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Stop me if I’ve said this before.
I complained the other day that the very first word of a book I’d picked up at the library included a typo. *rejection buzzer goes off* Immediately, the book went into the “return” pile. Another reader posted that I should’ve kept reading, after all, I wasn’t out anything (cash), what could it hurt? My response was that that the first impression killed my interest. But now I’m wondering, did I reject the book too quickly?
When I look over my last month of so of reading, I see that it is peppered with books that did not make the cut for me, for one reason or another. Too many typos, characters I didn’t care for, clunky writing, too many clichés. And I’m wondering: am I being too harsh?
The number of discards is up for me, no question. But it isn’t because of any change in publishing standards, just a change in my own standards. I used to finish everything I began, unless it was outright horrendous or offensive, on the theory that I couldn’t have an objective opinion about a book unless I read the whole thing. But my theory of reading has changed in the last year or so – if I’m not engaged by the book, let it go. Of course, this has led to the discard of a variety of books that other readers adore, including Chase’s The Devil’s Delilah and London’s The Windflower.
So, back to the most recent discard – the first word problem. What would you have done? Ignored it and given the book a chance? What is your standard? At what point do you decide that the pleasure you get from reading is outweighed by the things that aren’t working for you in the book at hand?
I can admit to reading and loving books that are objectively awful, or that are cliché riddled at the very least. I’ve confessed that my guilty pleasure reads are Robyn Donald’s Harlequin Presents – some of them are good and some of them are terrible, but I still buy them compulsively. Something about her writing sucks me in. What is it about some books and authors that keep you reading, even as you acknowledge that there are plot holes, grammar disasters or sentences that are as long and convoluted as a patch of kudzu?
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Reviewing has made me more conscientious about finishing certain books, and on several occasions that has been a fortunate thing (most recently in the case of Meredith Duran’s Duke of Shadows). But OTOH, I have SO MANY books in my ever-expanding TBR pile that I understand my time is limited to get to all of them. So I don’t really have a hard and fast rule about tossing a book. What I do, though, is skip ahead when I’m not liking a book to see if things get better later. And most books don’t get discarded, per se, they just get tossed back into the TBR, because on a number of occasions I’ve had a book I couldn’t read previously become a favorite later.
Clearly, though, you didn’t give The Windflower enough of a chance, lol! 
by Robin
on April 7th, 2008 at 11:45 am
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I want to know what the typo was 
I don’t know what I’d do. On one hand, I hate typos myself. On the other hand, I know how much work and effort can go into a book, how many eyes can see it, and that typos and weird misspellings, missed words, whatever, can still creep in. I could send it to ten different people, they’d all catch different errors and I’d lay really good money that an eleventh could still come along and see something the other ten missed.The first word? Yeah, that’s kind of bad. But I’m much more forgiving of typos because I know, many times, it’s not laziness, lack of attention or lack of caring that causes them, it’s just simple human error kicking us in the butt once again.
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Heh. In a rather ironic, and unintentional twist, did anyone notice I typo’d my own darn name above? I’m going to offer conference exhaustion from this past week as my excuse. That’s my story and by God, I’m sticking to it!
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I’ll admit that typos don’t tend to bother me unless the book is positively riddled with them (a couple in every chapter would do me in). Part of it is that I’m an atrocious speller myself, and the other is that I used to read ARCs on a fairly regular basis. My immunity got built up.
As for chucking the library book because of a typo? You kind of did pay for it - with your tax dollars - and if you had kept with the book, hated it, you would have been out your time. Which in my mind is more valuable than $7.99. Did you give the book a fair chance? Maybe not. But life is too short to stay with a book just because you think you have to. While you’re slogging through some book that’s annoying you (no matter how trivial or grandiose the reason), you could be reading a book that you could fall madly and hopelessly in love with.
I can’t really say when or why I give up on certain books. Like porn, I know it when I see it But most of the time? It’s because I find the writing style too flowery/purple or the characters are getting on my last good nerve. I will say that reviewing definitely helped me get over my Must Finish Every Book I Start problem. My “own” reading time was so sparse, that if I wasn’t feelin’ it - I quit it. Because dang, I did finish every single review book I was assigned, and I have some battle scars to prove it!
by Wendy
on April 7th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
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My theory is that the ‘must finish what you start’ ethos works in your favour when you’re becoming a reader, because it gets you through books that aren’t easily accessible which builds up your vocabulary and improves your reading skills. Could be it’s less useful later on, though even now it gets me through books I feel I ought to read, but which don’t have much kerb appeal.
I’m not sure I’m DNFing more books at the moment: it’s more a case of DNStart - I’m just not seeing reviews of books that appeal to me, especially in the Romance genre.
I’d have given the typo book a go, I think. A huge factual error in the first sentence might have put me off - I’d blame that on the author - but a typo seems more the fault of the editor or publisher - if the story had interested me enough to pick the book up, I’d probably have read on.
by Marianne McA
on April 7th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
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A typo in the first word would make me laugh, but I’d keep reading. Unless it was followed by too many more.
I’ll often finish a book I actively dislike, but I’ll put down a book that bores me. The big exception is mangled language. I’ll never forget a book that misused two words in the first page–and it was only a half page! That bothers me much more than typos–and the entire first chapter was riddled with similar problems. Forget it; I’m not reading that. I’m all for creativity with language, but this was simply someone with a thesaurus and no judgment.
the ‘must finish what you start’ ethos… gets you through books that aren’t easily accessible
That’s an interesting point. At this stage in my reading career, what gets me through tough-start books is the experience of slogging through previous books and being glad I did. That’s what keeps me reading a book that hasn’t engaged me in the first third or so. If I reach the 2/3 mark and it’s still dull, then I’m more likely to set it down.
by RfP
on April 7th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
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I want to know what the typo was
“Tlipping” was the first word. From the context, it was supposed to be “slipping” I think. If it had been almost any other author, I probably wouldn’t have given up, but that one was on my “Three Strikes” list.
by jmc
on April 8th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
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I used to finish everything, but now have given myself permission to put down, unless I have to read it for a review. I think that the biggest reason for DNFs is boredom. Like RFP, I’ll finish a book I’m not enjoying, if only to see if it gets any better, or to see if it could really possibly be as bad as I think it is.
I don’t think a typo would bother me to much unless it was in conjunction with other things. But hey, you never know…a particular typo on a particular day might set me off.
by Devon
on April 8th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
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Aha. I know the book you mean. I’ve enjoyed her MUCH earlier works, but the last book in the other series turned me off forever. I haven’t reviewed it because I have nothing to say except GAHHHH.
Knowing who it is and the Three Strikes issue, your response to the typo takes on a whole different complexion. But it sounds like the book would have had to be great to overcome your low expectations. Do you think you’re getting peer-pressured into trying books that aren’t your cuppa? I’ve felt that at times, reading others’ blogs. There are reviewers I rarely agree with, but sometimes I start to wonder whether I should try their choices anyway.
by RfP
on April 9th, 2008 at 1:46 am
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RfP,
True, it would’ve had to be great to overcome my expectations. But I read in that sub-genre generally, so I don’t think I was peer-pressured into picking it up. Sometimes I pick up books that are getting good reviews from other readers with similar tastes, because I’m always hoping to read the next fabulous book. I’ve found that there are some blogs that I enjoy reading but whose reviews I don’t take into consideration when buying or borrowing books, because our tastes are so divergent.
by jmc
on April 9th, 2008 at 11:31 am
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