I read somewhere, on some blog (sorry that I can't remember who you are) that there are, in general, two types of readers - those who will put down a book relatively quickly if they are not enjoying it and those who stubbornly make it through every book because they will finish it. I am definitely, definitely, the second type. Once I start a book, I find it unbearable to not know what happens in the end to the characters. It nags at me to leave a book unfinished.However, there are too many good books in the world to read the ones I don't like, so I am trying to do better with my little "problem." I don't think I could write a fair review of a book I did not finish, but I do like to process a bit, so from now on this will be a feature that pops up every so often. So here we go...
Why I didn't finish:
* More than anything, the sex. I am not a reader that will set a book down at the first allusion to sex, but I do prefer things to be on the cleaner side - rated PG-13, at most. This book had vivid descriptions of what went on in a stripper's tent and what was hidden under one pervy little character's pillow, if you know what I mean. I didn't even get to anything between characters before I felt too disturbed to continue.
* While this alone wouldn't have kept me from finishing the book, the present tense first person does get old.
* I wasn't dying to know what happened to the characters, because I already knew. So much was revealed in the first few chapters that I didn't feel a drive to find out more about the characters. I am sure there were significant events I didn't get to, but it seemed as if the climax had already been given away.
Why it was hard to stop:
* Mainly, the hype. I'd heard so much about how this book was epically romantic and such a compelling story. Nobody wants to stop reading a book they pick it up - the reason we pick up books is because we want to be delighted and swept away in a new story. I hoped for this with this book, but it didn't happen for me.
* I bought it for my Kindle, meaning that there is no way I can send it back or swap it. To me, this is the one drawback of an e-reader.
I've heard the movie is better than the book. Does anyone recommend it (with the knowledge that I didn't care for the book)?
