To not to read tag

Or books I Did Not Finish – a bookish acronym I wrote about in a previous blogging life. At that time, I didn’t name names but, this new task I’ve been set requires that I do. I will now worry that the law of karma will bite me at some point in the future, but don’t you worry @breakerofthings, I’m not blaming you, oh noooooo …

Anyway, moving on. Finding books to fit each category is going to be very hard, due to the lack of DNFs in my life, so I may have to nominate books I wished I’d DNF’d in some categories.

RULES:

Thank the person that tagged you (Slight fail, as that what I did above cannot be called thanking!)

Include ping-back to creator of tag (Icebreaker694)

Answer questions (See below!)

Tag other poor souls to do this

Easy right?

Oh and only use books that you DNF as your answer hence the “to not to read” part

WHAT BOOK WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO FINISH?

“The Canterbury Tales in modern verse”

I started this to meet a blank in a reading challenge – to read a book I’d not finished at school. Technically, I read the bits I was tasked to – only two of the tales – but I didn’t read the whole book. So I decided to give it a go, but in modern verse to make it more accessible. I never finished it before the end of the challenge … and I seem to have forgotten about it. But I’d be more than happy to continue as they’re great stories.

A DYSTOPIAN BOOK THAT YOU PUT DOWN.

“I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson

If this hadn’t been a Book Club selection, and one made early in my membership of said club, it wouldn’t have been read. Luckily it was a thin book, so I was able to read it alongside “To Say Nothing of the Dog” by Connie Willis which made me – literally – laugh out loud. Otherwise, I suspect I’d have struggled to sleep. I found the half of the book where our central character is researching the ‘plague’ interesting, but the other half describing zombie attacks was just too pointlessly gory for me.

A BOOK THAT YOU JUST DIDN’T WANT TO FINISH AT ALL.

“The History of Mr Polly” by H G Wells

I really really didn’t want to finish this, but it was my set ‘O’ level text. Despite being a very rapid reader and needing to do well in my exams, I wasn’t able to read this more than the once. Frankly, this was dereliction of duty of the highest order as, until this book, I’d read every studied text multiple times even when just for an essay. Yes, I really truly hated this.

A SEQUEL.

“Golden Son” by Pierce Brown, sequel to “Red Rising”

This series could be the YA equivalent to Dan Brown due to it’s treatment and writing style. The author would probably be content with selling as many books as his (partial) namesake, and who wouldn’t. The concept is a good one, but hugely let down by the characterisations. I didn’t hate the first one at all but, despite buying this sequel for 99p, it’s stayed unread in my Kindle since December 2015.

A BOOK YOU’LL NEVER AGAIN PICK UP.

“Chronicles” by Bob Dylan.

He’s a musical icon and he’s led one hell of an interesting life. But he makes it seem so damn dull.

A BOOK WITH TOO MUCH HYPE.

“The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt.

This is one book I wish I’d DNF’d. Well, actually, I wouldn’t have dared being critical of a book which won so many plaudits, the Pulitzer included, if I hadn’t at least read to the end. But it was such a huge disappointment after her previous two offerings which I’d just loved …

A HAUNTING READ.

“Sybil” by Flora Rheta Schreiber

I saw the mini series first. I had no idea what it was about and walked in late one evening to find my mother watching it. It was fascinating initially, then became horrific, and yet I couldn’t stop watching. I had nightmares (both day and night) about it for years. Despite my rules on books, I don’t think I’ll be picking this one up anytime soon.

A CONTEMPORARY.

“A Fine Balance” by Rohinton Mistry.

This is the book I mentioned in my previous article on DNFs. The one where I tried three times to read it and it ended up killing my love of reading each time.  It’s exactly the type of book I should love. It’s based in India, it’s filled with gritty realism. But, no, just no. I still don’t know why, but I won’t be going there again to analyse it.

A BOOK YOU WERE UNSURE OF

“Lord of the Rings” by J R R Tolkein

I have finished it. But only under extreme pressure. The first of the Peter Jackson films had just come out and I knew they’d simply have to be viewed on a big screen. But, it was one hell of a tome and I’d always regarded it as a boy book. OK, I know that may say more about me, but I put it in the same category as “Hitchhiker Guide to the Galaxy”. Anyhoooo, I read it when I’d hurt my back and was confined to bed, so I just ploughed through. But there was a lot of speed-reading and (to my eternal shame) I never read the footnotes.

I TAG:

Lauren Greene, Author  (because I’d love to see her start writing again)
Melinda Marie Alexander (who also makes gorgeous pottery)
No Love for Fatties (‘cos she’s funny & loves quizzes)
Princess of Dragons (for her encyclopedic knowledge of gorgeous dragons)
Smart Mouth Mombie (for her all round kick-ass’d-ness)

 

© Debra Carey 2017