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Original poster

Ali Smith, The Accidental - has anyone persevered with this?

40 replies

MrsMuddle · 10/11/2006 22:41

I'm trying so hard to like this. I liked the cover, I liked the blurb, but I'm finding it realy difficult to read. I admit that my attention span's not that great, but I feel like I'm reading a foreign language. Has anyone finished it? Does it get better?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 12/11/2006 20:27

See, I could never be in a book group, b/c it would remind me too much of all those literature classes at university where you had to read the books on the syllabus.

StrangeTown · 12/11/2006 20:19

Hi Mrs - I had exact same problem. Thought it would be right up my street and hated it.

NotQuiteCockney · 12/11/2006 20:07

OMG, I loved this book, I can't believe everyone else hated it. I loved how it was done in different voices, that were really convincing. I loved the fact the same events were shown from different perspectives, perfectly convincingly. And of course I loved the main character. I got Hotel World after reading The Accidental, but didn't like it as much ...

Original poster
MrsMuddle · 12/11/2006 17:55

Have definitely given up now. I'll have to confess all at my book group on Wednesday. And to make it worse, it was my choice. I think I might be banned from choosing for a couple of months.

OP posts:
janeite · 10/11/2006 23:57

Finished it but then really regretted wasting the time on it. Kept waiting for something to happen but nothing ever did really. I liked "Hotel World" a lot though.

controlfreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaky2 · 10/11/2006 23:41

couldnt get on with it at all. v disappointing imo. lifes too short to read bad books.

poshgirlformerlymaggiesmama · 10/11/2006 23:40

i did finish, by the way. and it wasnt particularly edifying

expatinscotland · 10/11/2006 23:40

It's overrated, like a lot of stuff out there now.

Saturn74 · 10/11/2006 23:40

Gave up half way through - just couldn't get into it.

pipsqueak · 10/11/2006 23:38

finished it but only because i was on holiday and had finished all the other availbale options....can't think why it was so acclaimed and wondered throughout if i ahd missed something . feel reassured i am not the only one who found it ahrd going ...

Original poster
MrsMuddle · 10/11/2006 23:32

maggiesmama, that's the problem. I've got piles of books to read, including The Inheritance Of Loss, which I got out the library and I'm dying to read. But the Accidental is for my book group, so I feel I should read it. It's very rare for me not to finish a book - Captain Corelli was the last one I couldn't finish. I think the fact that four out of five people on this thread didn't finish it means that it's maybe not worth it. I'll have one last go at it tonight. Thanks, everyone. I'm glad it's not just me.

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 10/11/2006 22:56

No.

It didn't pass the 50 pages rule, so I gave it back to the charity shop.

eastendgirl · 10/11/2006 22:54

I gave my copy to the local charity shop...

maggiesmama · 10/11/2006 22:53

i thought it was ok. though, as with a lot of contemporary lit published in this genre (yes zadie s, i mean you) its not as good as it thinks it is. worth finishing, because why not. unless youve got something better to read...

noddyholder · 10/11/2006 22:48

I started it and have stopped it and started reading Zadie Smith On Beauty but I am going to go back to it as most of my book group loved it