When someone recommends a book…

[ShillyShallySherbet]

they love and you’ve read half of it and don’t want to read the rest. I’m seeing this person at the weekend and I want to give it back as I’ve had the book for ages and I’m just not getting into it.

Still life by Sarah Winman… can someone summarise for me or shall I come clean with my friend that I didn’t enjoy it and can’t finish it.

Oh I'd definitely give it back, but would just say I'd given it a good go but it wasn't for me, or ask her what it was she saw in it to see if that changes your mind. I can't imagine she'll think it's a big deal.

I gave up on Still Life, which is rare for me - I usually plod on anyway as I'm a quick reader but I just felt a bit bored by it; it wasn't bringing me joy, I didn't particularly like any of the characters, and the humour in it didn't hit the mark. I also found the dialogue hard graft.

My favourite chapter was the first one, which really engaged me, and after that I zoned out.

We're never going to like everything we read no matter how popular it objectively appears to be, and that's fine!

I loved it and recommended it to my DD who hated it. I've hated books she recommended. It happens. Just give her it back and tell her it wasn't for you.

I’m amazed that this book has such good reviews. I absolutely hated it! I’m worried that something is wrong with me as everyone else seems to have loved it. I found the characters awful and didn’t even get me started on the lack of speech marks.

George Orwell writes about this in books and cigarettes. Sometimes I desperately want my book back and other times I don't even remember I've lent it out.
OP sometimes the pressure of someone having lent me a book and keenly expecting me to like it makes me not enjoy the story - maybe that's happened with you too?