Books you had to stop reading because they cut too close to the bone?

[wawawewa]

I just had to stop reading The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. It’s hitting a lot of sore points, and some of the biographical overlap I have with the characters is really spooky. I’d quite like to come back to it at a later point in life - partially because I like his writing (thought Purity was great) and partially because it’s clearly resonated with me, and I need to confront that. But I’m not in the right state of mind to do it right now.

It’s not the first time a book has made me feel uncomfortable in this way, but I’m usually able to push through.

Has this happened to anyone else, and if so, what was yours?

@Nomedshere I am so sorry for your loss. I hope you’ve been able to find solace in some other books ❤️

Oh no I'm so sorry to hear this.

Anything with a manipulative lying alcoholic in it. Having grown up with an alcoholic father it is very triggering. I'm still trying to come to terms with how awful he was to us ten years after he died.

Oh yes! Read 12 so far this month!

Yes same.

Amazing book, I read it when I was young. It has occurred to me I couldn't have read it after having children. I can't watch or read anything about horrible things happening to children or them going missing. This probably isn't uncommon. But I'm really sensitive. None of McEwan's other books have this issue - they're all amazing.
( I guess the kids in The Cement Garden are in a sad situation, but they make the best of it!)

I've read Hamnet, but I'm avoiding the film, and if I could go back in time I wouldn't read it.
I have a very similar family set-up to the Shakespeare children: b/g twins and a daughter 18 months older. Kids are grown up now, but the boy twin was ill a lot when he was young and had to have the crash team in hospital on one occasion. It was just a bit close to the bone.

Also never managed The Child in Time - and that was before I had kids!