Musing Mondays (Sept.26)
This week’s musing asks…
What does it take for you to give up on a book you’re reading?
I used to never give up on books that I’m reading. I felt that I’d already invested so much time in it that I might as well keep on reading. Nowadays, though, I will give the book a certain amount of time, and if it just isn’t keeping me interested, I have to set it aside.
Most of the time, it has to do with pacing. I like my books to move along at a good clip, otherwise I get bored. Maybe it’s a touch of A.D.D. in me, or something. But, I just can’t take the whole slow, rambling, stream-of-consciousness thing. I tried Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s classic, “One Hundred Years of Solitude“, and couldn’t get through the first chapter. And, more recently, I had to set aside Kirsten Hubbard’s “Wanderlove” for the same reason (I made it to chapter 5, in that one, though). It was just slow, and rambling, and her long bouts of SoC were driving me batty. I couldn’t wait for her to just get back to the dialogue with her travel-mates. 
I also need to care about the characters. If they are one-dimensional, or are very egotistical and annoying, the book will get set aside. I need to feel that the characters are worth spending my time with.
In nonfiction, I have to care about the subject matter. If the book has too much math, science, or just plain goes over my head, I won’t continue reading it. I don’t have time to keep reading something I’m not really understanding. “On Guard” by William Lane Craig was a book filled with maths and sciences and it hurt my brain to keep reading… but, with that one, I kept on until the end, hoping that it would get better. It did, a little bit, but oh, the headache I got from reading that book! (Literally! — when I say it made my brain hurt, I actually mean it!). 
So, how about you?
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your answer in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! 
I agree about the characters. If I’m not at least a tiny bit invested in their story then the book as a whole just won’t work for me.
Here’s my MUSING
I think characters are a big key to sticking with a book. Here’s my thoughts.
Oh I agree, I like the characters to be interesting.
My MM is here: http://annsreadingcorner.blogspot.com
Great topic; my musing: http://sheeryhall.blogspot.com/2011/09/musing-mondays-set-aside.html
http://readbookswritepoetry.blogspot.com/2011/09/mondays-musingsmailboxwhat-are-you_26.html
I agree with everything you just said.
Here’s my post: http://booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com/2011/09/musing-mondays-26-sept.html
http://dementedreading.blogspot.com/2011/09/this-weeks-musing-asks-what-does-it.html
It’s so hard for me to give up on books. I hardly ever actually put a book down and never pick it up again. Here’s my Musing: http://onlysomewhatqueer.blogspot.com/2011/09/musing-mondays-1.html
Characters & pacing and is the plot as interesting as I had hoped. Some books sound promising on the blurb but three chapters in it’s dull and/or ridiculous, or the dialogue is trite and/or simplistic he said she said stuff. I get most of my books from the library & like to try new ones. I feel no obligation to finish something that isn’t interesting me. Life’s to short to read uninteresting books.
My answer is here
give me 5 minutes and it will be here –http://boyett-brinkley.blogspot.com
Amy’s Monday
Apparently, less and less! http://wp.me/p1t7Ho-qz
I agree about characters , also if i feel NO connection to the story i won’t continue with it.
Another bug bear mostly with historical fiction is if i feel i know the subject better then the author. Sometimes this is little things but smacks of lack of research.
Also one historical fiction should have had the word christian first and didn’t i felt a bit ripped off! No connection and lack of research.
Characters are most important to me. If I don’t care about them, nothing else matters!
My answer is HERE.
I definitely agree with you, but I hate not finishing books. Usually I’ll finish them just to finish them
Great question today!
http://literary-exploration.blogspot.com/2011/09/musing-mondays-6.html
Characters, pacing, and themes have to work for me….Here’s MY MUSING MONDAYS POST and
MY WEBSITE
I agree completely! Here’s mine: http://sheenathebookgeek.blogspot.com/2011/09/musing-mondays_26.html
Here’s My Answer:
http://ratb2.blogspot.com/2011/09/monday-memes.html
Just as you chose which friends to keep, I also need to relate well and respect characters, or else I don’t want to know any more.
Write well,
Robin
Here’s mine:
http://carabosseslibrary.blogspot.com/2011/09/musing-mondays_26.html
Here’s mine:
http://danicapage.blogspot.com/2011/09/musing-mondays-1.html.
Thanks! Wow, a lot of great responses above.
Hello! Happy Monday everyone! Here’s my MM,
http://apaperbacklife.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/musing-mondays-sept-26/
Btw, here is mine: http://robinquinn.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/musing-mondays-4/
Thanks for the musing. it really made me think about what I’m reading.
http://bookishlybloggers.blogspot.com/2011/09/monday-musing-926.html
I’m extremely stubborn when it comes to books.
Here is my musing:
http://inlibrisveritas.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/monday-memes-8/
Good question. I love examining book habits.
http://abookandashortlatte.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/musing-mondays-11/
I always finish a book, even the one I don’t like. This is why.
oh my…maybe I can be the last to post this week!! lol
http://caitesdayatthebeach.blogspot.com/2011/09/musing-mondaythe-end-is-near-well-it.html
If I like the voice of a book, I will probably hand on, even if the story isn’t that great. Here’s my Musing post: http://www.romanticlovebooks.com/home/2011/9/26/musing-mondays-what-does-it-take-for-you-to-give-up-on-a-boo.html
I’m with you on Gabriel Garcia Marquez…I’ve been trying to get through “Of Love and Other Demons” for the past month and I cannot do it. I find it frustrating the way Mr. Marquez throws too many characters into the story…its nearly impossible for me to keep track of who is who. It becomes distracting and instead of getting lost in the story, I’m struggling to remember the relevance of the various characters. Bleh!
I know I am late…but pacing is one, poor-writing is another reason…or if the book seems like it is all about sex…don’t mean to be prudish, but don’t need to waste my time reading about it! I have to be invested in the story one way or another…good characters or a great plot!