Yeah...I couldn't get into it.

Read Pride and Prejudice all the way through (total murder, believe me), and I couldn't get into it. When I speak lovingly about Pride and Prejudice, I speak of the movie. I mean, seriously, Austen is a crappy writer, in my opinion. She does way too much telling, has way too many wordy sentences, and barely describes anything. I liked her dialogue, but I couldn't enjoy it because the slush of telling narrative throughout the book.

That's a pity, really. But you know, it can't be everyone's cup of tea. That's why it can be counted as real literature, not teen junk I know quite a few pieces of literature that people have recommended to me, and which I detested. Best example: The Tortilla Curtain. Oh, such a marvellous book, Laura, you have to read it, and you can do it in class, too! Needless to say, I didn't get past the first three chapters. Not even buying the audiobook for a ridiculous price helped - I put it on while gardening, listen to the first few chapters, and snap! I'm in Wonderland again, hugging George Clooney (or some other appropriately sexy male).

Or take Douglas Adams. "The Hitchhiker's Guide" is my brother's favourite book of all times, and he gave it to me while we were on vacation in Greece. I tried it. I really did. But somehow staring vaguely into space was more entertaining. I know it's supposed to be a grand literary achievement and all, but seriously. It's simply not funny.

As to Jane Austen, I guess you have to be that type of person. I like reading about all the itsy-bitsy details of this supper and that sewing session. I like the subtle irony. I like the characters (and their idiosyncrasies). Other people don't like that. It's life

It's not a crime to dislike Jane Austen. I love her sense of irony, but I'm not a huge fan of some of her books. The writing isn't flawless. I do have to say, however, that Darcy is truly amazing.

That's perfectly fine. I couldn't get into Harry Potter, and when I tell that to people they look at me like I have the plague. I'm just not a fantasy girl. I also couldn't stand Paulo Coehlo's "The Alchemist." I tried a few pages and was bored to tears.

Louisa Selene wrote:

That's perfectly fine. I couldn't get into Harry Potter, and when I tell that to people they look at me like I have the plague. I'm just not a fantasy girl. I also couldn't stand Paulo Coehlo's "The Alchemist." I tried a few pages and was bored to tears.

Though I admit that is very strange (as in "strange-bordering-on-unheard-of"), I guess not everyone likes Harry Potter...

Laura wrote:

Louisa Selene wrote:

That's perfectly fine. I couldn't get into Harry Potter, and when I tell that to people they look at me like I have the plague. I'm just not a fantasy girl. I also couldn't stand Paulo Coehlo's "The Alchemist." I tried a few pages and was bored to tears.

Though I admit that is very strange (as in "strange-bordering-on-unheard-of"), I guess not everyone likes Harry Potter...

Exactly what I was going to say. It does seem weird, but not everyone has to enjoy Harry Potter, I suppose. To each her own.

How much of the HP series have you read, Louisa?

Tourterelle wrote:

Laura wrote:

Louisa Selene wrote:

That's perfectly fine. I couldn't get into Harry Potter, and when I tell that to people they look at me like I have the plague. I'm just not a fantasy girl. I also couldn't stand Paulo Coehlo's "The Alchemist." I tried a few pages and was bored to tears.

Though I admit that is very strange (as in "strange-bordering-on-unheard-of"), I guess not everyone likes Harry Potter...

Exactly what I was going to say. It does seem weird, but not everyone has to enjoy Harry Potter, I suppose. To each her own.

How much of the HP series have you read, Louisa?

I've tried countless times to get into Harry Potter. I always end up sleepy. What's worse, my uncle gave us Half-Blood Prince—neither of my siblings read—and I don't like Harry Potter, so it just lies here in the house somewhere. (Or it's gone now) I tried the first book a few times, couldn't get past one chapter, then tried Half-Blood Prince when it was brought to us. I gave up.

Louisa Asuka wrote:

I've tried countless times to get into Harry Potter. I always end up sleepy. What's worse, my uncle gave us Half-Blood Prince—neither of my siblings read—and I don't like Harry Potter, so it just lies here in the house somewhere. (Or it's gone now) I tried the first book a few times, couldn't get past one chapter, then tried Half-Blood Prince when it was brought to us. I gave up.

That's okay, I guess. Normally I would recommend trying all of the books before giving up, but Harry Potter is a rather lengthy series.

Isn't it great that we can discuss what many of us consider greatest literary achievements, say we don't like them, and don't get virtually decapitated?
I feel your pain, I read the first one of Hitchhiker's Guide, only reason I finished it was because I thought the movie was quirky and cute. It ends oddly, too. I read a summary.

A pet peeve of mine is Stardust. I loved the movie, so a friend recommended the book. She loved it, I read two chapters and was absolutely baffled.


So sorry, Aki. Well, now that you're past that ... what else are you reading?

Louisa Asuka wrote:

That's perfectly fine. I couldn't get into Harry Potter, and when I tell that to people they look at me like I have the plague. I'm just not a fantasy girl. I also couldn't stand Paulo Coehlo's "The Alchemist." I tried a few pages and was bored to tears.

You have to be patient with Harry Potter. My brother didn't like it, and I practically had to sit on him to get him to finish the first book. Once he put the effort into reading the first he found that he really enjoyed it. There are just books for all of us that take a little more work that others to get into, and even then sometimes it doesn't work out.

I'm sorry you didn't like it, Aki. Well, at least you can say you read it!

Kelsey wrote:

I'm sorry you didn't like it, Aki. Well, at least you can say you read it!

That's true! You always have that.

And since you didn't like it, you won't have to read it again.

Kelsey wrote:

Louisa Asuka wrote:

That's perfectly fine. I couldn't get into Harry Potter, and when I tell that to people they look at me like I have the plague. I'm just not a fantasy girl. I also couldn't stand Paulo Coehlo's "The Alchemist." I tried a few pages and was bored to tears.

You have to be patient with Harry Potter. My brother didn't like it, and I practically had to sit on him to get him to finish the first book. Once he put the effort into reading the first he found that he really enjoyed it. There are just books for all of us that take a little more work that others to get into, and even then sometimes it doesn't work out.

I just found out that we didn't lose the Harry Potter books. Gah, I guess I'll give it a try someday.

It's fine, Aki. Don't worry about it. At first, I found P&P difficult to get into, with the long windy sentences and all. Eventually, I came to like the description, but I understand how you'd be turned away by it. Austen's descriptions remind me a lot of Dickens' descriptions---especially in A Tale of Two Cities. I loved the description and detail, but sometimes it was confusing and difficult to follow. Quite a bit of it could be cut out and not much lost, in my opinion.

And Louisa--I think you should try HP again. If not for liking it, at least for knowing what is going on. That's the primary reason I recommend reading Twilight to everyone who asks me---so that they can understand the hype and what is going on in the current world and whatnot. HP was a worldwide phenomenon, so knowing a little bit about it is good.

Having said that, I need to finish book 4--Goblet of Fire! I can't believe I haven't finished the series! I probably have to start over now---since it has been a few years---4 I think, since I last opened an HP book!