How quickly are you prepared to abandon a book ?

[Bob]

If I am bored after 50 pages, the book is gone.

[Monnie]

Almost never. Probably 98% of the books I read are ARCs from NetGalley, so I feel an obligation to finish them and provide honest reviews. Only once has a book been so truly awful that I simply couldn't stand to finish it. If it's a book I bought or borrowed, I'm a little more likely to give up on a really nasty one, but usually my stubbornness kicks in and I force myself to end the misery.

[Jessica]

If I buy the book, which I almost always do, then I have to finish it! It might sit on the shelf for a long time but I always go back to it.

[Sonja]

It really depends on the type of book but I generally try to get through a third or so before giving up. It takes a lot though. My stubbornness puts up a fight.

[Siobhan]

I try to get half way, if I paid full price or it was a gift, I'll slog through till the end. My reading is also (mainly about enjoyment and entertainment) about improving my writing style so reading poof books helps me see what not to do while enhancing my academic writing. (mature uni student looking at undertaking either a masters or doctorate in 18months)

[Goodreader]

I usually know by page 50 if I'm going to tolerate it or not... although I will occassionally get as far as page 100ish but I try not to waste that much time... I remember getting to about page 190 of A Nearly Normal Family and just giving up but that's by the far the farthest I've gotten.

[John]

W wrote: "When a book isn't interesting,do you slog through it anyway or are you prepared to abandon it quickly ?"
I started reading classics, one of my all time favorites will always be, The Old Man and The Sea. I was 14. ` It was the book that turned me into a life long reader. With that as my bedrock I've always sought that level of storytelling. A book can fail me on the first page, but I'll give it three and up to ten pages but no more than that. I love to read. When I find a great read it ends up in my Library with the other 560 books I've loved and will read again and again from time to time.

[Maria]

I have never quit on a book. If I am going to review it I need to give it my full attention until the end. As a norm I read the book until the end and if I do not like it because of the writing style then I will not buy any more books by this author.

Even if I do not review the book someone work very hard on it, it is the least I could do to finish it.

[Barbara]

There are too many books and too little time IMHO to slog through - I have done it, most recently with Dan Simmons "The Five Hearts" and a couple of the recent Lee Child/Jack Reacher books - though in the latter case, I skimmed a lot.
I once gave up on a book on page 1 - I didn't scan it in the library before taking it out and realized it was one of those thrillers written in the present tense. Don't get me started on books written in the present tense. I gave up on another around page 3 when there was a scene of cruelty to a dog. Don't get me started on that, either. Too many rescue dogs in my life, many abused or dumped by terrible owners to have that be part of my recreational reading.

[Donne]

To me it's not so much when to DNF a book, but rather why. For me, the #1 reason I will DNF a book is when I don't like the MC(s). Someone once said to me that "it's not important for an MC to be likeable, they just need to be interesting." I couldn't disagree more. Enough said!

The #2 reason, is if it's too gory and gruesome, which is why I don't read horror books anymore. The #3 reason, senseless animal killing. I can't tell you how many books I have DNFed because the author killed off some beloved, helpless, family pet simply for gore value.

[Jeff]

I'm reading Jeff Abbott's book and it is not going so well. I've read about 80 pages and honestly don't care for the main characters. The suspense feels forced and stupid. I think I am taking it back to the library today and not finishing. But, I get bored easily

[Jeff]

A few years ago I could not understand how someone could start a book and not finish it. But as I’ve come across this question over the years, the response on the reason why one would do so is very valid and reasonable.

I’ve read a lot in my time and I can only think of two books I’ve started and not finished, both when I was in my twenties. A little bit of a weird point in my life to where I am now.

Today, I can’t imagine myself starting a book and not seeing it all the way through. I have several reasons.

One, the author took a great amount of effort to put words on the page and if I decided to read it then I feel I owe it to the author to finish. Yes, I have read some bad stuff but I can’t think of one time that I didn’t find a nugget of good stuff.

Two. I used to coach sports. I would start each practice with a rule. It was the same thing I raised my kids with. One of those rules was “Finish what you start.” Meaning if they started music lessons or little league baseball, you stay with it till it is over. That seems to be just engrained in me and why I finish a book I start.

Three. I learn from good books and bad books. The good makes me strive to be a better writer and the bad affirms that I can really do this.

[Mark]

So far, I've only done it once. I got 200 pages into Infinite Jest couldn't do anymore. The length wasn't the problem; I've finished 2666 and City on Fire and those were both 900 pages plus. I didn't want to abandon it but I just couldn't bring myself to keep going. I'll try again someday. I'm just not good with stopping. Even if it's not a book I really enjoy, finishing seems important to me. I figure I'll learn how not to write.

[Jeffrey]

I don't have a set rule. I've abandoned some books after the first few pages while I've given others chapters.

If I find that I am avoiding picking it up while mid-book, that is a very clear sign to say good-bye to it. I try not to waste time reading something I feel is bad. There are too many good books out there.

[Deborah]

I abandon a book after I have given it enough reading time to interest me. If it doesn’t I start a new one. Life is too short and there are so many books out there that I don’t want to waste time on a book that isn’t interesting.

[Franky]

It takes almost everything imaginable to make me abandon a book , so if that happens, the book has done an amazing job of making me wanting to abandon it. I seldom do it in other words, maybe 3 or 4 books in total in the past 10 or more years. Mostly those books are 1 or 2 star reads. The last two I have abandoned have been The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman due to just the insanity of trying to read it and the other one was Joe, due to horrible, dispicable characters I could care less about.

[Lisa]

It depends on the book. If it looks still promising and somewhat interesting but just a slow start I will continue and often am pleasantly surprised and glad that I did so. However, if the characters are horrible and have nothing redeeming about them or the story is incredibly overly detailed for no reason or trying to be some kind of pedantic teaching lesson nope, I will drop it within a short time. Some stories seem to have absolutely no point, or are just too much about the victim who goes nowhere..I will also drop it fast.

[Colby S]

Unfortunately, I’m one of the “finish it even though you hate it” readers. I’ve always been that way. Not sure why.
LOL!!!