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Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

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Original poster

Anyone else get frustrated with novels that don't replicate real life?

17 replies

raisinbran · 18/04/2009 18:33

Just finished reading Kathy Lette, In Love Honour and Betray (Till divorce us do part). Whilst I think she is a good author and it was funny in parts I found myself really wound up with the book and very jealous of this fairy story!.

MAY SPOIL STORY if you want to read on. Just covers all the trauma that goes with separating but there is new male saviour to help put things right and it all goes wrong for the husband who cheated in the end, and turns out rosie for her. And to top it all the main charachter lost lots of weight...... I want a different fairy godmother!

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SoupDragon · 18/04/2009 18:35

why the hell would you want to read a book that was 100% true to life??

BecauseImWorthIt · 18/04/2009 18:36

That's why it's a novel. It's supposed to be fantasy!

HecatesTwopenceworth · 18/04/2009 18:37

Nah. If you want a non-fiction type description of a life, go for a biography. Fiction should be exactly that - fiction. And it's nice to have a happy ending!

foxinsocks · 18/04/2009 18:38

I don't like that either.

I want true to life and believable (unless it's labelled as sci fi ).

ForeverOptimistic · 18/04/2009 18:49

I think fiction is the one of the few areas where anything goes. It would be awful if we insisted that fictional novels had to be politically correct and represent true life.

Maybe you are choosing the wrong authors/books if you are left feelings shortchanged.

I think you should take up creative writing and make up your own endings!

foxinsocks · 18/04/2009 19:01

yes but it has to be believable surely? I mean fiction = a story but you want to be able to get involved with the story.

I can't BEAR stories that don't ring true. It actually makes me cross.

foxinsocks · 18/04/2009 20:15

where's raisinbran ? I'm quite interested in this because I don't think it should be 'fantasy'....

tothesea · 18/04/2009 20:34

I suppose its the same as the difference between a well written acted and directed film and a soap opera - the soaps are just down right silly at times, unbelievable plot lines, nobody having a washing machine in their house, that kinda thing - some folks still like them tho.
Personally me pet hate is lack of research I read an Isla Dewar novel recently and she had the main character living in Stockbridge a very well off area in Edinburgh but she was supposed to be quite poor and she used to walk her dog and a bit of scrubland nearby - aint no scrubland in Stockbridge!! She had her jump off the platform of a bus - again aint no platforms on Lothian buses, I mean why not just get it right .. it really spoiled the book for me ok rant over...

foxinsocks · 18/04/2009 20:35

oh tothesea

please rant on

this is one of my HUGE pet hates

I can't stand stuff like that. Thing is, it takes a while to write a book so you'd think at least get it right wouldn't you?

That would ruin a book for me completely...

Original poster

raisinbran · 18/04/2009 20:39

Hi I'm back just got kids to bed.

I know I sound weird, obviously its only a novel, I love reading all sorts of books and this is the first time I have felt so irritated by a book.

I guess I just felt a little cheated, not sure if its the book or my life thats wrong. When you hear some of the horrendous situations on here that people have to go through and put up with with ex partners, they just don't have the 2nd hero standing in the wings to help deal with all the nightmares and provide some happy times.

God I know I have a lot to be appreciative of, its just that nearly 2 yrs on the efforts I have made still haven't produced the results I would like and my ex is blissfully happy.

Just off to eat another sour grape!

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tothesea · 18/04/2009 20:56

Yeh and there was spelling mistakes! I mean isn't there someone getting paid a lot of money to check these things!
Oh and also over use of a particular word, in the Memory keepers whatsit the author uses the word 'glimmer' or 'glimmering' about a million times urrghhhhh I couldnt finish it, I thought... glimmer off!!
[obviously lots of stored up anger over poorly edited novels emoticon]
anyway yes I agree with OP but I think it is just horses for courses, I don't like 'silly' books but I know some folks like a light read - however I do watch Coronation street!

foxinsocks · 18/04/2009 21:12

poor you raisinbran! I think you might need to try a different type of novel . How about a good old gory crim novel to take your mind off silly stories with knights in shining armour?

I enjoy finding the spelling mistakes. Happens a lot more often in children's books I've noticed (that I read on the offchance to my two!).

ahundredtimes · 18/04/2009 21:14

I think some books offer up a fantasy version of RL though don't they? I think lots of chick lit books do this - though must admit, haven't read lots - and that's why people read them. It's a kind of escapism. Also it's old as the hills that people want a happy ending - in some stories it's the formula, and what people expect and want. Just not in this instance!

I imagine that there are some lone parent or single mum novels out there which are more realistic, and wouldn't end with her meeting Mr Right etc. I think it was the wrong book at the wrong time. Perhaps she thought she had to end it on a upbeat romantic note?

foxinsocks · 18/04/2009 21:21

ah good point 100, hadn't thought of those type of books at all. But not sure I read to escape into a fantasy life just to escape into a good story.

Also think to make pictures in your head, it needs to be believable otherwise the pictures don't come. If i thought it didn't ring true or like tothesea, it had factual inaccuracies, I couldn't make the picture even if I wanted to.

ahundredtimes · 18/04/2009 21:33

No I don't read for a fantasy either. But lots of people do - which is why the formulas exist. Like Mills and Boon or lots of rom com books etc. It's part of their function. Have to chose carefully perhaps?

I never notice factual inaccuracies. That's bad isn't it? Or if I do, I don't care. i don't know why. I like good writing, which is well crafted and well told. I like it when I don't even notice what the author is doing, it's that good. I don't read literally at all - this might be why I don't notice things like the sand or the platform of the bus, I'm v. accepting if the book is good, it isn't ruined by things like that for me. But it is ruined by different kinds of false notes or a wrong narrative turn, when it's no longer plausible or possible to keep investing in these people I'm reading about. I read it somewhere once called the point d'assassin. Dead. Over!

foxinsocks · 18/04/2009 21:40

lol, it would have to have a french name for that. Because it sounds very french. Like a crime of passion, screwing up the thread of the characters.

I'm not sure why factual inaccuracies bother me so much. Like tothesea, I think it's lazy, if you're going to write about somewhere, at least make sure it's right. But also because, if I know somewhere well, I already have that picture in my head so if you come along and say there's scrubland there when there isn't, then that doesn't fit in the picture so doesn't look right and then you can't go any further because you know it's wrong.

I am more forgiving of wrong character turns though I may turn my nose up slightly..think I would carry on reading to see if further explanation came though.

Original poster

raisinbran · 18/04/2009 21:44

Yes you guys have made some really valid points. I do feel better now I have had a rant and someone listened!

Just started the The Lighthouse by PD James back next week to tell you if the crime was solved correctly!

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