To ask if you always finish a book you start?

[TheCatOfAthenry]

I love to read, and want to read more than I think I can get through in this lifetime. Therefore, if I'm really not enjoying something, I stop and move on.

I'm just curious to find out if many others do the same thing or if I deserve to go to a literary prison alone for this sin.

Life is too short. Except in the way of work I don't read anything because I ought to have read it and if having given a book a fair chance it's not for me I drop it.

If its taking me more than a few chapters to be captured then ill ditch it. I tried to read I am pilgrim and merry christmas alex cross but just cant get into them.

I couldn't get through more than half of the first Twilight book. I'd bought the first two on a buy-one-get-one-half-price deal so I was quite annoyed that I didn't read either of them. I always persevere with books so they were very bad. They went to the charity shop. Strangely I enjoyed all three Fifty Shades.

It is rare for me not to finish a book; I don't want it to beat me. Many books improve as you get further in so I'll always give it a good try just to see if it does. Sometimes I'm left thinking it was rubbish and note to self to avoid that author in future.

I've abandoned a couple of books. When it feels like an effort to get through it, then what's the point?!

I always persevere with books so they were very bad.

They were. I was so annoyed by the total anticlimax of an ending especially as I’d suffered through 4 books written by someone who only knows 3 adjectives to get to it. So be very glad you gave up.

DH (also sleep deprived) read twilight during my maternity leave too. He got 1/4 through the 4th book and was losing the will to live. So I told him the (awful) plot and he was very glad not to continue his suffering.

I always finish no matter how shite a book is. I can't not know what happens. If I have really loved a book I want it to go on forever and would love to know a follow up on the characters once the book stops!! I spend a couple of days mourning a really good book before I can move on

I never used to but recently attempted to read The Goldfinch and realised life is too short to read such utter self indulgent crap! If a book is really terrible I’m in favour of ditching it.

Rare with a book, always tried to finish it. Think that's my mum drilling that into me. Never turn corners over either.
Since getting kindle however I have abandoned a lot of really really crap books. I challenged myself to read only free ones 2016 and as a result had to give up on some. Also read some great ones but some of the stuff that's free, oh dear.

Even now a few of the kindle ones I give up after so long. It's weird because a book like that can put me off reading for months and then a good one and I'm back to four a week.

If I’ve given it a good go and really am not enjoying it I’ll ditch it - too many great things to read!!

Wikipedia plot summaries mean you can find out what happens without having to struggle through the rest of a dreadful book.

I always ditch if it's not my thing! No shame in that!

No, I read the first 100 pages and then give up if I haven't got into it.

Life is too short to keep reading something you dislike but I hate doing it. I am plodding my way through an utterly mediocre book just now and it makes me sad. I get all excited when I think I have some reading time then remember the rubbish I am ploughing through. I should just bin it but it’s nkt that bad

Life is too short for crap books, even if they are supposedly "classics" (To The Lighthouse, I'm looking at you...)

I a.ways made myself finish books, until I read Sophie's World. I finished that then swore to myself never to waste my time on steaming piles of shit again.

Similar to previous poster. Used to force my way through until I ready iq84 by haruki muramki. Never again will I endure awful reading material

I HAVE to finish whatever book I have begun (properly, not browsing in bookstore etc) reading - it almost feels like a compulsion - even if I am tired or don't even really enjoy the book I read to the end... it helps I am a relatively quick reader, though.
There has only been one book I didn't complete - As I Lay Dying by Faulkner. I was much younger at the time but even now I have no urge to try again!

I've an awful habit of reading the ending to see if it's worth my while finishing. Ruins it for me but if the book isn't going the way I want it to go then I skip to the end.
Just did this last night with a thriller. Had my suspicions and was right. In fairness, it wasn't a great book and I had read more than 3 quarters of it.

I always check the ending. I find I actually enjoy the book more once I’ve done it. DS2 told me yesterday that he always does it too. DH was agog, but clearly DS2 takes after me in his reading habits. We both enjoy films more if we know the plot in advance too.

I tend to give up after a few pages if it feels like a chore. I find with 'must read' books I lose interest about 2/3 way through.
Some books I have tried to read about 3 times and failed. Some I gave up on and went back to and started again and finished, and was glad I did.
Sometimes, the book itself makes a difference - nice hardback compared with a paperback.
I find reading the plot on Wikipedia puts me off finishing.
I will skim read if I think I'll reread the book.

I hated 1/2 of Life After Life and kept saying I was going to ditch it. I liked maybe 1/4 and loved 1/4. I am glad I finished it though. It was a trial mind you

I don't always finish them (life is too short), but when I've decided to give up on them I always have a quick read through the last few pages to find out the ending.

Always but I think it's because no matter how bad the book is I have an insane need to find out "how it ends"

I have the same issues with MN threads

I usually persevere unless it is really terrible but often wish I hadn't bothered so your approach is probably better!

I know it's silly but I feel a sense of guilt if I don't finish something I've started

I read a great deal, but will give up anything I'm not enjoying reading, often having looked at the ending.
I also have stopped watching films and even plays that I wasn't enjoying, leaving the cinema or theatre.
There are far too many books, films and theatrical works that are there to be discovered and enjoyed to be wasting time on those that aren't 'to my taste'. It's quite liberating.