Books You've Started Reading but Can't Finish?

[Ember]

Originally Posted by SeeTheMonkey

I read Sabriel, many years ago. I also found it hard to get into it at first, but it was worth the effort.

Well then maybe I should try again! I had nothing against it, I just kept having to re-read the same sentences because my mind would wander. If I got more into the story, that would probably be less of an issue.

[Annaley S.]

I haven't finnished reading The Whipping Boy. I started reading it in 4th or 5th grade but it was so boring I just stopped.

[Gaines]

Can't get more than halfway through Horton Hears a Who. Makes me weep uncontrollably.

[Annaley S.]

Originally Posted by Gaines

Can't get more than halfway through Horton Hears a Who. Makes me weep uncontrollably.

Really? Why does it make you weep?

[Marie Hulteen]

Les Miserables.... Zzzzzzzz....

[Redlorry]

Death by Cake - I got it as a Freebie on my Kindle, by FIDO publishing.

I couldn't get through the first page, the writing was awful. I tripped and stumbled through the text, re-reading several lines to make sure I had (or hadn't, as the case may be) understood it properly. Too distracticting and frustrating for me to bother trying to continue.

[Redlorry]

Originally Posted by richards89

"Lolita," by Nabokov. It's not so much Humbert Humbert's preferences that detract from the book for me, as the fact that he's a sesquipedalian, pompous ass.

I loved this book and found Humbert to be quite an attractive character, despite what he was up to. Right until the end where he begins to reflect on his actions, I thought Lolita was a spoiled brat.

It was a nasty shock to realise how attracted to his character I had been by the time I finished reading it.

[Aurilia]

Originally Posted by AsylumSeaker

The Bible.
I ain't kidding, I started from genesis with serious intent to read from beginning to end. I'm not religious, but I'm interested in it from a scholarly point of view.. and besides, I kind of wanted to see what all the fuss is about.
Anyway, its a terrible read.

I'm right there with you! I went through a period in high school where I read just about every religious text I could find a copy of, including what little the public library had available (in English) for the Qur'an and the Vedas, but the King James Bible? Snooore. I got as far as the first of the never-ending 'begets' and gave up.

Originally Posted by salgoud

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

Originally Posted by A.r.p.

I passionately second Atlas Shrugged.

I violently 'third' the Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged nominations above. I actually had no choice but to finish this craptastic waste of good pulp - it was required reading for my philosophy class in college. Once I finished it, I used it to start the weekend barbecue. Though it sucked as a novel, it made great charcoal!

Other books I've had trouble finishing include:

Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. I managed to get to the end of the third page before falling asleep the first time. Subsequent attempts were met with less success. I keep a copy of it around just for those days when I can't otherwise fall asleep.

Capote's In Cold Blood. Somehow, I get to the end of chapter three and then the book up and disappears on me. I'm now on my fifth copy and am hesitant about trying again, simply because I can't afford another replacement right now.

Twilight. Note I don't know the author. I don't want to know the author. I refuse to dishonor books everywhere by underlining the title. I got as far as 'sparkly vampires' before I screamed in frustration, threw it across the room, and went to go watch The Lost Boys for the millionth time. (Mmm... Young Jason Patric...)

It took me several tries to get through Gone With the Wind, but eventually managed to skim over the boring bit in the middle that had been losing me (the part with all the details of the war... We covered that in history, in every year from fourth grade on through Early American History in ninth grade).

There are also a handful of Stephen King novels out there that I simply couldn't get into - particularly with the weird bent his writing took after he got hit by that moron in the van, though my all-time favorite book will forever be his re-release of The Stand (it came out around about the same time that ABC made a miniseries from the original version of the novel - the miniseries aired in 1996, I think). The re-release has over 400 pages that weren't included in the original novel, and I think it's a stronger book for the addition.

Oh! That reminds me, there's one last book I have to mention. It took me five tries to get through it - I kept getting nauseous. It's the non-fiction work The Hot Zone. I finally managed to get through it by virtue of it being required reading for a microbiology class.

[wilhelmiina]

A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin. I didn't like this one at all, mainly because I'm dying to know what is happening with Daenerys and her dragons. I love the other novels from the A song of Ice and Fire-series though.

[Apollosouls]

I am having the same problem believe it or not. I did not like the way that one went and i cant make myself continue .

[kirispupis]

I bought a book How to Get Things Done over ten years ago. I swear I have started that book twice, reached about half way, and never finished it.

[Aurilia]

Originally Posted by kirispupis

I bought a book How to Get Things Done over ten years ago. I swear I have started that book twice, reached about half way, and never finished it.

Ah, the delicious taste of irony.

[RisingSun]

I could never get into the Lord of the Ring series. I managed to read the Hobbit, but I could never get through the main series. Tolkien just over described everything, in my opinion, which ruined the actual plot.

[Annojo]

I started reading 'De ontdekking van de hemel' (Discovery of heaven) by Harry Mulisch several times but I just can't read it. I don't know why. I must also mention that allthough Mulisch is seen as one of the greatest Dutch writers, I have only finished reading 'Het theater, de brief en de waarheid'.

