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Original poster

Do you always finish a book once you've started it?

65 replies

Mumwhensdinnerready · 05/01/2009 12:54

As a child it was a rule at our house that you had to finish a book no matter what. This stood me in good stead when I had to read books for English Lit that were not of my choice. It was a rule I followed unquestioningly until I was in my 20s.
I can't remember what triggered this but I decided that reading was for pleasure and entertainment and why should I make myself finish a book I didn't enjoy?
I usually allow 2 or 3 chapters and if I'm not eager to pick the book up again I move on to the next one.

OP posts:
themoon66 · 05/01/2009 14:06

My cut off point is page 52.

rosmerta · 05/01/2009 14:10

Da Vinci Code is one I finished but wished I hadn't bothered!

LOTR & The Stand I love. Though I agree with Iklboo about the last Dark Tower book, I have just started reading the series again so will see what its like 2nd time around.

ScottishMummy · 05/01/2009 14:16

hell no if it doesnt interest or compel by 1st chapter i dont proceed.no point trudging on

ScottishMummy · 05/01/2009 14:16

hell no if it doesnt interest or compel by 1st chapter i dont proceed.no point trudging on

ipanemagirl · 05/01/2009 14:19

lol themoon66

MKG · 05/01/2009 14:22

Yes, I've been known to shout at books saying, "You are my Everest!"

ipanemagirl · 05/01/2009 14:23

lol MKG!

Niecie · 05/01/2009 14:29

The only book I don't remember finishing is The Blind Assassin by Margaret Attwood.

I feel guilty not finishing books although goodness knows why - it isn't like the author is going to be knocking on the door begging me to tell them why I didn't like their books.

Katisha · 05/01/2009 14:33

Couldn't finish We Need to Talk about Kevin and went as far as to bin it.

electra · 05/01/2009 14:35

Usually I do, but there have been times when I have got tired of a book and finished it months, or even years later.

Niecie · 05/01/2009 14:36

Katisha - that is the only other one I have come close to binning. The first half was awful but the second half was a little better thankfully. But it was a close run thing.

FlossieT · 05/01/2009 15:18

I can clearly remember the first book I decided to give up on - The Balkan Trilogy by Olivia Manning. Got about 60 pages in, decided I hated all the characters and found them totally unconvincing, put it down (and eventually gave it away). Up til then I had ALWAYS finished everything I started.

I do usually try to persevere with stuff for some of the reasons mentioned above - because I have a feeling it might get better, because I kind of want to know what happens plotwise, because I think I'm learning something from it - but if I'm finding something a real drag I will give up. Life is too short...

MsG · 05/01/2009 15:26

I do occasionally give up, but I try to perservere in case it redeems itself somehow!

Surprised at people not liking We Need To Talk About Kevin...I found it very distressing but I enjoyed it. Well, it just shows you how we all have different taste!

Original poster
Mumwhensdinnerready · 05/01/2009 15:30

My father used to buy me books he thought every child should read. I had to wade through the likes of Lorna Doone and Treasure Island before I could get back to Mallory Towers.( Shows my age)
It's quite liberating to not feel guilty about giving up on a book. I remember so looking forward to reading Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell and I was ready to throw it in the bin after only a few pages. Imagine wading through that. I haven't got enough reading time as it is.
One book I did persevere with was Time Traveller's Wife.It was a gift from someone who often gives me books which I would not necessarily have chosen.It's on my top ten list now.

OP posts:
jennylindinha · 05/01/2009 15:34

I will always try and finish a book once I've started in case it gets better later on. I have very rarely failed to finish one, but in the case of Captain Corelli I wish I never had! Absolutely hated it

Now I have a 3 month old DD and haven't opened a book for ages. Think I'd better make an effort to read whilst she's feeding these days and before she's on the move...

Niecie · 05/01/2009 15:48

MsG - I found Kevin really really slow to begin with. I only carried on in the end as I guessed what happened and wanted to prove I was right (I was).

But yes we are all very different. Probably a good thing or we would have nothing to talk about!

UnquietDad · 05/01/2009 16:05

I used to feel I had to. Now I give it 50 pages.

Those to have failed that test in recent years include:

-The Time Traveller's Wife (god, woman, enough with the cutesy narrative-jumping!)

-That Marina woman and her Ukrainian Tractors thing. (You. Are. Not. Funny. Leave it.)

-That Blenheim thingy one set in Oxford by Tim Pears (why should I give a shit about these people, especially as they have children called Blaise and Hector who talk as if they have had coaching in How To Talk Like Middle-Class Children In Novels Should?)

-Black Swan Green: just dull, unfortunately, even though I really wanted to like it.

-The God of Small Things: I counted fifteen aren't-I-a-clever-girl metaphors and similes on the first page and gave up.

MiaWallace · 05/01/2009 16:49

I give up on books very easily. I would say there were at least 10 books last year I started and didn't finished.

I have a 10% rule. If I'm a tenth of the way through it and not enjoying it I move onto something else.

BeckyBendyLegs · 05/01/2009 17:06

Ooooh I read that Blenheim thing by Tim Pears only because at the time we were living in a house called Blenheim Cottage and we lived in Oxford. It was a trail though, I agree. Could have done with lots of editing.

I loved Black Swan Green (but then I really like David Mitchell).

I'm actually struggling a bit through the book I am reading now although I think it is an excellent book: Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter. I'm just not in the mood for deep postmodern magical realism right now! I'm sure I'd appreciate it more at a different time as I totally loved the Magic Toyshop.

UnquietDad · 05/01/2009 17:09

I think there are a lot of books out these days which have been really lazily edited, or just not edited at all.

poppy34 · 05/01/2009 19:01

agree uqd..some of it is just depressing (typos, inconsistent names etc)

Dottoressa · 05/01/2009 19:09

I did until I started the Satanic Verses, which was such boring drivel that I broke my 'never abandon a book' rule. It was surprisingly liberating!

undervalued · 05/01/2009 19:15

Same as Niecie, The Blind Assasin still only part read - almost painful but I will finish it.
The only other book is The Reluctant Fundamentalist.
I love reading and have wasted many hours reading crap books - makes you appreciate a good book.

aidansyummymummy · 05/01/2009 19:18

no life is too short and time is too precious to waste in a book you cant get in to. I have been know to finish a good book in a day but obviously now i have less reading time now DS is here!

ScottishMummy · 05/01/2009 19:30

you will never get the time back so why waste it on a dross book