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To Quit Or Not Quit a Book? Our Readers Weigh In...
Reading is a bit like dating. Sometimes a book ignites a spark, and other times it fizzles. So we asked our followers on Twitter and Facebook: Do you stick with it or do you move on? Check out some of the most popular comments below and let us know which camp you fall into.
1."99% of the time I will finish the book. I feel I owe it to the author," says Todd.
2. "I usually stick it out. There's been many times that I've ended up loving something that wasn't initially drawing me in," says Andrew.
3."Move on. Reading should be a pleasure. If it’s not the book for you, it’s not the book for you," says Barbara.
4."I give it the 100 page limit. If I am still not into the book by that page, I put it down and get another book to read. Life is too short to suffer through a book you are not enjoying," says Luci.
5. "I used to stick with it, but I have decided that I only have so many years in my life and it is not worth it! There are so many good books out there to discover," says Tamara.
6. "I always finish them off. I sometimes put them down and pick another book but always come back," says Carola.
7. "It depends on the level of not pulling me in. If I'm not loving it, but still want to know how it ends, I'll stick with it. But if reading it feels like a chore, I'll stop reading it," says Chelsey.
8. "If it’s a book I really want to read, I try the audio before giving up completely," says Dana.
9. "Put it away and try much later on. Tastes and style change over the years," says Brad.
10."Depends on why I'm reading it. For review? For my private students? For research? For pleasure? For the first 3, I stick to it. For the last, I move on," says Elizabeth.
11. "If it's unrecommended I'll give it 2-3 chapters. If it's an author I like or has come with a respected recommendation I'll give it more time," says Danielle.
12. "I always try to stick with it. I feel like there is something to learn in the struggle of getting through a book. I’ve only put down a couple of books, but that was because I developed a strong dislike for the material," says Kira.
13. "I usually move on. For every page I force myself to read that I'm not enjoying, that's time I could be reading pages that I love," says Nicole.
14. "Some books take more time than others to learn the flow of the prose, but more often than not it pays to keep reading until you get there," says Carole.
15. "I leave it alone for a couple days and if the desire to read it doesn't come back then I just don't bother," says Teresa.
16."So much of my reading is for book clubs that I pretty much always stick with it—at least I’ll have people to complain to!" says Megan.
Which responses do you relate to? Share your two cents in the comments!
Check out more recent blogs:
Monogamous vs. Polygamous Reading: Which 'Type' Do You Prefer?
24 of the Season's Highest-Rated Debuts
Tomi Adeyemi's Diverse Must-Reads to Rock Your World
Check out more recent blogs:
Monogamous vs. Polygamous Reading: Which 'Type' Do You Prefer?
24 of the Season's Highest-Rated Debuts
Tomi Adeyemi's Diverse Must-Reads to Rock Your World
Comments Showing 201-250 of 428 (428 new)
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Heather
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Feb 23, 2018 09:27PM
I never used to DNF a book unless it was truly bad and/or contained something I didn't agree with, because I feel like I have to finish things, even if it isn't good. Over the years, I've learned to DNF books that were bad and that I wasn't enjoying. I don't like doing it, especially since I started doing the reading challenges; I don't like books to be a part of it if I didn't finish them. However, life's too short to read crappy books, so now my motto is if it's too bad in any way then I'm putting it down and moving on to hopefully better books!
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I've stopped some Kindle books if the writing is abhorrent. Novels, I'll finish, even if I don't like them. Then, I don't read the author again. Luckily, it rarely happens.
It depends how I feel if I absolutely hate it I won't read it but if it is a little interesting I will try to read 100 pages and if by then I still don't like it I put it down.
I feel like I almost absolutely have to finish it out, even if I know I don't like it by page 20 or I know it might likely be 1 star. I know that sometimes things change when you reading a book and you end up feeling lukewarm to a book you might have not liked at all at the beginning, or the opposite happens, you like a book immensely but it ends up being sort of mediocre. So, I always feel like it is important to keep reading. I feel like I owe it to the author who has invested their time in writing, just like I owe it to give a thoughtful review as much as I can.
I am a man and men don't quit!A man either finishes the book or the book finishes him, and I haven't let a book kill me yet! The long, grisly struggle of reading will continue until the battlefield is littered with bookcases full of literature that I have conquered in my sanguinary lust for knowledge!
I like to finish things i started so i will finish the book but, i will read a few pages every day and will eventually finish it. I look at reviews of the books so I avoid most of the bad ones.
