It is very rare that I don't finish I book I start - but 'The Book Thief' was impossible

[KatyMac]

I can only think of maybe 5 or 6 books that I have started & not finished (the Silmarilion was one, not sure I can remember many others)

I feel that to finish a book shows respect to the author and it is an important skill

I try to instil this in my 10 yo

I picked up the book thief last week and started it; put it down picked it up a day later & started again

After 4 or 5 trys I can't get past the first 100 pages or so

Has anyone else struggled or am I just odd?

I have to say, I couldn't put it down, but again that is just my opinion and there will be others that I couldn't read but many other people have.

I've not read it, and I am not sure I will now.

I read loads and always try to finish the book - the worst bok I've ever read was Inconcievable by Ben Elton. That was just mind numbing... I did get through it, but only because I was laszing on a beach and had read EVERYTHING else!!!!!!!

I don't think it's odd... there is always going to be a book you just don't like!

Normally even if I don't like it - I still finish it

It was so odd

It is odd, but stick with it just a bit longer and it all comes together and makes sense and is quite brilliant.

I felt the same at sophiewd. I couldn't put it down, and thought it was great!

I wouldn't plough on with a book I wasn't enjoying though. Sod respecting the author, life's too short and I'm already too aware that there are thousands of fantastic books out there that I'll never get round to reading in my lifetime.
Too many books, not enough time.

Oh, I thought it was just me. I've really tried with this book. I even forgot about it for a bit. Perhaps I shall try again.

I do recall wondering wtf was going on for a bit in the beginning, but as I said I found it all came together and it ended up being one of my top 2 books of last year.

I loved it!.
It took a few pages untill i got used to the way it was written ..and then i just loved it.
Cloud Atlas did it for me...tried it about 4 times and given up

I struggled with it first time I tried, but didn't persevere long.

I've got the hardback and it's wrist-cracking weight; I think I need the paperback to give it a re-attempt.

I have a tendence to plough on with a book to the end in certain faith that it will improve; but I try and fight against that urge, because often if I haven't enjoyed the first 100 pages I don't have any more fun with the next 400! And it takes me so long to read books if I'm not enjoying them.

So I think learning when to give up is a good thing. But perseverance needs to be learned/taught too.

I've given up on a fair few books in my time or resorted to skipping huge chunks so I could get the gist of the story without having to read it all.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Seabiscuit, and Lord of the Rings spring to mind here. Loved the films but the books? Struggled.

I agree KatyMac -my friend raved about it,I bought it in hardback but gave up halfway through it.

the only book i have ever given up on was the one i started reading when i was visiting my mum in the hospice. I don't remember the title, it was some frothy piece of crap about media people. i stopped caring about it at all when she died.

I enjoyed the book thief immensely. i like books about books. I've given it to my 12 year old dd to read.

I found it hard work for the first 30 pages or so, then it suddenly "clicked" with me and I really, really enjoyed it. So much that I'd really like to read it again.

I love the idea of death being, basically, a kindly bloke who sees all of human life and can't work out the terrible things we do to one another and tenderly rescues us for a better place.

My problems came with Liesel. I never felt I could get close to her. The author uses a technique that pushes you back so you're always observing her objectively--you can't really get into her shoes.

It's a perfectly valid literary technique but I think I've grown accustomed to books which you let you become the character.

Took me a while to get in to it but as others have said it gets better! Quite enjoyed it in the end,but I love any book about the wars.

janeite - thats exactly how i was. I hated the narration at first, then suddenly 'got' it. And the language is so clever and poetic without being poetic iyswim. fantastic characters and descriptions, and very thoughtful.
I devoured it!