To Kill a Mockingbird
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Is this book good? Or is it boring?
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Glasmasterflash
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rated it 3 stars
Jan 11, 2012 10:29AM
Boring....
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One of my favorite books for all time.
One of mine too ... I very seldom re-read books; however, this is one I've read a couple of times at least! ;o)
Delaney wrote: "Ok, so is this book good? I heard it is, but I've also head it's the most boring book on the planet...Can someone shed some light on this book for me please?"the most boring book on the planet is the telephone directory...
Christos wrote: "Delaney wrote: "Ok, so is this book good? I heard it is, but I've also head it's the most boring book on the planet...Can someone shed some light on this book for me please?"the most boring book ..."
+1
As biased as this may sound, it kind of irks me that people were actually unable to realize Harper Lee's intention when she wrote this book and could only focus on the general stature of the book, which was, yeah, boring.However, although I don't initially believe it was SUPPOSED to be as slow as it was, it wasn't hard to get into or difficult to understand; in first-person narration, it was relatively easy to roll along with and was a slow-moving chronical of some-significant-and-some-not events of a young girl's life. When I was reading it, I thought it had to be the biggest waste of time ever written because, I too, thought it was slow.
But people actually fail to realize what the story IS and what makes it so great. It's not about all the trivial stuff that people whine about being so annoyingly dull. The story doesn't actually present itself until the climax, where it showed that EVERY LAST DETAIL in the story held a HUGE significance to a very, very important moral and impact on the reader.
In short, although the story might have been somewhat difficult to get through, once you realize what it was all about, it was WELL worth the read. One of the best books I ever read, and it left a huge impression on me.
Delaney wrote: "Ok, so is this book good? I heard it is, but I've also head it's the most boring book on the planet...Can someone shed some light on this book for me please?"To Kill a Mockingbird is the best book I've ever read, and helped me see the importance of acceptance and tolerance
It's good. Or what I read of it. It was a school assigment for 8th grade and I didn't do my homework all the time. But I read most of it.
David wrote: "It's good. Or what I read of it. It was a school assigment for 8th grade and I didn't do my homework all the time. But I read most of it."I hope you got to the climax. Because that was the most important part.
I think I did...or some of it...I kinda forgot what happened. I think I should reread it.
David wrote: "I think I did...or some of it...I kinda forgot what happened. I think I should reread it."If you want to re-read it, I definitely encourage you, especailly if you can't really recall what happened toward the end of the book or didn't get to all of it; if you read it from front to back cover, you get the best impression from it. ;-)
Yea haha. I think it would have been boring if it was in third person. But the 1st person point of view made it interesting, more dramatic with more emotions showing and at times a bit more humerous than it would've been in 3rd person.
David wrote: "Yea haha. I think it would have been boring if it was in third person. But the 1st person point of view made it interesting, more dramatic with more emotions showing and at times a bit more humerou..."Usually, I don't prefer first person, but in this case, I think you make a point. It was written brilliantly for being in the perspective of a young child, and it made the pace just right. The aforementioned perspective, however, doesn't work on ALL narratives. (Cough, Fever, Cough)
I read in grade school, we read the last chapter first then started the book. Loved it and have since read it a couple more times. For me, it's interesting to see how your perception of events and right and wrong changes as we grow older. The only way to know if you like it or not is to read it for yourself!! I don't ever let someone else's interpretations or likes and dislikes affect whether I read a book or not......
Jennifer wrote: "I read in grade school, we read the last chapter first then started the book. Loved it and have since read it a couple more times. For me, it's interesting to see how your perception of events an..."Wow that's a very good view.
I thought it was OK. You may like it if you like a classic book about the story of the South. It was more interesting than some books that I have read.
I second that!And i think the character Atticus is one of the best portrayals of a father in English literature.
I absolutely loved this book. It is a book that one can read over and over and never loose interest. If you love and appreciate the southern culture you will be engrossed. A small town with interesting characters. It has been some time since I read it, but still remember enjoying it thoroughly.
