Have you ever disliked a book so much that you couldn't finish it?
By brokentia
@brokentia (10389)
United States
January 8, 2007 10:41am CST
I am currently reading a book that I was really getting irritated with and it is supposed to be funny...but I am not finding the real humor. So, after thr first three chapters, I decided I wanted to quit reading the book.
It is about a woman in her thrities and is mouthing off about age angst pregnancy pressure, and dietting battles. But then I read about her complaining about her mom buying her the wrong Prada bag. Now, if you mom is going to buy you a Prada bag just because you want one, pays your rent when your in college because you insist on living on your own, and then marry a doctor...money is never an issue for her! How can someone write a book about struggling when that one has no clue what struggle truly is!!!
I wanted to quit! But after a couple days of the book sitting thre taunting me for quitting...because I have never quit a book. I decided no matter what, I will finish the book so that I can still say that no matter how dry or boring or irritating the book may be, I finished it!
Have you ever wanted to quit reading a book? Did you? Why did you quit or not quit? What was the book and what was it about?Just so that you know what book I am spaking of it is, "Skinny B!tching" by Jenny Lee. Ever read it?
13 people like this
97 responses
@angelicEmu (1311)
•
8 Jan 07
Yes: Howard's End by E.M. Forster. I was so irritated and disgusted by it that I didn't get past the first chapter. I think what was most disappointing about this book, was that "A Room With A View" was such a clever, witty, intelligent book, which made wonderful points through its characters and style, on the conventions of "Romantic" novels, and the role of women as portrayed in such books, and within coventional society. It was a truly liberating read, for both genders, and I couldn't believe the same author had written such abject crap as "Howard's End"!
1 person likes this
@Adrenochrome (1653)
•
11 Jan 07
EM Forester is a bit of a chick-book author, so not one of my faves, but I must agree that 'Howard's End' really sucked. Howard may have ended, but Hell, the book just went on and on.
@kokopelli (4842)
• United States
9 Jan 07
wow, you got a lot of patience brokentia... or maybe looking at a book as a challenge, lol!
i got books i didn't finish. if at the third chapter it is still not making any sense, i just stop and get rid of it. there's always a better book ready for me to grab that's why i don't waste time if the book is really a struggle to read. yes, i'm a quitter, lol!
1 person likes this
@Penguinsangel (3498)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I am sure there is a book I have quit reading, but I really can't pinpoint one. I know there area few books that I didn't like in the first few chapters but kept reading and ended up enjoying a bit.
There are several I can think of...like My Name is Zippy that I hated, but read anyway...I kept at it until the end. Even though I still hated the book.
1 person likes this
@Idlewild (6090)
• United States
9 Jan 07
Had to read Lord of the Flies in high school. Yeah, I know , it's supposed to be a classic, but I just hated it. I would have NOT finished it, but since it was required for a test I had to force myself to get through to the end so I'd know what the conclusion.
1 person likes this
@lilbitgreen (167)
• United States
9 Jan 07
I start reading a book that isn't very interesting and think well the back cover says...blah blah blah. So I think with every page the story will start to get interesting and next thing I know the book is done and nothing exciting happened. I hate when that happens
1 person likes this
@emsr2d2 (60)
•
9 Jan 07
It took me 20 years to read the full Lord of the Rings trilogy! I kept starting them and giving up after about 50 pages.
But after the films came out, I grabbed the trilogy and read them in about a week!
It's very rare that I'll read a book just because I've seen the film, but this was the exception, and very much worth it.
At the moment, I've been trying to read a very weird book called House of Leaves. A friend lent it to me about 18 months ago, and occasionally I'll read another 5 pages or so. It is very hard going, but fascinating so I think I'll finish it one day!
1 person likes this
@Liasonfan (1702)
• Canada
9 Jan 07
I make myself finish books I start. Sometimes it takes me a long time to finish it, if it really wasn't what I thought it would be when I started. However if it is extremely monotonous or boring, or gory, sometimes I skip over parts mostly so I won't have nightmares about what I just read, lol! But mostly, I do finish books so then I give it a fair evaluation, and know for next time which types of stories or sometimes authors in particular to stay away from!
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
9 Jan 07
That is odd I also cant get it to that series. Yet I 've enjoyed all his others and Dean Koontz books
@chingyieng (248)
•
8 Jan 07
Never read that... but I did abandon a few books before because I got on to other books which seemed more interesting. Well, that's the way when it is too boring... you tend to procrastinate or decide to put it off a while but then you have new books to read and suddenly that unfinished book is forgotten... that's what happened in my case... well, maybe the day I have nothing else better to read... i will them up again.
@alias_andy (51)
• Romania
16 Jan 07
i haven't read this particular one...but yes there was one that i hated somemuch i just stopped reading it...the author is samuel beckett...
