Books I couldn't get into

[Melissa Wiebe]

For me it was Catcher in the Rye and Lord of the Flies. I had to read Catcher for my bookclub, but I found Holden to be very snobbish and almost holier-than-thou at times and as though his actions shouldn't have consequences. I read Lord of the Flies with the intent of reading a book I had to read for Grade 11 English and didn't like at the time a second chance, which I gave All Quiet on the Western Front a number of year back, but wanted to throw the book across the room and realized why I didn't like the book in the first place. I think there was a book recently that I didn't finish, even though I thought it would be an interesting read. What I don't like is reading a book that I have to read for my bookclub and really don't care for (am currently in this position, but it could also due to the fact that I have been burning the candle at both ends for a number of days this week and really haven't had a decent sleep all week due to the amount of caffeine that I have flowing through my body).

When a book grabs me, I can't wait to pick it up again and read about the characters and the book just enraptures me and envelopes me in that particular world. When I can't get into a book, I feel as though I need to read the book because I have started it and there is nothing that appeals me to reading the book and don't want to read it. I need to feel comfortable with the book and honestly at the moment, I really don't want to read anything (reading Candide can do that to a person, especially if you have to consult Sparknotes to understand what is going on).

[Callie]

I sat and devoted a weekend to Clockwork Orange, because I was getting grief for wanting to go out and buy a new book, because I had so many unread ones on my shelf. In his defense, I give him grief for buying new video games when he has so many he hasn't played, but in my defense books are so much cheaper. Anyway, I digress. So I finished aCO, but it was a struggle... and it gave me nightmares for a week, not many books have done that.

Another book that I read and only finished out of sheer will was The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I couldn't get past there being entire sections of the book written in Spanish that I couldn't understand.

[John]

This is an easy one for me. The Last of the Mohicans. I have tried several (more than 3) times to read this. I love the story which I know from the movies but I have found the book to be impenetrable.

I also gave up on Don DeLillo's book which starts with the Bobby Thompson home rule. After the first 50 or so pages, I concluded there was no "there" there.

[Kirsty]

I'm with Amanda in post #2. I really couldn't get into A Clockwork Orange however I have resolved to give it another try at some point in the future. I have no idea when that will be though. There was just too much of the made up language, I found it really stilted.

[[deleted user]]

Kirsty wrote: "I'm with Amanda in post #2. I really couldn't get into A Clockwork Orange however I have resolved to give it another try at some point in the future. I have no idea when that will be though. There was just too much of the made up language"

Have you viddied the film yet, o my droogie? Glazz it and we'll govreet some more. Warning, it does contain a bit of the old ultraviolence, and some of the in-out-in-out, real savage. But after seeing it, the book will seem as clear as an azure sky of deepest summer.

[Kirsty]

Haha, nope I haven't seen the movie but if you think it'll help with my understanding of the book then I'll add it to my blockbuster queue. I don't get squeamish - violence doesn't really bother me, as long as it's fiction ;)