Generally speaking, I don’t post negative book reviews. Today, I’m going to violate this rule a bit. Not because I wish to throw shade at any particular book, but just to point out that even well-loved books and authors aren’t for everyone and as a reader, you should be able to give yourself permission to skip books, dislike books or even (gasp), not finish books that aren’t speaking to you. And, for what it’s worth, the books I’m discussing are widely recommended and well loved, so my failure to finish them isn’t likely to change anyone’s mind about them.
I have, certainly, put down a book that I wasn’t feeling at the moment only to pick it up later and really enjoy it. But . . .
These. Books. I have picked up each of these multiple times, and just never really gotten into them. And, all three, are widely loved and read books and authors.
So, in the spirit of Spring Cleaning . . . here are three books that I Just. Could. Not.
A Confederacy of Dunces– John Kennedy Toole
My husband attended college in New Orleans, and, apparently, reading this one is a right of passage for anyone in that town. He and several others (almost all Tulane graduates, interestingly) have recommended this book to me. And, I tried. Multiple times. But, ultimately, I found the protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly, just too unredeemable to read about. Yes, I know, he’s hilarious to many and the novel can be read as satire. But, for me, I find this story just a bit too cringeworthy to get into.
My Brilliant Friend– Elena Ferrante
It is well documented that I love a plot-driven book. But, I often pick up more character driven books and even sometimes enjoy them. I feel that in the past few years everyone and their cats have been reading this book (and the three ?! others that make up the Neapolitan Novels). I have picked up this book at least four times, and I just give up. Perhaps somewhere after page 150, the action picks up, but I have never made it that far. Many readers find it to be a must read series, but, for me, nothing happened. And there are over 1000 more pages of this in the series? I just cannot.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius– Dave Eggers
This one was recommended to me many, many times in the first few years after it’s publication in 2000. All of my hip, cool, twenty-something friends couldn’t get enough of this one. I picked it up and found the snarky and unrelenting tone hilarious . . . for about 60 pages. Then it just got on my nerves. So, I skimmed and put it down, and picked it up, and skimmed some more. I left it unread, heard more about how genius (staggeringly so) this book really is and picked it up again. Like Groundhog Day – I must have had this book on my nightstand for two and a half years before I finally gave up the ghost and just passed it along to Goodwill. Embarrassingly, I lied about having read it and having loved it. I’m coming out of the closet . . . I just didn’t really get it. Eggers tone is great in small doses, but an entire novel? Ugh. Also, Eggers could use a little yoga and Chamomile tea, don’t ‘cha think?
So, in the spirit of Spring . . . and Spring cleaning . . . and granting permission and new beginnings . . . Go forth! Pass along those books that don’t speak to you. All reading is “good” reading, and if it isn’t working for you, move along. Other books are waiting for you that are a better fit.
Well-Read Neck 