To give up or slog through to the bitter end?

[doradoo]

I very rarely DNF a book, in fact I can only remember one in the last 10 yrs - wolf hall, but I think I'll give it another go.

Anyway, I digress, am currently trying to read 'The Game' by A S Byatt and finding it very heavy going,it's not long only 240 pages and I'm a quarter of the way through, but considering giving up as I'm not enjoying the read.

But I hate to give up and be defeated..... so has anyone read it, will it get better - should o persevere because I should give it a chance or is life too short to be wasting it on books I don't enjoy when I have a million others to be reading when I could be doing something more productive instead?

[timeforabrewnow]

I found the same with a different AS Byatt book many years ago (can't remember the title) - I gave up, and don't regret it.

If it is that unenjoyable - I would move onto something you like instead.

[sunshinesupermum]

I give a book between 30 and 50% - and then if it doesn't engage me for whatever reason, too literary for my comprehension, badly written etc I give up and move on to another. There are so many books out there! No one is a failure for not reading a book. If you can't enjoy or learn from what you read there isn't much point in carrying on with it.

[mugglebumthesecond]

I've just given up on a book at 37 percent- an Amanda Prowse one, first one I've read and not my cup of tea.

Too many other books on my tbr list!

[waycat]

I agree - life is too short to waste time on a book that just isn't doing anything for you.

I don't abandon many books and have to admit I feel terribly guilty when I do, almost a sense of failure.

But there is always something else waiting to be read, either from the library or on my Kindle.

I usually give a book until about a third of the way through. I know that if by then it isn't working then it isn't going to. I can also usually tell quite early on if the style of writing isn't to my liking and hence the book will probably have to be cast aside for something else.

[fatowl]

I have recently started giving myself 100 pages to start enjoying a book. If it hasn't gripped me by then, I DNF.
Life is too short and it's quite liberating - and I ALWAYS used to finish books no matter how dire.

[1004Rise]

Life is too short for a bad book... whether that's a poorly written book or one you're just not enjoying. There are so many books out there that you could be reading!

[madasamarchhare]

I agree with all the above. Reading for me is about enjoyment and relaxation so if I'm not enjoying it and I've given it a good shot I will decide to stop. I do feel guilty though not sure why. I do try now and set aside an hour to get into a book when I first start it as this has the best chance of keeping me interested.

[doradoo]

So I've ditched it!

Onwards and upwards to more enjoyable read.

[Fizzyknickers]

I'm trying to get through 1984. I started it in my teenage years but never finished it. Currently about 40% of the way through but not sure I want to carry on. Everyone keeps telling me it's so worth it. But I just think R's bland. A bit 'meh'

[Fizzyknickers]

**think it's

[tobee]

I keep finding this recently. I get to circa page 100 and I realise my mind is wandering. I thought I could avoid this by downloading the free sample on kindle/iBooks but no. It's always a little depressing. Especially because I slightly think it's me and I'm just too dim. But, book reading is supposed to be entertaining. So I won't plough on.

[eddiemairswife]

I too find A S Byatt heavy going. I hate to abandon a book, but over the last 20 or so years I haven't finished: The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguru, On Beauty by Zadie Smith, a Jilly Cooper about school inspectors and, lastly The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell. And I read a lot.

[HappydaysArehere]

I believe that it is up to the author to engage the reader. If this hasn't been achieved by say a hundred pages then I feel you are perfectly entitled to abandon it. However, sometimes the reason is that my mood needs another kind of read. Some books are relentlessly miserable with no redeeming feature and if my mood does not welcome it then I begin to resent the time it is taking to read.