I used to have a compulsion to finish every book. Nowadays, I'm a lot more liable to set aside a book, either permanently or to try again at a later date. Sometimes it's the right book, but the wrong time. But, if it's never going to be the right book, I've learned to give myself permission to let it go. I only have so much time left, and life's too short to waste it on books that aren't giving me a return on investment.
Frank wrote: "If you were eating a terrible meal would you finish it?"No of course not! I agree with you and Luci - life is too short to be reading books you are not enjoying!
If a book can't hold my attention for at least the first 2-3 chapters it goes to the ''don't ever pick it up again'' shelf. So I'm definitely in the ''drop it and move on'' category.Having said that I've read plenty books that I didn't expect much from that I ended up loving either the characters, the plot or simply the author's writing style.
For me, life is too short to force myself to endure a book that I'm not enjoying at some level or other. Most often, though, not finishing a book is not really a conscious decision. Mostly, for me, it happens after realising that I haven't touched it for ages, sometimes haven't even thought about it for ages. Or sometimes I find I give up on something to put it aside and come back to it later. Sometimes I'm just not ready for that particular book at that particular time in my life. Doesn't mean I won't enjoy it later. For instance, took me countless goes to get through Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd. Came back to it a good decade later, and now I love his books.I have to admit, I don't understand the 'I owe it to the author' mindset. I've already bought the book. I've paid for it. I've given them my money. What difference does it make whether I finish it or not? And the more I force myself to slog through something unenjoyable, the less likely I'll be to ever pick up anything else by that author.
If u start a book and u read like 20 pgs of it.... then u do finish it!!! Duty as a reader.....
I try to give a book a fair go, but if my mind is continually wandering, or each time I pick it up I find I have to keep backtracking, then it's not really engaging me and I cast it aside.
I very rarely give up on a book but when I do it is because I have been struggling for a couple of days and am still not engaged. I feel I owe to the author to try and find what they wanted to say.
Aaron wrote: "I DNF a lot"what does DNF mean?
I'll give most books a chance but with limited time if I've got about 20% of the way in and I'm still finding it a chore then I'll leave it. If possible I'll also try the audio version as well and that has worked for me with some books.
Angrboda wrote: "For me, life is too short to force myself to endure a book that I'm not enjoying at some level or other. Most often, though, not finishing a book is not really a conscious decision. Mostly, for me,..."I get most of my books free on the understanding that I write a review therefore there is a commitment to try and finish the book.
I usually struggle through to the end, although I always wonder why I bothered as it's rare the book improves if it's not enjoyable by 1/3 through. I can only think of two books I couldn't finish. I wish I was better about dropping a bad book, as when I get bogged down in one book I don't start a new one for weeks and miss out on a lot of reading time!
Patricia wrote: "Angrboda wrote: "For me, life is too short to force myself to endure a book that I'm not enjoying at some level or other. Most often, though, not finishing a book is not really a conscious decision..."I agree, this makes a difference. I don't get books on the understanding of a review, though (expect possibly a family member wanting to know if I liked it or not), so for me owing anybody anything doesn't really enter into it.
I didn't use to put it down, but lately I have done it quite a bit. If it doesn't pull me in within a certain amount of time I'll place it in the DNF file and possibly come back to it at a later date. The last book I DNF was because of the characters. They absolutely was driving me crazy! I couldn't stand to read another page of the ignorance that I felt was taking place.
Why white or black? Sometimes, a book needs the right time to be good. I had that a few weeks ago with Siddharta by Herman Hesse: I will be coming back later, and then it will work.Apart from that, there is a point of no return. When I crossed it, I am too deep in the plot, atmosphere, whatever to just quit.
Off the top of my head, there are two books I could not finish: The Tommyknockers by Stephen King and Fighting God: An Atheist Manifesto for a Religious World by David Silverman. The first one I could not become absorbed in the story. I don't remember which page I left off. The second one seemed to be a rant of which I decided was not worth my time.I don't have a formula, per se, of whether I should finish a book or not. It pretty much depends on how much of my time I wish to spend forcing myself to do so.
Spending time with a book is like spending time with a potential mate. And just as one would break-up with someone if they do not sync, I do too - if the ideas/story/thoughts expressed doesn't match with my own. There is no dearth of possible love that I'll find within pages. I do not find a need to stick it out with the wrong book just because there is an obligation. Doesn't mean the book is bad. Both of us were just not meant to be.
If I am not enjoyed by the book, I drop it and I chose a new one.But I may return to the dropped book later, it really depends on my mood and on my interest for the story which could have changed at this time.