@meeandnotyou (2548)
• United States
9 Jan 07
I have never read this book but I have given up on the Bible several times (I don't like a lot of fiction). Eventhough I have given up on the Bible I have finished it because I wanted to know what all of the hype was about. after about my third time through (I was still just trying to understand what the f***? Why so many wars, animosity, hatred, etc.. over this book) then I realized that I actually had to study it and tear it apart since intepretation is key to the whole thing. Oh hell I will not get into this, but maybe this book of your's will probabally get into struggleing later on, maybe the gravy train dries up and after having everything handed to her she has to depend on herself for the first time ever in her life, thus the story of struggle?!? I don't know really just wanted to say "Hi Tia!" :-) Have a great day!!
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
9 Jan 07
ha ha Thanks for giving me the encouragement to finish the book. I am half way through and she still does not struggle the real life struggle. Her latest upset is that she found a stretch mark on her knee. And she was acting as if it were a horrible scene of an anaconda movie. It's a stretch mark!!! Her husband is a doctor and even he has to tell her it is a strech mark because she is acting like it is leprosy!!! But he does not tell her it is a strech mark until he is standing in the doorway to leave for work. Geez! You are rich and have a strech mark on your knee. Get over it already! Wear panty house, pants, dab it with makeup already! But you are not going to die from it!!!
But....I am still reading it. And I hope to never meet this woman in person, because I have the compelling urge to slap her on the back of the head (commonly referred to in my house as a 'brainduster'). ha ha
2 people like this
@meeandnotyou (2548)
• United States
9 Jan 07
Oh god I got it..... I know what the struggling is....... YOU TRYING TO READ THIS BOOK!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!
@Adrenochrome (1653)
•
8 Jan 07
'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad!
By the tiime I'd get to the fifth page, I couldn't remember what had been on the first. I'm an English teacher, and should try harder, but life's just too short, especially having spent so much of it reading Virginia Woolfs 'Orlando' - okay, the window was green, I get it, move on, I don't need 48 different descriptions of the shade!
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I have seen some authors over describe the surrounding. It can be very annoying.
Knootz is a good example....I love his books and ideas...but when he starts describing the sourrounds down to the formica countertops, I have to skip a few paragraphs.
1 person likes this
@Adrenochrome (1653)
•
9 Jan 07
Will try Koontz, not an author I'm familiar with. Always good to try new experiences, though, and I'll bear your skipping chapters hint in mind. Thanks.
@Adrenochrome (1653)
•
9 Jan 07
Sorry Knootz, it's too early in the morning over here, my brain's starting to jellify!
@Starlady0_1 (586)
• United States
8 Jan 07
Yes I have started books that were so boring that I couldn't finish them. I have ran into this once with a movie I thought the movie was so stupid I wouldn't even finish watching it. Yes I gave the movie a chance. I had rented it and even complained when I returned it. I got a credit for the movie.
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
8 Jan 07
If you have never seen the movie, Mirrormask...don't. It was also a movie that I most counldn't finish. But my partner and I both didn't want to give up on the movie because we hoped that it would get better. We both moaned and groaned through the whole movie wondering if it would ever end or get better.
So when it was over, we both had to agree that was the worst dang movie we had ever watched! Sad...very very sad. :(
1 person likes this
@snivelbec (135)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I'm afraid to admit it but yeah, I have such a book - made even more shameful 'cause it's a well known and beloved (by some, I'm sure) classic. It's Wuthering Heights. I'm 45 years old and I've tried it about 7 times and I can't get ever get Heathcliff off those darn moors! It's horrible! Every time I try, I end up thinking, "I get it, I get it. They're cold and damp and foggy...get ON WITH IT already!"
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
8 Jan 07
ha ha I can't say that I have read that. But I can say I know the feeling with some books also. LOL
1 person likes this
@elizabeth13 (106)
• United States
8 Jan 07
Yes, very rarely do I get to read since I have 3 children, but if a book doesn't capture my attention in the first chapter, or first say 10 minutes, that's it. Her mom buying her the wrong Prada bag would make me want to heave the book out the door, I hate spoiled brats.
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
8 Jan 07
ha ha Thank you for recognizing that!!! It had me steaming for a while. At this point, I am beginning to think that I should write my own book about age agnst. LOL At least I know about struggle and could probably give a more humorous view!
1 person likes this
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
9 Feb 07
Yes, a few times. When I would try a new author. But I mainly stick to whome I like now, so I don't run into that problem. I never read skinny b. by Jenny Lee. I will not finish the book, but skim though it and read the last page. Blessings, M&M
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
8 Jan 07
A good friend had 4 books she needed to read for her college courses. She was in a time crunch so I told her I would read one of the books for her and give her my review. This book was so boring I could have cried. I forced myself to read every word. I did finish the book and she questioned me on the content. She did get a good grade. I am always glad to help a friend in need. But, never will I submit to the torture of having to read books that bore you to tears.
@pinktulips (549)
• Pakistan
8 Jan 07
not exactly dislike, but there are many that i found boring....but i still somehow tried to finish them....like this one Swill Family Robins was sooo boring! :D...bt i still finished it :)
@messagecarol (50)
• United States
9 Jan 07
I hear what you are saying...I especially hate when you get all hyped...and it is a complete dissappointment!!
@twilight021 (2059)
• United States
9 Feb 07
I couldn't get past 2 chapters of Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons". I just wansn't into his writing style. Needless to say I have never read the "DiVinci Code".
