Well said. In the past few years I've made myself quit novels in mid-chapter when they weren't holding my interest (or indicating that they ever would again), and quit TV series (e.g., BONES, HOUSE, others) when it appeared that they had gone as far as they were going to go or--in the case of HOUSE--I developed an increasing dislike for what had been an initially intriguing protagonist. Life is much too short to slog through bad fiction, TV, movies, or anything else.
I do this all the time. There are several "summer" series I've quit watching after as little as a week or as much as a season - Your Mileage May Vary :
Under the Dome - when CBS was off for a month that summer we never went back. Extant - less than one episode. Just awful, though Jackie says season two has improved. The Strain - One season plus a week. I read the books but the show has way too much of the Nazi, the billionaire and the wife. True Detective - one season. The acting kept me going but I've heard too many negatives about season two. Murder in the First - halfway through season one, when the cops started making up their own rules. I don't like the lead actress. Jackie still watches it.
For many years I'd always finish reading a book I started. Not anymore. And TV shows have to be really great to keep me interested. There are too many other things to do now. I haven't tried TRUE DETECTIVE this year and probably won't, considering all the bad reviews.
I hardly watch series tv (until it starts up in syndication and, even then, only if I happen across it). One of my daughters watches "Bones" regularly so when I occasionally watch it, she'll update me on all the romances and new characters.
As for books, I think I put on a different mindset depending on the type of book I'm reading. I don't bring the same brain to Henry James that I bring to, say, Ruth Rendell. I'm expecting different things from them. But even with adjusted expectations, I know when a book isn't doing it for me and then I just have to close it and say "life's too short, buh-bye." I don't regret spending the first thirty years of my "serious" reading life struggling to finish every book I started, but feel no guilt about the last decade where it's been much easier for me to let things go.
Oh--it wasn't the dueling unreliable narrators, it was the absolute predictability of the whole thing. It's the Sophie Hannah problem: a writer comes up with a great premise and then is unable to figure out how to carry it to an interesting conclusion. And don't get me started about THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN!
On the other hand, Peter Swanson's THE KIND WORTH KILLING had some similar structural set-ups, but really followed through with a couple if best twists and a great final page.
Jackie has that problem because she just types and doesn't always check to see what it has auto-corrected it to say. I tend to proofread more on the phone than on the computer.
13 comments:
Well said. In the past few years I've made myself quit novels in mid-chapter when they weren't holding my interest (or indicating that they ever would again), and quit TV series (e.g., BONES, HOUSE, others) when it appeared that they had gone as far as they were going to go or--in the case of HOUSE--I developed an increasing dislike for what had been an initially intriguing protagonist. Life is much too short to slog through bad fiction, TV, movies, or anything else.
I do this all the time. There are several "summer" series I've quit watching after as little as a week or as much as a season - Your Mileage May Vary :
Under the Dome - when CBS was off for a month that summer we never went back.
Extant - less than one episode. Just awful, though Jackie says season two has improved.
The Strain - One season plus a week. I read the books but the show has way too much of the Nazi, the billionaire and the wife.
True Detective - one season. The acting kept me going but I've heard too many negatives about season two.
Murder in the First - halfway through season one, when the cops started making up their own rules. I don't like the lead actress. Jackie still watches it.
Jeff
For many years I'd always finish reading a book I started. Not anymore. And TV shows have to be really great to keep me interested. There are too many other things to do now. I haven't tried TRUE DETECTIVE this year and probably won't, considering all the bad reviews.
I hardly watch series tv (until it starts up in syndication and, even then, only if I happen across it). One of my daughters watches "Bones" regularly so when I occasionally watch it, she'll update me on all the romances and new characters.
As for books, I think I put on a different mindset depending on the type of book I'm reading. I don't bring the same brain to Henry James that I bring to, say, Ruth Rendell. I'm expecting different things from them. But even with adjusted expectations, I know when a book isn't doing it for me and then I just have to close it and say "life's too short, buh-bye." I don't regret spending the first thirty years of my "serious" reading life struggling to finish every book I started, but feel no guilt about the last decade where it's been much easier for me to let things go.
I know you like the "unreliable narrator," Deb, but GONE GIRL was beyond that for me. I think Bill is with me on that one.
Jeff
Yes, that's one I gave up on.
Oh--it wasn't the dueling unreliable narrators, it was the absolute predictability of the whole thing. It's the Sophie Hannah problem: a writer comes up with a great premise and then is unable to figure out how to carry it to an interesting conclusion. And don't get me started about THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN!
On the other hand, Peter Swanson's THE KIND WORTH KILLING had some similar structural set-ups, but really followed through with a couple if best twists and a great final page.
GONE GIRL and THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN - mysteries for people who read one or two mysteries a year (or ever).
Jeff
"if best" = "of neat"
/Have I mentioned I had typing on a damned phone?
"hate" ?
That must be why she hates typing on the phone.
Jackie has that problem because she just types and doesn't always check to see what it has auto-corrected it to say. I tend to proofread more on the phone than on the computer.
Jeff
I inadvertently proved my point!
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