The Failed Books Shelf, or, Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Perhaps the phrase failed books is a bit harsh. How about disappointing books? Or maybe I might get to them later when I'm in a better frame of mind books? However I describe it, I gotta face facts – these books, during the time I was reading them, eventually failed me. Or, I failed them. We didn't connect. It was a date that did not end well.

I never feel good when I don't finish a book. But I've reached a certain age now, when I no longer feel obligated to finish something that is just not working for me. When I was young and foolish, I felt that once I started a book, there was an unwritten contract between the author and myself, that I had to follow-through no matter how horrible the reading experience. But I'm over 40 now, and my biological book-clock is ticking. I'm not going to live forever, so I can't waste it on words that don't work for me. Below are a few of the books of late which I have broken-up with:

Ex Libris by Ross King
I fell for this one obviously because of the title, but also because of the story: It's a 17th century tale in which Isaac Inchbold, a London bookseller finds himself involved with a widow woman who wants him to recover a rare text which was stolen from her father's mansion during the English Civil War. Lots of mystery and intrigue and historical information, but quite frankly, boring as hell. The characters are all flat and lifeless, and I simply could not muster enough strength to care what was going to happen to any of them. Mr. King may be a great historian, but I think he has a lot to learn about how to be a master storyteller.

Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close
by Jonathan Safran Foer
Ok. I'm gonna use that word again. Authenticity. You know it when you see it. Hard to describe when it's in a good book, and equally hard to describe when it's not. But I'll try. This book don't got it. What it does have a lot of is pretentious, manipulative dreck trying to dress itself up as moving, intellectual literature. Feh. For a more thorough analysis, read what this guy said about the book.

Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin
I feel really bad about not finishing this one. It was recommended to me by a fellow blogger who loved it to pieces (sorry, Caroline!) Plus, I had been reading good things about it on various other blogs, and fool that I am, I really liked the book cover, so I thought, what could possibly go wrong? Me, I guess. I'm what went wrong, because this book is just so wrong for me. It's supposed to be this wacky, witty, fantasy farce about Freddy, the Prince of Wales, and his ditzy blond wife Fredericka. Freddy is a misunderstood prince who, after a series of unfortunate misadventures is summoned by Buckingham Palace, and told that he and his wife must go on a quest to conquer foreign lands (read: the US of A) in order to prove themselves worthy of the throne. The story started off well, but the endless forced wit and silly Brit talk and lack of any real story as far as I could see really began to weigh me down. Never mind that the actual book (hardover and 553 pages) literally weighed me down just trying to hold the damn thing. More than anything else, this story suffers from a severe lack of brevity.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
It really pains me to say that I can't finish this book. Because I love the idea. And it is overall quite well-written. And I did enjoy it in the beginning. And just about everyone in the blogosphere loved it. So what's wrong with me? The story is about a young girl, Liesel Meminger, who is taken to live in Molching, Germany, with a working-class foster family. The story takes place during the time of WWII and the rise of Nazism, and you witness what life is like for the average German during this dark and horrible period in history. There is a great deal of pain and suffering in this story, and to top it all off, it's narrated by none other than Death himself. Death is actually quite a likeable character, who can be at times, quite compassionate. So why didn't it work for me? Well, for starters, it really is dark. And depressing. On many occasions I just had to set it aside because I couldn't take the never-ending sadness. And I really do think that the book is much too long. But more than anything else, (and here I go again with that word) I gradually became suspicious about the authenticity of the writing. If I feel that my emotions are being quite deliberately manipulated, I begin to get annoyed. I got this sense that the author was trying too damn hard to be innovative in his writing style, and I think it is a major flaw within the book. But this is just my opinion. And I may still one day finish the book. But not at this time of my life, I'll tell you that.

So there are a few of my break-up books. What do you think? Do you disagree with me on any of these? Have you got any break-up books that you'd like to share? (so I won't feel so bad? Please?)

Comments

[Pete]

Just reading the critical references to Foer's precociously brilliant adolescent protagonist (who is, implausibly, able to safely wander the mean streets of NYC, all alone) was enough to scare me away from that book.

[Beth]

Oh, there are many books I have put aside. You are not alone. (Too many books, too little time...)
I'd give you the titles but I forget them. (Due to age or how boring I found the books?)
You know what's scary? The power of blogging - or at least, the power of a blogger you respect. I haven't read any of the books on your "Failed Books" list but I will now approach them with caution.

[Imani]

"I got this sense that the author was trying too damn hard to be innovative in his writing style, and I think it is a major flaw within the book. But this is just my opinion."

Yes! I read the prologue and picked this up right away, which is why I dropped it back on to the shelf. I hate it when authors try too hard to be different or "experimental" or whatever they're going for.

