You Want to Throw the Book Against the Wall – Why?

 

 

Welcome to our Round Rhobin where we all post our thoughts on the same topic. I love reading everyone else’s take on the topic. It amazes me how we can all come at it from so many different viewpoints. I always learn something from everyone’s blog. I’m off to see that the rest of our group has to say. I hope you enjoy my post.

Has this ever happened to you?

You loved the blurb. The first page sounded interesting. You bought the book.

You took it home, excited to be drawn into the story and spend the next few hours with characters you loved, following them on their journey.  (Or if it’s an e-book, you curl up in your most comfy place with your e-reader expecting the same experience.)

You read the first few pages.

Okay, not quite what you expected but maybe it will get better. You force yourself to read another chapter. Hope is fading. How did this book ever get published?

There must be some redeeming features. You paid for the book so you plow through a few more pages and then (if it’s a paper book) throw it against the wall, stomp on it and go find another book.

Why? What were the reasons you couldn’t finish the book? What happened to the promise to carry you off into a wonderful read?

 

This has happened to me. There are many reasons why a book disappoints. You might not relate to the characters and find you don’t care what happens to them, or the characters are “to stupid to live.” You know – there’s a killer in the house and the heroine decides to look for him herself and goes down into the dark basement alone. Arghh!
 

Or maybe the story doesn’t start in the right place and you have pages and pages of back story. You know what her mother had for breakfast and that the heroine painted her toe nails pink.  Or here might be too much detail and description. There are pages of furniture, curtain styles and patterns, flowers or details of each course of food eaten.  You’re either falling asleep or banging you head against the wall. (Okay, I’m exaggerating a little, but you know the books I mean.) And none of these details move the story forward.
 

Maybe there’s little or no conflict or the conflict could be resolved if the h/h sit down and talk to each other. The end – and it’s only page 10, but no, the author won’t let them talk and the story continues to drag on.
 

I could probably think of a few more things but I’d rather here what drives you crazy and could make you throw the book against the wall. Why do you quit reading a book before you finish it?
 

Now please check out the rest of our wonderful group and their blogs about why they might throw that book against the wall. Next up is Rhobin Courtright - http://rhobinleecourtright.com

The other ones are Heidi M. Thomas  http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com
Anne Stenhouse at http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com
Diane Bator at http://dbator.blogspot.ca
Fiona McGier at http://www.fionamcgier.com
Margaret Fieland at http://margaretfieland.com/my_blog
Ginger Simpson at http://mizging.blogspot.com
Geeta Kakade at http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/
Connie Vines at http://connievines.blogspot.com/

Check them all out.