Eh. It was ok. I wanted to like it. Everyone said it was a classic and it was amazing so I tried to get caught along with the hype. But it just didn't appeal to me. I didn't like Scout or Jem or Atticus. Boo Radley was interesting but he was about the only one. I guess I'm more of a Jack London/L.M. Montgomery fan than a Harper Lee advocate.I'd say give it a go. It is a staple of classic literature.
Definetely, absolutely, totally a really good book. I loved it very much and I think everybody should read it!
This is a great book. I read it years ago and then read it again last year. I never got tired of it and it tells how things actually were back then.
it is a classic, one to put in the top 100 books you must read before you die
I reread this not too long ago, and although I loved the story of Scout and Atticus and Boo Radley, I thought Jem's recounting of the trial was poor done and very boring. I was rather surprised at my reaction, but that is what it was.
I think Gregory Peck's portrayal of Atticus is up there for hero types like Mr Darcy et al (for those Austen fans like myself).
This book is a classic and absolutely deserves to be read. I loved it. It harkens back to a time when beautiful prose was the norm, rather than violence, sex and cheap thrill-writing.
This is one of the greatest books I have read... I have spent a blissful day completing this book... And then watched the movie, it was a perfect day and it all seemed like a perfect weekend to me...Never regretted reading it... Happy to know about this book..
People who think its boring ... Well, I just cant relate to what is it that they feel boring in this book, so no comments on that part of the book being boring,..
Do read, its awesome!
It's a great little story. I also feel that it is one of the greatest love stories ever told. The simplicity is what makes it so brilliant.
Josh wrote: "Wastrel wrote: "...I do think there's a difference between how good a book is and how much you like it. It's just that I think it's easy to confuse the two...Firstly, just want to point out this ..."
Josh wrote: "Wastrel wrote: "...I do think there's a difference between how good a book is and how much you like it. It's just that I think it's easy to confuse the two...
The word "good" should be banned when describing TKAM. I can't say enough good things about this story. Two themes I like most about it: community, and childhood. And the two are so masterfully woven together to frame a story with other serious themes, such as, racism and poverty. Does that sound like a book worth reading to you?
Firstly, just want to point out this ..."
Josh wrote: "Wastrel wrote: "...I do think there's a difference between how good a book is and how much you like it. It's just that I think it's easy to confuse the two...
Firstly, just want to point out this ..."
Delaney wrote: "Ok, so is this book good? I heard it is, but I've also head it's the most boring book on the planet...Can someone shed some light on this book for me please?"
Delaney wrote: "Ok, so is this book good? I heard it is, but I've also head it's the most boring book on the planet...Can someone shed some light on this book for me please?"Delaney wrote: "Ok, so is this book good? I heard it is, but I've also head it's the most boring book on the planet...Can someone shed some light on this book for me please?"
The word "good" should be banned when describing TKAM. I can't say enough good things about this story. Two themes I like most about it: community, and childhood. And the two are so masterfully woven together to frame a story with other serious themes, such as, racism and poverty. Does that sound like a book worth reading to you?
Firstly, just want to point out this ..."
I loved it. It will round you as a person if you read it. Amazing.
anyone who could find this book boring must be boring himself. if anything, it's a page-turner.
It's a classic of its time and excellent. Readers today like their books to move more quickly.
It's the only book I read in high school that all the kids consistently seemed to like. That being said, I hated it.
it's an exceptional book. I admit that I studied for GCSE so I guess it's more in depth that a normal read, but it's a really really good book. The characters are briliantly written and pretty much ANYthing Atticus says is amazing. lol can't recommend it enough..
I really liked this book when I read it last year. All the other kids at my school wouldn't even read it, though. And others thought it was really boring. I thought it was interesting. I never found it boring.
Maybe to enjoy a book a reader needs to identify with a character. I did with Scout. The tomboy, competing with an older brother, after school shinanigans, always outside playing, being playmates one day, then the pesky little sister the next. But a favorite part of the story, that didn't make the movie, was the dialogue between Scout and Mr. Raymond, and the discovery that Mr. Raymond was not, in fact a drunk, but that he pretended just to make it easier on white people to understand why he preferred to live with black people. That's one way to cope with the grittiness of community!
