Monday, February 18, 2013

No Longer a DNF Virgin

You guys, I did it. I just abandoned a book several chapters in, returned it to the library, and declared myself done with it. I gave it three separate chances before committing to my decision to not finish it and I'm still not 100% sure how I feel about it. I'll admit I probably couldn't have done it if I hadn't skimmed ahead a bit and read the ending so I wouldn't be left totally in the dark. I'm glad I didn't force myself to slog through a book I just wasn't feeling, but I really do hope this doesn't happen often. It gives me an icky feeling I can't quite put my finger on.

You see, this is very unlike me. To be perfectly honest, I usually like the books I choose to read. Of course I don't love them all, but it's really rare for me to pick out a book of my own free will and then end up so disappointed I'm tempted to just stop reading. The closest I've ever come to doing this was last year's Gillespie and I, but like other books I've been meh about, I was still committed enough to stick it out. Until now, apparently.

Echo (Soul Seekers, #2)If you're wondering which book I Did Not Finish, it's Alyson Noel's second Soul Seeker novel Echo. I thoroughly enjoyed Fated and even used Echo for a Waiting on Wednesday post. I was genuinely looking forward to this one and I don't mean for this post to serve as a condemnation of the book itself. After all, I didn't actually read most of it, so I can only talk about it from that perspective. If you liked Fated, definitely give this one a try and decide for yourself. But for me, I think my issue was the fact that the first book served as more of an introduction to the characters and this particular "world" and I found that infinitely more engaging than the action that awaited me in the second installment.

Once the book moved further into the grand battle between good and evil, I just didn't care anymore. I couldn't stay invested. Maybe I'm burnt out on YA books with this particular theme? I'm very careful to pay attention to what kind of reading mood I'm in when I pick up a book, so I don't think that's the problem. The last thing I want to do is give a book an unfair shot because I wasn't in the right frame of mind at the time.

So, does anyone else have thoughts on DNF books? I never gave this issue much thought before, but I'm really curious now. I'd love to hear what other readers and bloggers do when they find themselves wanting to quit.

24 comments:

  1. I used to always have to start what I finished, but I'm such a happier reader -- and more willing to take chances and expand my literary horizons -- now that I've given myself permission to let a book go if I'm not enjoying it. Congratulations on joining the club!

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    1. Thanks Charleen -- you're right that it can be very freeing if you don't feel obligated to always stick it out.

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  2. There were two books I abandoned. One I don't even remember the name or author of, just that it completely bored me.

    The second one was 4 Blondes by Candace Bushnell. I tried really hard to read it, especially since you bought it for me. But I remember thinking that my 8 year old sister could write better sentences than some of the ones I read in that book. I eventually put it down, never to be picked up again.

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    1. Haha I remember that book! I totally don't blame you for not finishing it if the writing was that crappy. I know you still love me :)

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  3. I'm much quicker to abandon a book that I get from the library than one I've bought! That's also because I'll get grabby hands at the library and pick up WAY more books than I actually have time to read. And with the deadline to read them, I don't usually feel bad about setting them aside if I'm just not feeling them.

    That being said, I definitely work a lot harder to finish a book that I've bought. I have started to allow myself to just set a book aside to come back to "later" (or never) if it feels like it's taking me forever to read (and not because it's a long book). If I ever get the feeling like I HAVE to read a book, I usually take that as a sign that I need to consider putting it down. I've started accepting that sometimes a DNF just happens - there are too many good books waiting for me to read them to spend a bunch of time waiting for one I dislike to get better1

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Hannah :)

      I know what you mean about the difference between a library book and a purchased book. I've had a lot of library books I could deem Did Not Start because I picked them up on a whim and then found I just wasn't compelled to actually read them. The nice thing about the library is I can do that without going broke! I would hate to DNF a book I spent money on, so I'll admit if I had bought this book I might have set it aside for later instead of abandoning it altogether. But you're right there are WAY too many awesome books for me to waste time slogging through one I'm not interested in.

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  4. I've lost count of the books that I haven't finished over the years. Sometimes I'll go back to them, other times not. I used to worry about it a bit, but not any more. There are too many good books out there to read without feeling I have to finish off something I'm not enjoying.

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    1. That seems to be the general consensus -- so many other good books out there to worry about the ones you end up not liking. I still hope it doesn't happen to me too often, but I'm glad you guys are helping me feel less guilty about it!