[FireHill]

haha, Lord of the Rings is my favorite book. Different strokes, I guess.

I also gave up on Huck Finn. Which is funny because it was assigned in school with quizzes every few chapters, plus the book report. I somehow passed, though I only read maybe a quarter of the book. All that stuff with the Duke... I was just lost.

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Freaking terrible. I hate her books and her philosophy. A friend who loves that and Atlas Shrugged convinced me to try it. Never again.

The Phenomenon of Man. Hard reading, very scholastic and de Chardin seems to assume the reader is with him all the way, so he doesn't explain some things that I found needed explaining. like not showing your work in a math problem, assuming everyone knows how to work it out. But, quite interesting ideas. I'll finish it someday.

The Quran. Just wanted to get my own understanding of the religion, not depend on secondhand punditry. Fail. Never tried the bible, but I was trying to read some selected books. I read all of Genesis, then decided that was enough of that.

Finally (for this current list anyway), The Seven Storey Mountain. I never was a fan of biographies, never really ready one actually, and this is one I doubt I'll finish. Snoozer.

[goldieloo]

I have yet to finish a Russian. Anna Karenina, The Idiot, Dead Souls...all have bookmarks about a quarter of the way in. Someone was right about the names. Everybody has 3 plus an abbreviated given name for their besties. Once I take a break I never figure out who's who again.
I'm in the middle of a Virginia Woolf story I can't go back and check the name of, because it's in the middle of a 50 classics and I'd lose my place. All would be lost. It might be anyway, because I'm struggling.

[Marshin]

The Mysterious Benedict Society...I don't know why but I only made it to page 72ish and then I just...stopped. I really want to read them though, so after the WoT, and a crap ton of my other books, I'll get around to them ;P

[Dela Eden]

My English teacher's favourite writer was Virginia Woolf, so we were named after her. She's abandoned us though to go to London.

[Dela Eden]

Got something to add to the list that I forgot about. Thomas Hardy's books. They're too slow getting into them for me. I tried Jude the Obscure, and now I'm reading Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Both of their first few chapters could have been done well in a few pages. Unfortunately I have to finish Tess as it's my English text, and I'll have to read it a few more times too. His short stories were great. I just don't like his novels.

[Spottedwish]

I got the book Heidi for Christmas and I can't get into it at all...

Stephen King's Duma Key I couldn't get into and I quit half way through, though my mom keeps telling me I stopped where it started getting good.

[Nadja]

Originally Posted by Dela Eden

Got something to add to the list that I forgot about. Thomas Hardy's books. They're too slow getting into them for me. I tried Jude the Obscure, and now I'm reading Tess of the D'Urbervilles.

Jude the Obscure picks up as it goes on Dela ... trust me!

[LogoDaedalus]

Huckleberry Finn. I must have started that book six or seven times over the years, and although I enjoyed Tom Sawyer and although I am the kind of reader who will finish even the dullest story once begun, Huckleberry Finn exerts some kind of field that repels my attention. I never once made it past the part on the raft.

[jroland0482]

I can't get into the Game of Thrones series, the way its written seems really impersonal and awkward to me

[writer 4 life]

Hunger Games- Catching Fire...

It's a good series and I love it but seriously I give this book a soild C- so far!

I'm stuck on the begining scene, it's so boring! It's kind of like watching paint dry

If only I can get past this part I'm sure I'll get into it again like the first book...

[Spottedwish]

Catching Fire got better. It was very slow at first, but it picks up in the middle. And beware: Mockingjay is worse, though it does pick up eventually.

[writer 4 life]

Really worse? I heard Mockingjay was the one of the best ones besides the first.

Hmmm... guess it depends on opinion XP

[Spottedwish]

Well I'd say it's arguably the best and worst. The ending is... umm... semi-happy, but I won't spoil it for you! I feel bad enough calling it semi-happy. And all these books are best starting in the middle. If I want to reread any of them, I always start in the middle.

[writer 4 life]

I loved the first. And don't worry I think one of friends spoiled it already for me, she already read it -__-

but oh well if you spoil something without meaning to just forget what happened and your home free.

TEAM GALE FOREVER

XD Katniss should have gotten him when she had the chance!

I saw gale in the movie and I know I sure would've ;D

I heard though it would be all awkward and crap for them but even with that I still say that's just a poor excuse.

[Spottedwish]

No, I'm Team Peeta, but I'm not into these team things. The only part where I was against Peeta was in the second one and he was staring at Johanna because she was naked.

I admit Gale is pretty hot

Crap for them? Am I missing something?

[SyntaxError]

The Gormenghast trilogy by some mush I can't remember. I kept plowing away hoping to find some meaning or story in it, but it eluded me and my brains started to smell of burning...

'The Trial, Kafka'. I like most of Kafka's stuff but this is one I keep starting and then at some point I just seem to get tired and annoyed with him and can't be arsed anymore.

I too, always had trouble with Lord of the Rings, don't think I ever did finish it...

Oh, and 'American Psycho' by Brett Easton-Ellis. It just gets too much for me when he nails her tongue to the floor and well nvm. So I never have found out if he gets caught or not.