Do you finish all of the books that you begin to read?
I don’t. It’s quite common for me to put aside a book after a chapter or two, if I’m not engaged by the story or the voice. My TBR pile is always stacked high and there are always other choices. Plus a finite amount of reading time (sadly, I’m not immortal) means a finite number of books will ultimately be read.
But on the weekend, I was travelling. I chose one book from the TBR, a title that looked very promising, and cracked it open in the waiting lounge at the airport. If I’d been at home, with lots of other choices, I probably wouldn’t have read the third chapter. It’s a nice book, it was a popular book, it has a lot of plot elements that are interesting to me – in fact, I bought it because it sounded like a book I might write – but it’s just not reaching me. I was too stubborn to go and buy another book at the airport, so I kept reading. By the time I got home, I was well past the halfway mark – and still not engaged. I put it down with the suspicion that I wouldn’t pick it up again.
But I’ve read 2/3 of it. It seems as if I’ve invested enough time that I should finish it. And actually, I have been curious as to why it doesn’t engage me. All the elements for my interest seem to be there – which is the critical one that’s missing? I keep circling the book, but not reading more. I will probably read the end, then put the book in the “bye now” box. Those books go to friends or family or to the library.
Of course, the book itself won’t give me the answer as to why I don’t find it a gripping read. I’ve been trying to figure out the missing piece of the puzzle and suspect it’s the author’s voice. It’s just not that strong or distinctive. This is thrown into relief because the pacing is slow. Slow pacing is okay, if the author’s voice is compelling – I’m happy to linger over lovely prose and savour it. In fact, slower pacing is not uncommon when authors have strong voices – think of Umberto Eco and A.S. Byatt. Byatt in particular writes such luscious prose that I often couldn’t care less what is actually happening in the story. This book I’ve been reading, in contrast, is descriptive and it is long, but the author’s voice isn’t strong enough to beguile – or maybe it just doesn’t beguile me. Mystery solved!
What about you? Do you finish reading every book you start? Do you finish after you reach a certain point, regardless of how you feel about the book? Are there common elements between the books that you don’t finish? What makes you read to the end?
Deborah Cooke: Author 
8 responses to “Finishing Books”
I do not finish many books I start. The Bob, on the other hand, methodically plows through every book from start to finish.
I read for the escape, and if the story isn’t dragging me under, making me wonder how the characters are going to get out of whatever mess they’re in, or resolve their issues, then I’m not going to waste my time. I have enough of my own problems, thankyouverymuch.
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I usually finish the books I start. However, if it drags, or doesn’t engage me, I then start skipping pages. I read a few pages here and there as I turn towards the end. I don’t know if it’s the ocd in me that I have to finish it or what.
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Susan –
Well I always read the end, even if I don’t read all of the middle. Maybe there’s a bit of OCD in all of us! LOL
d
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I’m like Susan sometimes and other times set the book aside, never to return. These all end up donated somewhere.
I only pass on to friends and family those books I recommend. They have less time to read than I do.
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Good philosophy, Terri. Some of my family and friend have very different tastes from me, so it’s kind of interesting when one of them loves a book I don’t, and vice versa. That makes for interesting discussions!
d
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I always read to the end but if I’m not enjoying it, I’ll skip pages. I can’t stad the thought of not finishing and usually when I’m at the point of giving up, I figure it’s got to get better at some point. Sad thing…some books never get better and then I feel robbed at the end.
When that happens, I pull one off books on my shelf. One I’ve read over and over until the pages begin to slip out because the binding is giving way. That always makes me feel better. 😉
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What a good idea, Corinne! (And the perfect rationale for keeping all the books you love.)
d
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Finally crawled out of a book that doesn’t want to let me go.
No, if a book doesn’t get me, I put it aside. Too many books, too little time and so many other things I could do beyond forcing myself to read a non compelling book.
I’ve started pulling those books off my big bookcase–the ones with bookmarks just a bit of the way through and haven’t moved since the dust bunnies moved in.
Thanks for the reminder to cull– again.
K.
dashing back to read a compelling book…oh no! It’s the third in a trilogy! There must be more. 😉
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