I seldom read literary books because of this -- I don't like being depressed for days after reading them, and all to often I have been!
As for books with great premise but disappointing delivery, part of me really loves those -- because I will take the premise and write my own book around it. I've done that a few times now (though they always turn out quite different than I'd planned)...
Oh yeah, that is so me. I can be snappish and irritable because I'm angry at one of the people in the book I'm in the middle of reading. When I finish a good book that I can dive into, I have to process it and bring myself back to reality.
Yes! It's like you're walking around in this fugue state for the next few days, sort of stuck in between worlds. Very bizarre, but I'm glad I'm not alone! ; )
I've definitely had that experience where I've read a book that's gotten rave reviews by everyone and I find that I'm kind of meh about it. I always wonder if it's just me in those cases -- like if something just didn't connect for me, personally. It's hard to argue with so many sales and/or positive reviews.
Or in some cases, I think there are books that may have a broader appeal to a non-writer crowd. I don't mean that in a holier-than-thou kind of way but (as you know) as writers, it's hard to turn off our writer-brains while we're reading. We're evaluating the technical aspects of the book at the same time as we're gauging our gut, emotional response to it. Sort of like seeing the man behind the curtain. :) That can sometimes make all the difference in whether a book works or not.
Yeah, I've had both of those experiences - where the book worked, and other people loved it, and it sort of fell flat for me, and others, where as a writer you're reading it and going "This could have been done SO much better!"
I try not to bash books publicly, so I don't share the titles if I have something bad to say. I just try to make it a generalization...
But I can tell you that the second book was Bliss by Lauren Myracle, because I think the book itself was well-done; I just found the subject-matter disturbing.
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As for books with great premise but disappointing delivery, part of me really loves those -- because I will take the premise and write my own book around it. I've done that a few times now (though they always turn out quite different than I'd planned)...
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Makes life around me interesting
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I will look at Burn cautiously when I have recuperated from this one. ; )
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Or in some cases, I think there are books that may have a broader appeal to a non-writer crowd. I don't mean that in a holier-than-thou kind of way but (as you know) as writers, it's hard to turn off our writer-brains while we're reading. We're evaluating the technical aspects of the book at the same time as we're gauging our gut, emotional response to it. Sort of like seeing the man behind the curtain. :) That can sometimes make all the difference in whether a book works or not.
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But I can tell you that the second book was Bliss by Lauren Myracle, because I think the book itself was well-done; I just found the subject-matter disturbing.
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