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  5. I found your blog through a comment you left on So Obsessed With and I had NO idea that there was such a thing as a DNF book. I thought those were books that we just shamefully re-shelved and pretended like we just hadn't had time to start it yet because, well, we know we're not ever going to pick it back up again. No, just me?

    I've found that sequels in particular tend to suffer the "DNF" fate or the "almost slept through it" fate... sometimes it's just so hard to live up to the originality of the first.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Lynn! I hadn't heard of DNF books before I started blogging either. I've definitely had books I've decided not to read that I've given away, sold, or traded in at the used book store, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I really do always finish the books I start. (Until now, clearly!) Truth be told, I probably should call it quits more often than I do.

      I hate when sequels don't live up to the original, but I can see why those are more likely to suffer this fate!

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  6. I am actually horrible at DNFing a book. I don't know why exactly, but it is hard for me. Although, like you, I usually pick books that I know for sure I will probably like, I stick to my security blanket of books. I guess because I always hope a book will get better is why I don't DNF a book very often, but I'm thinking I need to learn to do that. There is no law saying I must finish a book that I start.

    I did however DNF a book one time not too long ago, and you can only guess what it was... Evermore by non other than Alyson Noel. Kind of funny right? lol It reminded me way too much of other vampire books I have read so after about a chapter in I just stopped. I don't regret it.

    Happy reading and good luck with your next book!

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    1. I like to think I'm pretty open-minded when it comes to books, so I think I it's partly that I choose security blanket books and partly the fact that it takes a lot for me to really dislike a book even if it's not my usual type. I'm like you though and always hope it will get better!

      It is just too funny that you DNFed the same author! I actually picked those books up when I found them pretty cheap at a used bookstore, but now I'm wondering if I'll like them or not. Maybe they will surprise me, but if not, I'll just have to bite the bullet and DNF again!

      I'm reading Lauren DeStefano's Sever now and forget not finishing it, I wish it was longer!

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  7. It is pretty easy to get burnt out on a certain theme. I really enjoy action so I enjoyed this book, not as much as Fated I think though. Sequels are hard.

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    1. I'm really glad other people did enjoy this book, I just couldn't do it! I'm definitely suspecting burn-out...

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  8. I'm not familiar with this book (though I've heard a lot about the author) but from what you've said, I can see why you'd want to give up on it. There is a limit to how much of one theme you can read without getting bored and when it's no longer original you do kind of know where the story will end up. I did this (giving up) for the first time last year, maybe a bit longer than that, and it's freeing. Sometimes as much as you want to finish every book you start you do have to call it quits occasionally.

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    1. Thanks Charlie -- that seems to be the consensus and I'll admit it does feel freeing to just let it go once in a while!

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  9. I'm pretty much an OCD person when it comes to reading books in that I just have to finish them. So maybe in the future I might declare a book DNF but I do believe that there is such a thing as being burnt out on some themes in a book. It's like recycling, but it only makes it worse.

    Sana @ artsy musings of a bibliophile

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    1. I'm probably a lot like you Sana -- I normally never put a book aside, especially a sequel, but this time I just had to! I'm even more disappointed since the first in this series really hooked me, but then something just fell flat for me. Thanks for stopping by :)

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  10. I'm actually stuck in the same situation, always forcing myself to sit down and read a book, that I don't really find interesting. I think while trying to finish this book, I've read at least two others, and a audio book...maybe I should take the same route you did!

    Lisa
    @turningpages94.blogspot.com

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    1. O that sounds pretty bad if you finished 3 others in between! Unless the additional book is an audiobook, I usually can only handle one at a time, even if I'm not totally into it. I have to say though it felt pretty good to just let it go for once!

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  11. I have had one last year and I understand the feeling. I was about 20% done with it and I just could not do it anymore. I was so over it and not happy about the time I wasted on it. Time is just to short to be wasting on books you are not feeling.

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    1. You are right Alysia & I need to remember that next time this happens to me!

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  12. Oh no, you couldn't finish Echo? I've been forcing myself to finally get to Fated for six months, but still haven't had the time to do it. Hopefully it'll be good!
    This year I'm trying to read every single book and not DNF any one. It's going to be so hard!

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    1. I really did enjoy Fated very much, I just could not get into Echo for anything!

      Now that I know how freeing DNFing a book can be, I think it would be hard to commit to not doing it for a whole year -- I would be VERY careful about which books I chose to start!

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I'd love to hear what you think :)