I never know what to do when I am reading a book that is, for all the ways you can think of “good” meaning, is good (good characterization, realistic dialogue, great pacing, intelligent story), but that I don’t like. Currently, I am reading Above All Things and while every word I read reinforces that this should be a great book, I am not enjoying reading it. I can say books are like people and sometimes you meet people and you’re just not friends, not matter how hard you try, but I want to enjoy books that are well written with engaging story lines, not feel like I have to slog through it before the library return date.
Con with Above All Things: It reminds me of my longer story, but my longer story is on my brain so everything reminds me of my longer story.
Pro: This quote
None of it seemed appealing, the parties where I’d stand off to the side, the dinners talking about how wonderfully proud I must feel.
As a wife of an academic of whom not one other academic at his new job has asked me what I do, I know how this feels. Although, if they did ask me what I did and I told them about letting my PhD to collect dust so I can be a writer with six stories published online, yeah, I doubt they’d think much more of me with that.
Should I quit? Should I keep going? If it’s a good book, maybe I’ll learn something even if it doesn’t feel like there’s any spark between us. Or maybe I should cut my losses and go re-read a book I know I love again to perk myself up.