Wednesday, September 6, 2017

When do you DNF a book?

Not finishing book. How many of us has encountered a book we did not want to finish for whatever reason and it sits there with a great big DNF mocking us? Recently, that's been happening to me and I've been struggling with it. Don't get me wrong, if the book is really awful, I don't finish it but there are some books that are kinda okay, don't grab me and I struggle with deciding whether to plow ahead and power through or stop reading.

Did not finish


So let's talk about my anxiety when I encounter a book I'm not that excited about. How much time do I give the book before I stop reading? I never quite know when. Is there some unwritten (or written) reading etiquette that says you give the book 10% or 25% or three chapters or five chapters before you give up on it? I am always conflicted about when exactly the right time to say "that's it, it's a DNF".

Right now I am reading a book that's decent. The writing flows well and it's quite lyrical to read. The author has a nice cadence to her writing rhythm that draws you in. But ... it's not gripping me. This is a book that's been out a while and my reading bud Bambi tells me the later books are better and her earlier books are not as good. I would have started with the later books except it's high fantasy and there's a ton of world building that takes place and I was told that I would be lost if I started with the later books without reading all the world building.

Meh books

The problem? It's all kinda dragging for me. It's also a slightly longer book, about 400 pages rather than the 150 to 300 page books I'm used to reading, so I think that contributes to the fact that the pace is a little slower but ... as I think about it, length shouldn't be a factor because I recently read a 600+ page book that was breathtaking and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

With this book, I stopped reading yesterday when I had to cook dinner and settle in for some couple time with Steve but I kept thinking about the book. And not in a good way. I kept thinking it was slow and I was not excited about it. I kept thinking I wanted to stop reading. And I woke up this morning thinking the same thing. Debating with myself and stressing over what to do.

While thinking all of that, I also feel bad (I always feel bad) about not finishing the book. Not finishing a book kinda makes me sad. So part of me wants to give it a shot but another part of me is wondering if I'd be happy investing another four to six hours into a book that is mediocre for me. Isn't that a waste of my time when I have so many books waiting to be read?

Time to stop

Tell me, do you ever feel this way? The struggle is real, I tell you. The whole, do I? Don't I? The guilt. The anxiety. Do I give the book another shot? Another few chapters? Another hour? Of course, this doesn't only apply to this book. It applies to other books too.

What do you think I should do? What do you do? Tell me. I want to know.

Ps. I gave up on that particular book at 38%.


Find Deanna around SOCIAL MEDIA:
blogger  blogger  rss  facebook  twitter  instagram  email  youtube  pinterest  google+  goodreads

14 comments:

  1. HonestlY? I DNF a lot of books. The time I spend reading something that doesn't engage me could be better spent reading something that I do enjoy. Sometimes I'll DNF after a few pages, sometimes a few chapters. I've been halfway through a book, even 3/4, when I realize I'm just not enjoying what I'm reading, and I'll DNF it. Sometimes something will turn me off at the start, but usually, it's just boredom. I find that I don't care. Many longer books feel "padded" to me, like the author was writing just to add page length (Almost everyone says my books are a fast read. I know some people mean "too fast" when they say that. Maybe I should pad a little more!). I need to care about the characters in a book that I read, and sometimes, I don't. They're just people moving around, doing stuff, saying the same stuff over and and over.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know what you mean. Sometimes I'm just "I don't care anymore what happens" and want to give up. I don't think your books are too fast. I like the length of your books. Everything flows well, there's plenty of action and enough sexy times to keep me happy. Your books are long enough to be a satisfying read with a good ending without feeling like it's too long and was padded. I hate padding in a book. I keep looking at the % read and wanting it to go faster.

      Delete
    2. Thank you!!

      Lol. I watch the % read like I watch the clock at a meeting!

      Delete
    3. I am the same. I constantly check the % read. I do not know why. Maybe it makes me feel like I am making progress? or "Ugh! Will this never end?"

      Delete
  2. I almost always finish books once I start them. It bothers me too much not to see what the end has in store.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If I DNF a book, I skip to the end to see what happens.

      Delete
  3. Hi Deanna

    I feel your pain because I too stress badly if I am not enjoying a book that I picked up to read for me mostly I do enjoy the ones that are sent to me the ones I win and the ones I buy to read but there have been a few that I really struggled to read and it does make me feel really bad I find that I might skip through these a bit and not read every word like I normally do. Although sometimes I think it is me not the story if I have read an exceptional story then the next book I read has to be super good and sometimes there are things going on personally that will effect me as well.

    But for me I pretty much finish them all even if I skim through a bit here and there but maybe I should toughen up and stop reading :)

    have Fun
    Helen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used to try to do that but my list of books to read is too long. I can't afford the time for something I do not love reading anymore.

      Delete
  4. When reviewing books years ago, I felt like I had to finish a book no matter what. Now, I find that quite a few get the DNF tag almost always within the first 2 - 3 chapters. If it hasn't grabbed my attention by then, it goes to the bottom of the TBR pile, and I'll end up trying again months later. There was one occasion where I gave up too quickly many years ago, and didn't finish. I went back to the first book about 3 weeks later, and was immediately hooked, and started reading every book in the series. Who was the author that I originally put aside, then became one of her biggest fans - JR Ward. (lol) Great topic! Hugs...RO

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amazing. I tend not to go back to a book I DNF although recently, I've DNF'ed two books, written the DNF review and then gone back and read the book and enjoyed it. Maybe I just needed to vent and get it off my chest?

      Delete
  5. *coughs*
    I dnf like..a LOT. I learned to say no 90% if the time. It is just not worth it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow! I have a hard time being ruthless about it. I need to get better.

      Delete
  6. I often DNF a book. It has to grab my attention first. 😲

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't do it very often and struggle when I do. I know what you mean about a book needing to grab you though.

      Delete