I rarely start books that I don't mean to finish. In fact, I don't think I ever have. Before reading a book I normally know enough about it to know if I'll like it and if for someone reason I don't enjoy it as much as I thought I would then I finished it anyways because I don't like leaving things uncompleted. So there are several books that I wanted to put down but didn't because of that. Some of these are books that I read when I was younger back when my Dad made me reading lists. I am so thankful he made me those lists because I read a lot of books I might never have picked up if he hadn't assigned them to me. Most all of those I enjoyed but some of them not so much as is evidence on this list. So here goes!
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- Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy- It's a great book but I just don't like it. I don't like books were, in my opinion, there isn't a single good character. This is one that my Dad had me read. It is a classic and I'm glad I read it just to say I read it but I did not enjoy it.
- The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne- It was just confusing. Probably I read it too fast too but I remember wanting to just get done with it because I didn't like it.
- The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne- Another book were I just don't like a single character. Both of these Hawthorne books I made the choice to read so I guess I got what I deserved.
- Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott- It's long and not like the movie. I hate it when I watch the movie before the book because I never enjoy the book as much. That's rarely happened but this was one of those cases. I mean to re-read it this year and I'll see if I can handle it better then.
- Lorna Doone by by R.D. Blackmoore- Another of the few that I read after watching the movie. It's really long and pretty detailed and honestly I just wanted to get through it as quickly as possible... which was hard to do due to above description.
- The Odyssey by Homer- It is LONG! And hard to read in the format it is written. I read this one for school and oh my if it hadn't been for school I probably never would have finished it.
- The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux- I did want to read it just to see how it compared to the movie but it wasn't fun to read. The story does not appeal to me.
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens- While I do enjoy Dickens' books, this one was spoiled for me by the fact that while I was reading it my family was watching a film version of it and Miss Havisham just CREEPED ME OUT in the movie so I had a hard time enjoying the book. I was younger when this happened by the way! I'm sure if I watched the movie now it wouldn't bother me. So anyways, I remember dragging through this book and not really wanting to read it. Someday maybe I'll reread it to see if I could enjoy it more because that is the only Dickens so far that I haven't liked so I'm sure it was just that movie.
I know I ended up with eight but that's all I can think of right now and in just a few hours I'll be taking my nursing final so...
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All of the books on my list were from my book club, otherwise I never would have chosen them. I have read and enjoyed quite a few of the books on your list but I can understand that some of them are hard to get into.
ReplyDeleteMarianne from Let's Read
Thanks for stopping by. Most of those I did enjoy to some extent and I recognize them as great works of literature but they weren't my favorites. :)
DeleteI've heard of a lot of books in your list, but haven't read them yet. I thought Phantom of the Opera was really good since they even have a play adaptation. And also Great Expectations as well!! I first heard of that book in Matilda by Roald Dahl! Hope you find more books to enjoy! :)
ReplyDeleteJillian @ Jillian's Books
Thanks for stopping by! I do love the music from the musical of Phantom of the Opera, I just can't enjoy the story.
DeleteIt is interesting that they were all books you were forced to read. I adored Scarlet Letter when i read it in school, but it helps that I had the best teacher I ever had teaching it. House of Seven Gables was pleasantly surprising, but it was not a book I could rush through.
ReplyDeleteI need to read Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy but I am so intimidated by the Russian authors.
Well, I forced myself to read Phantom of the Opera but besides that yes. I can appreciate the themes of Scarlet Letter and House of Seven Gables but I have a hard time enjoying books where there isn't a character I like or is a "good character".
Deleteyou made it through some really tough books. I've always felt the same about "Last of the Mohicans". The movie is so romantic and the book is a bear. kelley—the road goes ever ever on
ReplyDeleteI've seen part of the movie of "Last of the Mohicans" and then I wanted to read it but now you make me question my want to. ;)
DeleteScared of The Odyssey. Still keep it tucked in my bookcase. My TTT
ReplyDeleteIt should be read sometime in ones life... but still... not the most enjoyable thing. :)
DeleteI love the musical 'Phantom Of The Opera' but the book looks hard to get into. I'd like to give it a try though!
ReplyDeleteCheck out my TTT!
Katrina @ Chased By My Imagination
Good list, I hated The Odyssey and I wouldn't have finished if it wasn't for school as well although he only read selections from it so it didn't end up making my list.
ReplyDeleteLots of classics!
ReplyDeleteYep! Thank you. :)
DeleteWe are kindred spirits! I love Dickens, but Great Expectations is the only book of his that I don't like. I tried to re-read it a few years ago to see if I like it any better, but I still disliked it.
ReplyDeleteI actually loved Anna Karenina, but I was studying abroad in St Petersburg at the time, so I think walking the same streets and seeing the palaces made up for the lack of likeable characters, plus I really liked Constantine Levin, so his parts made up for the depressing nature of the rest of the book.
Wow! We are kindred spirits. ;)
DeleteI guess Levin is a good character but even he frustrates me. Anna Karenina is just a sad book and I'm not fond of sad books but it is good in its own right.
Thanks for stopping by! :)
Nice list! I read Great Expectations in 10th grade and remember enjoying it - my high school read LOTS of Dickens! I haven;t read any since, though, and would like to again.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I usually know I will like a book when I start because I choose my books based on what I know I like and/or recommendations from those w whose tastes I admire.
For me, the push to finish a difficult book usually comes from one of my book groups...though there have been a few rare times when i still just couldn;t finish one!
Sue
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Thanks for stopping by! It's great you were able to read Dickens in school! High school is a good age to read it and enjoy it.
DeleteLorna Doone is worth the read. The book is different than the movie we have in some respects. You get a fuller picture of the time period, what people are thinking, the loyalties in play and the ramifications in choosing a side. It is difficult to be patient with Blackmoore as he likes to give a great deal of description of nature. He is not Jane Austen.
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