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When I was younger, I took pride in finishing every book I started no matter how hard one might be to slog through. What was I thinking!?! With a little age and wisdom, I realized the error of my ways and gave myself permission to quit on books. This proved to be one of my best decisions ever. There are far too many amazing books to waste time on one I’m not enjoying. For today’s Top Ten Tuesday, I’m taking a look at some of the books released this year that I tried, but just wasn’t feeling. These are books that many, many others loved, so don’t take the fact that I couldn’t connect as a reason to dismiss these titles. Reading is a very personal activity. What didn’t work for me might well work for you!
A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline (2/17) – I really, really wanted to like Baker Kline’s new book because I was a fan of Orphan Train, but I simply found Christina Olson’s largely solitary, country life to be dull. I had also expected Andrew Wyeth to play a larger role in the book. Sticking with it all the way to 32%, I gave A Piece of the World a very fair trial.
The Gargoyle Hunters by John Freeman Gill (3/17) – This book had so much that appeals to me: it was a debut, took place in NYC, and was a coming-of-age story. That seemed like an ideal combination, but I found neither the father nor son very likable and frankly got a little bored with a lot of architectural talk. I quit on The Gargoyle Hunters at 25%.
The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova (4/17) – I absolutely loved Kostova’s debut, The Historian, so had such high hopes for The Shadow Land. Unfortunately, I found the main character, Alexandra, to be a ninny. I grew frustrated with silly choices she made, and her constant worry that she might be in harm’s way. The over use of road trips through Bulgaria didn’t help either. I quit at 27%.
No One Can Pronounce My Name by Rakesh Satyal (4/17) – It was probably me, but I didn’t find any humor in this book. Definitely billed as a humorous take on Indian immigrants finding their place in America, it just didn’t work. The story actually made me feel blue, and I found I couldn’t rally to stay with it, so stopped reading at 20%.
The Reminders by Val Emmich (5/17) – The Reminders is a book told from alternating perspectives, one being a quirky 10-year old girl, Joan. I found Joan extremely annoying! She alone is the reason I had to quit at 25%. Rarely have I had such a strong reaction to the voice of a narrator.
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate (6/17) – Here is a perfect example of the dangers of a dual timeline. I enjoyed the half of the story taking place in the past. Had that been the entire book I would have easily finished it, but the tie to the present ruined Before We Were Yours for me. It had too many unlikely connections and was headed to “neat and tidy” land. I just couldn’t stay with it past 20%.
Who Is Rich? by Matthew Klam (7/17) – This was the first of four July DNF books for me. Maybe it was my mood, but I found Klam’s new satire to be just too snarky, and I like snark. I also found Rich, who narrates, to be just a little pathetic. There wasn’t enough there to keep me going beyond 23%.
Infinite Summer by Edoardo Nesi (7/17) – I kept going all the way to 30% with Infinite Summer, but then realized it was time to stop torturing myself. This Italian novel was about a group of men trying start a business in the 1970’s, but I simply couldn’t connect with or care about any of them.
Refuge by Dina Nayeri (7/17) – I’d looked forward to Refuge for a very long time, so was extremely disappointed in myself when I had to put it down at 22%. Had I not been in the midst of a slumpy month, I might have been more willing to stay with Nayer’s book. Of all the books on this list, Refuge is the one I most worry I made a mistake with.
Careers for Women by Joanna Scott (7/17) – I chalk this one up to false advertising. The blurb made it sound like a story about women working in NYC during the 1950’s. Sadly, that was only one side of a dual timeline. In this case, neither of the storylines was really working for me. I gave it a good shot anyway, finally quitting at 35%.
Have you read any of these books?
Are there titles I should give a second chance?
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I was the same as you…finishing every book I started for so long! I wish I had all that time back! Blogging was the thing that really got me comfortable with DNFing…there were just that many more books I wanted to read, so I was way more conscious of time.
And looks like you’ve been generally using the 25% rule of thumb…I do that too!
I do try to get to 20-25% before giving up. However, sometimes I read a sample and then go no further, and those I don’t even consider a DNF.
