What Makes You Put Down a Book?

[Dawn, Desperately seeking new worlds]

I saw this one in another group and thought I would share it here. Did anyone else see this blog earlier this week?

I thought it was rather realistic :-)

[Sandra, Need more time to Read!!]

Very interesting ;)

[Lisarenee]

I am not alone. Yay! lol I abandoned Catch-22. The reason I did was that it felt like a book written for guys and I found it rather boring. I just could not get myself to read past chapter 19 or so. I rarely abandon books and felt bad for abandoning a classic, but I just couldn't read on.

I wish I had abandoned Eat, Pray, Love, but it got such rave reviews I figured it had to have an awesome ending, but it didn't. I think it's one of those books that if you've recently gone through a divorce or a friend or loved one has and you're their support person, this is not a book you will like. Timing is everything and I read this one when my mom was going through a brutal divorce after 16 years of marriage where she came out of the marriage (due to Illinois laws) with less then she went in. I found the book rather depressing.

[Dawn]

I put a book down the second the writing says something that isn't possible. I find quite a few (mainly newly self published writers) say things that make me laugh out loud because they are ridiculous! I can't trust a writer who doesn't create a real world. That's when they lose me.

[Carla]

For me when a book is slow going I give it a chance but if it drags on, I'll stop and leave it.

[Carla]

@Dawn how do you mean, not create a real world? Like a story that's too fantastical? Did I use that right?

[Jacy]

I try to finish every book that I start. I have only not finished a few books. I'm the type of person who doesn't pick up a book that I don't have some desire to read. For instance, I would not have picked up Eat, Pray, Love because it's not appealing to me. I have a rule that if the book can't get me into it after 10 chapters that I will stop reading it. By chapter 10, I've usually found something to keep me reading.

[Dawn]

Hi Carla, I guess what I mean by 'not create a real world' is when the writer says things that would never happen. For example I started to read a book the other day where someone has their arm practically ripped off and goes on to carry out a normal full-length conversation straight after! In reality the person would be screaming their head off and would probably pass out!

[Dawn, Desperately seeking new worlds]

I think it is interesting that so many people will finish a book no matter what.

Typically I abandon a book that I do not find interesting after about 50 pages. I think that is enough time to get me and keep me interested.

I also freely admit I will put down a book only to come back to it weeks, months or years later and love it. So a dnf for me is a book that typically has some issues...at least for me.

[Carla]

if a book has not "grabbed me" or given me a reason to care about what happens to the people or even the place i will happily put it in my "broken up with shelf" there are millions of stories out there & some are for my enjoyment & some are not =)

[Carla]

Lol wow Dawn I can see your point!

[Alisa]

I think it's hard to explain what the "thing" is that makes me put down a book. Sometimes a book just doesn't grab me and I can't always explain why. Sometimes I go back to a book later and am able to finish it. Those are mostly books I'm not sure about and think that I may like them at a different time. I will usually finish a book that I don't like by skimming quickly through it. I don't know why I do that but I like to feel like it's wrapped up, done w/, and officially an author I'm not going to try again.

[Katrina]

The thing that makes me put down a book by a couple of chapters I read is if it's not interesting enough for me. Or if it drags on and on and on, then it loses me.

[Carolyn F.]

I stop if I'm bored and that could encompass a bad plot or bad dialogue.

[Tasula]

I stop reading if:
1) one of the characters is so loathsome I can't stand any more
2) romance is sappy instead of snappy
3) protagonist is TSTL (in case you don't recognize it, too stupid to live)

[Carolyn F.]

Tasula wrote: "I stop reading if:
1) one of the characters is so loathsome I can't stand any more
2) romance is sappy instead of snappy
3) protagonist is TSTL (in case you don't recognize it, too stupid to live)"

I'll add those too. :)

[Lauren]

I usually give a book 50 pages - if the plot, characters or writing aren't grabbing me then I toss it. The main reasons I discard a book:

1. Ridiculous plot
2. Annoying characters
3. Immature dialogue
4. Incoherent writing