Then there is the 50-page rule: give it 50 pages; but if you're over 50 years old, you don't have that much time to spend, so give it 100 pages less your age. (Of course, I guess that means when you're 100 years old, you can judge a book by its cover!) :D
hmmm good timeing for this debate I Love reading ,hence being here! I have just dragged my way through Stephen Kings " Sleeping Beauties"! and I have been a fan of the masters for years now but this book !! Man I hated the ending ... good story a few niggles here and there but it was over 700 pages and I did not enjoy it like his others and thought why on earth did I waste time on that?? > Now I am reading another book (much shorter!) and I am trying to decide to carry o or not as I am not enjoying it like I thought I would! .....like some say here ...life is too short ....but I love books ?? I want to know what's what ...but there are so many books to read and not enough time !...oh what to do ????
It may be a symptom of OCD on my part, but once I start a book I feel compelled to finish it even if I hate it. For one thing, I don't really feel qualified to declare that I don't like a book unless I judge it as a whole. For another thing, if I stick with it it just might get better. A very good example of that is American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. It is incredibly boring for, I think, about the first 127 pages. Then it suddenly picks up and becomes a really exciting read.
I try hard to give books a chance. But if it's boring me I will give up. Life is too short to force yourself to finish a book just because you started it. My husband can tell you this for a fact. He the one who tells me if you don't like it don't force it.
Reading time is—unfortunately—limited, so my philosophy is to quit on books that don’t engage me from the start or that make me lose interest halfway through... Also because if I’m in the middle of a book like that, I notice I start reading less and less as it becomes a chore, not worth it. If I really want to know how it ends what I do is to search Goodreads for a very long one-star or two-star review and see what others had to say, they usually tell you how the story goes...
For me there's no sense in finishing a book you're not enjoying at all. I usually try to read 100 pages at least and if I still don't like it I put it down and move on.
I have a tendency to see a book out until the end. There's only been a small handful of times that I have put a book down in disgust or frustration.Most of the time, I like to finish a book because I paid for it, it's a classic, or I will wonder "did it get better?" I also just hate having half-finished books lying around.
I try to finish what I start, I really do. One author I love is the late Richard Laymon, and have read all of his novels with the exception of two, one of which I only found out existed a few weeks ago, and the other - After Midnight - I simply can't get into. I am on my third try, and it just isn't happening. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses and move on.I also think if you don't actually finish a book, you have waived your right to review it. A one-star review of a book someone has finished 1/4 of is inherently irrelevant and devoid of credibility. One of my most hateful practices on the site. I do with there was a DNF filter when browsing reviews. You didn't FINISH the book, you haven't READ it, so don't REVIEW it!
I have a 100 page limit, too. If I'm midly interested at that point, I'll most likely skim through the rest of the book to figure out how it ends. If I feel like my soul is being dragged out through my nose, then I'll drop it and pick up another. My TBR list is so long, and there's so much else (job, home, etc) that takes up a lot of my time, as well, that I have learned how to be more willing to drop a book if I'm just not that into it.
Jason wrote: "I try to finish what I start, I really do. One author I love is the late Richard Laymon, and have read all of his novels with the exception of two, one of which I only found out existed a few weeks..."I disagree with your second point. If I dislike a book strongly enough to make the conscious decision to stop reading it, I find it important to at least attempt to give a reason. I would say though, it should be something more than just 'I was bored'. On one occasion, for example, it was a case of so guts and gore and torture and sexual violence in graphic description from pretty much all the characters (especially sexual violence) it made me wonder about the author's mental health. Consider it a warning to others who may be more squeamish than me.
I used to push through. But then I pushed through a 60 hour audiobook and it wasn't worth it. That taught me a lesson. Now, if I don't like it after giving it a fair shake (I don't have a page or hour count cut off, I just get a feeling, I will return it to Audible and get another. I haven't done it often, but I don't feel super guilty when I do it. I can always come back to it when I am in a different mood or a different age or at a different place in my life.
Angrboda wrote: If I dislike a book strongly enough to make the conscious decision to stop reading it, I find it important to at least attempt to give a reason. I would say though, it should be something more than just 'I was bored'. On one occasion, for example, it was a case of so guts and gore and torture and sexual violence in graphic description from pretty much all the characters (especially sexual violence) it made me wonder about the author's mental health. Consider it a warning to others who may be more squeamish than me. ..."I understand your point, and I have no problem with that, in some ways it's appreciated. I didn't specify, but my gripe is aimed more at those who take aim at story/character content when doing reviews of uncompleted books. Reasons of morality/ethics/general good taste are a bit different :)
Rarely do I not finish a book. I attribute that to being pretty critical of what I choose to read. As a 71 year old person I am even more picky as to my reading. Being a member of a book club for the last 18 years has presented me with choices I would not have made but almost 99% of the time we read and enjoy discussing them. I think younger readers have more incentive to read different genre in literature and may find something about themselves they did not know.