All of these flew past my radar which it sounds like might be a good thing. I had debated about Who is Rich but in the end wasn’t all that interested in trying it. I usually give myself about 25 pages and if I’m not connecting I let the book go. Sometimes I end up going back if I find myself still thinking about it later but most of the time I feel fine to move on…there’s just too many great books waiting out there!
I often think I’ll come back to a book after I put it aside, but the reality is I almost never do. I’m always on the hunt for the next amazing book!
I too was really looking forward to The Shadow Land (I loved The Historian as well). I did slog through to the end, but you’re not missing much. It was very repetitive, and the payoff was too little, too late.
Thanks…That makes me feel even better about quitting on The Shadow Land.
I loved the Historian (read it twice), but could not finish her novel The Swan Thieves. Lately I’ve been finishing books and find myself returning to many I gave up on years ago. I get many from the library to avoid guilt.
Wow! I’m impressed you read The Historian twice. It as a long book. I also think it’s impressive that you’re goong back to books you gave up on in the past. That’s something I might need to consider.
I also used to finish every book I started. I still find it very hard to stop reading a book. I’m always holding out hope that it will get better! Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.
Some of these titles are new to me even now, however I think DNFing books is a good thing for bookworms. You can’t love everything you read, so why waste the time when you could be enjoying another book.
Well said! I couldn’t agree more.
Hi! I haven’t read any of these. The covers look great, though 🙂 I agree, life is too short to be reading a book you’re not enjoying!
My TTT
Leslie
I see several similarities, but at least one on your list I finished- although who knows why! It’s The Shadow Land. I felt the same way about both Careers for Women and No One Can Pronounce- felt like false advertising. Especially, Careers, because I LOVE stories about women in the workplace before it was the norm.
I used to feel very strongly that if someone had put in the effort to write a whole book (or make a whole movie) I owed them the respect to finish it. I was so young! Now, especially with blogging, I just don’t have the time. This year has been particularly brutal- 4 DNFs in June alone. Sigh.
Isn’t it great that age actually does bring wisdom (at least in a few areas)? I get a sort of panicked feeling when I have too many DNF’s in a row. It begins to feel like I’l never find a book to connect with again. It’s ridiculous, I know!
I too was one of those who felt obliged to finish every book I started. But no longer.
As someone else mentioned, many of these titles aren’t familiar to me. I did enjoy Shadow Land. I guess I should read The Historian.
I feel fortunate to only have 5 DNFs this year (although there are another 5 or so that I should have). With 85 read and 15 marked as possibles for a Top Ten list. So far not a bad year but I would like to punch it up a little.
Wow! You’ve had an amazing year. So many books read and so few DNF’s. Now you have me dying to know what those 15 possible top ten books are.
I haven’t read any of these but I still finish all the books I start. For me, it mostly because I’m ultra-distractable and if I don’t committ to finishing every book I start I would probably abandon them all to start the next interesting thing that comes in the mail…
Wow! I’m very impressed that you finish every book you start. I think if I forced myself to read one I really wasn’t feeling, it would take me forever to get through it. I don’t like to have more than 2 books going at a time, so that could really slow me down.
Sometimes it does take a while. If that happens, I will pause and read a fast-paced book, then return to the one I’m struggling with.
Hmm, haven’t read any but I have(had?) Before we were yours and Career Women in the TBR…now I’m not so sure 😛
If you read them, let me know. (I can tell you that I know at least two others who quit on Careers for Women!)
I absolutely loved The Historian too and I want to read The Swan Thieves, but I’ve been looking forward to Shadowland A LOT. I’m sorry you didn’t like it. I think I’ll give it a go anyway and see what I think.
Let me know what you think of The Shadow Land.
Hooray for giving ourselves permission to not finish books that are not working for us…I also only started doing this in recent years. I have not read any of these books, nor do they sound like I would want to, but now you are making me quite curious to read The Historian!
It’s too bad there have been so many this year that haven’t worked for you.
Yup! It’s been one of those years.