[Elizabeth]

Totally agree with your comments on Fred. and Fred. Dashed hopes partway through.

I have decided that life is too short to bother with a book that fails to deliver. There are so many others on my list and I fear dying before I read everything!

A surprise recently was Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier, author of Cold Mountain. Having fallen under his spell I have added it to my list. I found his writing lovely. A pleasure to read.

[DJ Cayenne]

I'm with you on F&F.

I enjoyed The Book Thief, though. I loved the Foer book, too. I understand why some readers are upset/putoff by Foer's book (which might apply to the Book Theif, too). It worked for me.

[iliana]

I just gave up on Comfort Woman by Nora Okja Keller. I don't feel bad about giving up on a book because there are way too many others waiting in the wings. I haven't read any of the ones you mentioned but do have Ex Libris and The Book Thief in my stacks.

[Steven W. Beattie]

Haven't read any of the ones you mention, although I've had my eye on the Foer. But, now I may give it a miss.

I'll admit to not finishing JR by William Gaddis (I've been on the same page for the last ten years or so), The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje (I'll catch hell for that one), and Oh Pure and Radiant Heart by Lydia Millet. Gave up on Cold Mountain, too (sorry, Elizabeth!).

[patricia]

Steven, I finished The English Patient, but just barely. Haven't read any of the others you have mentioned, and based on everything I have read regarding the work of William Gaddis, I'm pretty sure you can be forgiven for that one!

[Cara]

I've never read any of Ross King's fiction, but I find his non-fiction engrossing. Apparently, he can only make real people seem interesting.

As for your other question, I normally force myself to finish books I hate so that I can fully rip them to shreds. The only two books I couldn't finish were "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand (you either like Ayn Rand or you don't) and "Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace. The latter has a potentially interesting story obscured by pages and pages of footnotes whose main function seems to be to display the author's cleverness.

[lundy73]

I still feel really guilty when I can't finish a book! I always try to read at least 100 pages, but I could NOT get through "Veronica." It was another one tons of people raved about, etc.

[Danielle]

I try and finish books, too, but I tend to set some aside with the intention that I will pick them up later and that doesn't always happen. I felt so-so about The Book Thief. I did like it, but like you it was just so dark and depressing that I almost put it down 40 pages from the end. For me that felt manipulative. I don't think authors need to sugar coat stories (certainly not WWII stories), but it was just too much for me. Bleak! I didn't mind the style so much (though I can see how you might be put off), but I thought a little editing might have been helpful. I felt bad writing anything negative about it, though, as it seems everyone loved it! I totally understand that biological book clock, too...

[Isabella]

I haven't read any of these, and have no interest in them either. Foer and Zusak especially I'm avoiding because of the manipulativeness I fear at work.

I've never not finished a book, but I'm reaching that age myself. I almost abandoned The Shadow of the Wind (much overhyped, in my opinion), and I'm currently considering putting off David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest.

[hadas]

I've read interviews with Safran Foer where he described his struggle to publish the book and how close he was to give up. After trying to read it, I felt most of all surprised - given the rave reviews. I keep wondering: why? Out of the millions of writers struggling out there - why was this pretentious and evidently UN-AUTHENTIC book chosen????

[Stephanie]

Ross King's non-fiction is on my to read list even though I had the exact same experience you did with Ex Libris. I enjoyed The Secret Life of Bees and then was very disappointed and couldn't finish The Mermaid Chair. The Mercy Room by Gilles Rozier was my most recent historical fiction and I enjoyed the unique use of unknown gender of the main character.

[Megan]

I also broke up with the Book Thief - around page 20 - so we never really developed a long relationship. Something about it just felt...wrong?

I did like the Foer book. I couldn't get through his first so I was surprised that a book about the 9/11/01 events would be so engaging.

[Corey Redekop]

I don't know if I've ever completely given up on a novel, although I have dearly wanted to. Perhaps it's the literary equivalent of finishing your plate before you can leave the table.

"You'd better finish that book! Don't you know there are kids in China who go to bed every night without proper punctuation?"

I do love The English Patient, and a challenging novel can be a wonderful thing. However, why I bothered finishing Dean Koontz's The Bad Place is a conundrum I have never come to grips with.

[Historia]

I know this is a late comment - sorry. But I'm reading your entire blog. Very enjoyable. Anyway, I too picked up Ex Libris because of the history and the books, and like you I could not finish it. I could not work out why. But now I know. The storyline was too contrived. Not authentic. And no character development.

In case you dont realise there are actually 2 books called "The Book Thief". I posted about them recently on my blog so if you want to read the other book, have fun. I havent read it yet - am still looking for it on the shelves.