have also read and seen those. Harry Potter no doubt the best of those three series in every respect. Twilight terrible, but I can see why it appealed to tween and teen girls. I had deep reservations about the unsaid lessons taught to those girls though, about controlling boyfriends, falling to bits if there's a break up, accepting abuse and not having your own life, instead being willing to give up everything you enjoy and love for a relationship. Some really bad lessons in there. Still, the adventure aspects and writing was far more skilled and not as explicit in accepted abusive relationships as Shades of Grey was.
Shades of Grey was written as Twilight fanfic, and it shows. The writing is so awful, that you have to pause to cringe and shake it off now and then, and my second hand copies of the book got thrown across the room a few times.
Those had even worse messaging about tolerating abusive partners, and the power of your love and loyalty changing them, their character, their damage, their abuse. Terrible life lessons to impart on young women, and blank slates of main characters that are so bland they're annoying in order for the reader to insert themselves in their position.
The films and books are almost equally terrible, although the films did at least remove some of the worst sections of dialogue and internal monologues. It was interesting to read them/see them, just to see what the fuss was about, but at the same time, it's time wasted I could have dedicated to some brilliant author. *shrug*
That's a film I didn't see until I was in my twenties I think, when I heard so many people quoting it and saying it's a classic from their childhood. I didn't see it as a kid, and I would have loved it- but I still loved it as an adult! I fancy rewatching it now. So the book is worth a read? I'll have to look out for it if you recommend it.
Inconceivable!
Me too. I might have to move there, suits me perfectly! Would be fun giving people your address.