It may be boring if a teacher dissects every page into a million bits. If you read it to immerse yourself in the story, it's wonderful. It's one of my all time favorite books because Harper Lee had such a fabulous command of language for mood and setting.
Jenn wrote: "It may be more easily appreciated when a person is an adult, but yes-- it's a beautiful book, funny in some places, moving in others. It's probably one of my favorite books out there. And the int..."
I believe that you get something different out of the book at each age- by adulthood, there are pieces of the narrative that no longer pull as strongly as they did in grade school.
why do we care if some kids hate it or find it boring? they probably haven't even taken the time out of mtv's busy jersey shore schedule to read it. besides, isn't the whole point of reading books like these to improve the mind? so if you can't even get through one of the most readable and brilliant novels of the last century, why would we care what your opinion is? after all, people think reality tv is Not boring, so there's no accounting for taste.
i say just read it, personally i found it quite interesting
It is a very beautiful book, not in any ways boring. The story is quite compelling yet brilliant. Please do try reading it.
Juliana wrote: "why do we care if some kids hate it or find it boring? they probably haven't even taken the time out of mtv's busy jersey shore schedule to read it. besides, isn't the whole point of reading books ..."Humans have differing opinions. Just because Hitler saw the Holocaust as a final solution, doesn't mean that mankind didn't.
This is a very good, very well written book. I enjoyed reading it the first time I read it. The second time, not so much. I guess because it's a read-once book. For me, at least.
Amazing....my favorite book of all time:) Must read!
Why must it be good OR boring? Are there not many more ways to describe a book?
I thought that the book was a very good read. There may have been a few slow spots but overall I loved it.
This is one of my all time favourite books. I first read it in school and so many times since. I would whole heartedly recommend you reading this book.
The book is brilliant. That doesn't mean you are an illiterate boob if you don't enjoy it. Sometimes, if you *have* to read something for whatever reason--wanting to expand your cultural literacy, or because your teacher will give you an F if you don't--you have to let go of the idea of being *Entertained* and make up your mind to enjoy the book for what it is even if it's not what you would prefer to be reading.
And I do think a significant majority of people do enjoy the book.
And here's the thing about "good" vs. "bad." It's not subjective at all. The factors that go into good writing or good painting or good music or whatever are entirely objective and could be quantified and written down if somebody had a lifetime or two in which to do it. As it is, you can go to Amazon and download a thousand or so books on writing (or painting or music) that will all tell you something about what makes for *good* writing (painting etc.), and they will each give you a little piece of the whole.
None of that has anything to do with whether anybody *likes* a given work of art or hates it, and a very bad writer might produce a badly-written story that nevertheless has something in it that speaks to enough readers to make him a millionaire (Robin Cook and John Saul to name two that I read fairly regularly). And I have met some truly skilled and talented writers with loads of awards and glowing reviews whose insightful, enlightening and well-written stories just don't get read because very few people (er...me included) find them appealing.
The reason it seems subjective is both that people can like or dislike a story depending on their own preferences, and that the factors that define good writing are so difficult to quantify.
For example, what does "consistent dialogue" *mean*? Okay, that a given character maintains the same general diction throughout the story unless the nature of the character calls for a variation. How do you judge whether the writer has satisfied this requirement? Most readers don't consciously analyze a character's diction. Some of those people will like the story fine. Others will be turned off without knowing why.
Then why does it matter if the story dialogue is consistent? Because humans tend to respond positively to that consistency even if they are not conscious of it. It allows us to experience the character as being more like a genuine person because humans tend to maintain a consistent diction singular to them. For example, I am quite likely to use words like "consistent" and "singular" in daily conversation--god help me.
And that's just one teensy-weensy itsy-bitsy "rule" among twenty-thousand, and there are at least two-hundred legitimate reasons to break (or bend) it all of which ultimately prove to be variations on the original rule.
I agree. So many kids just watch dumb TV shows and never take time to even think. More people of my generation need to read more.
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