I need a bit of advice, o fellow book readers!
I am about 1/2 way through Special Topics in Calamity Physics. Given its immense popularity and "hipness," I am embarrassed to admit I am seriously considering stopping..... I'm not sure I can endure another "I'm such a cool high school kid with a bottle of vodka doing stupid things" chapter.
Someone tell me... does it get better? Come on, we know Hannah is going to die, so when does that happen? Can we get going? Is it worth hanging in there?
9 comments:
"Given its immense popularity and "hipness,"--well, I'm just plain embarrassed to admit I've never heard of it! So, like the good reader I am, I popped over to goodreads to read yet again, quite the variety of reviews. There were some that liked it and didn't like it that compared it to The Secret History by Donna Tartt. That is a recommend to read if you haven't.
I finally gave myself permission a few years ago to not finish books. Even if I am half-way through, I stop. There's so much to read and if it's driving you that crazy you may as well move on to something else!
Thought of you today--have you read Arthur and George?
I had read a review of it in EW and then stumbled on this book in the CLC library. i guess I didn't know how "hip" it was so I read it without the hype in my head. My advice is skip a few chapters and keep reading. The element that grabbed my attention was the relationship between Blue and her academic father and how smart/stupid Blue is.
That said, if it's really just excrutiating for you, life is just way too short to read a book that isn't doing something for you. I agree with holdenj on that score. To quote the famed poet, Michelle Shocked (who I think stole it from some other rocker), "the secret of a long life is knowing when it's time to go."
:)
I haven't read it, so I can't comment on whether it gets better. I have trouble stopping even if I'm not enjoying a book, but in general when I push through, I've found that it wasn't worth it. Why spend precious reading time on something that you find annoying?
many thanks for your excellent words of wisdom.... I ended up sort of cheating, sort of following Jenny's suggestion -- I basically sped through many chapters, I think catching the crucial elements. I slowed down near the end.... I still don't think I enjoyed it! It seemed like two books - part funky writing style about a girl and her dad part formulaic mystery. I have to agree with a couple of the reviews on goodreads that maybe a bit of judicious editing would've helped immensely.... Jen - did you like it?
I was very disappointed by this 2006 "must read." I thought a lot of it was derivative and had been done better elsewhere--like Donna Tartt's Secret History, which I also didn't like. Life is too short, and the bookstore too big to read books you hate.
I thought the "mystery" solution was totally unbelievable as well. I reviewed it on my Book Blog of Evil last January and didn't like it. Sort of a waste of time generally.
Let us know what you really thought about it!
Interesting that you mention Donna Tartt, since The Little Friend was one of the few books I stopped reading. While I have no desire to reread Secret History, the only thing I really disliked about it was that it was yet another book that made out classicists to be a really weird, twisted group.
Hmmm... all very good feedback - thank you!! All in all, I'm glad I read it, but, as JNJ says, no need to reread. Cate - I will read your review and let you know how I really felt next time we have lunch (that is a hint that we need to do that again!!!)
We totally need to do lunch again! Plus, I have some SWAPS that you might be able to use with M's troop, if you are still doing that!
Post a Comment