Take the number of books you read in a year and multiply it by the number of years you might reasonably be expected to live. That's all there will be - ever - do you want to waste it reading a book you don't like? How many great books will you never read so that you can finish something that your brother-in-law lent you? My advice is don't even pick it up.
While I feel bad not finishing a book there are only a few I genuinely give up on. It might take me 5 years to finish a book that doesn't "grab" me because I feel I ought to have read it (e.g. The Hobbit - I started this so long ago and still haven't finished and it feels like a 'must read').Some things don't get finished because I forget them; I've only had one book that I consciously decided "Nope" and never picked it back up again.
Turn offs:Protracted descriptions of people, places, unrelated events
Twitch by twitch lengthy Sex Scenes
Profanity
Poor editing--grammar errors, spelling, syntax
Bloated writing--books that would have been improved if cut by hundreds of pages.
Digressions that add little of nothing to the plot
I read for research. If the book is not adding to the information I have, there is no point in wasting my time.When the book is totally one-eyed and flatly contradicts EVERY other authority that I know, it is wasting my time UNLESS it is a proposal that hangs together and is based upon solid research.
I will read it to the end - there's always something that will appeal to 'someone', and I feel like I owe it to the author and publisher to discover those points.That being said - books that obviously lack editing are a no finish for me - and I will always make the effort to let author / publisher know why I quit the book - those poorly edited or "my mom said it was good' books are most often half-conceived and a waste of my time. Fortunately, I've gotten really good at making those discoveries from the blurb / excerpt or even the 'request to review' information about them - and those I can just save myself the trouble.
I always used to finish a book i started but now if i can't get into it I'll move on and come back to it some other time. Although if i get to at least 50% through the book I'll finish no matter what. I figure I've gone to far too quit now...
I tend to be a finisher. I the two books I read, for example, I certainly did not love, yet I felt I had to just get to the end of them, to know they were done. They had similar themes, so I probably should have stopped halfway through the second book.
I'm in the camp of read the book that holds your interest. If I'm not excited to return for the next sitting [I rarely read them in one take] then on to the next. There are sooooo many books waiting for you. Mine stare from piles in assorted rooms, award winner lists, new books from favorite authors, and those still arriving in the mail.
Sometimes I know right away and will drop a book after 50 pages. I just know. Other times, I struggle and have been pleasantly surprised. As a retired school and public librarian, I pretty much know if I'm going to like it. I would say, most of the time I stay with it. A couple of times, I quit and went back. If I love a book, can't put it down. Its the ones I am slower on that are a challenge, but most of the times, I give them a chance and they pick up. I have stopped reading books 60 per cent in because I just can't take it! But I am basically in the camp that doesn't give up.
I used to tough it out and finish a book because I felt as though I owed the author that courtesy. Then one day my librarian said that she gives the book 25 pages and if it is moving along she gives up on it. That changed my thinking.Now, I look upon it that the author owes me for spending my time on their work and if it is not up to snuff in 25 pages then they are wasting my time. Time, of which we all have only a limited amount of, should not be wasted on poorly written books when there are so many others that truly deserve some of our time and attention.
I usually try to analyze what is deterring me and contributing to my lack of motivation to finish it. I've learned that one personal irritant is too many narrators. I've read some great books with two, even three different narrators, because the author made each of them interesting, and the different vantage points contributed to the complexities of the characters' development and relationships. On one recent occasion, however, I did put down a book due to too many narrators. There were at least six narrators, and I kept on ploughing through most of this novel, because I had enjoyed the author's previous novels. This time, however, when yet ANOTHER (very peripheral) narrator was introduced in the penultimate chapter (REALLY??) I gave up and literally THREW the book down.
I used to stick it out, but not anymore. There were several "good" books that I either couldn't even recall the main characters names after the first two chapters (The Edwardians), the writing style was terrible, or I was reading it because someone really wanted me to. In all cases, I did not finish and in the last, I lied like my friend was going to make me give a book report. When I read to learn, I will stick with it, but since I am choosing what to learn, it rarely ceases to hold my interest. When reading for pleasure, and it isn't pleasurable, I stop and pick up another book. There are millions upon millions of books out there, one isn't going to love them all.
For the first time in several years, I quit a book before I could finish it. It was non-fiction and I felt like the author was yelling at me for existing, it was very weird. It made me sad to give up on it but I just could not turn another page.
