Ouch

[pegkerr]

This LJ community, frankly, makes me uncomfortable: bookfailsLook, I get it. Sometimes books suck. But although I've read my share of bad books myself, and I find the idea of the community somewhat fascinating, I won't be friending it

Comments

[kiwiria]

Honestly, I don't get it. Okay, so the book sucks. Why not just chuck it out / donate it and move on? Why all the hate? It infuriates me that people will pass judgement based on whether or not I like one book. How about some perspective people!

Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now.

[avengangle]

Well, sometimes a book (or movie) is so bad you really want that three hours (or whatever) of your life back and you need to tell someone about it. So I kind of understand the impulse, but if a book is that bad (and something other than a #1 NYT best-seller), I usually just complain to people in person rather than putting something Google-able on the internet. (And yes, I have the need to finish pretty much every book I start.)

I'm not joining/watching that community, either (seems like a bad idea all around), but I get where they're coming from.

[kiwiria]

Oh, I don't mind that part, I mind the "You must be an idiot / You wouldn't know good taste if it bit you in the knee / I can't respect somebody who'd like that!"-mentality that seems to surround many of the books in 'pop' literature (Harry Potter, Twilight and Da Vinci Code seems to be the biggest targets). I've had people actually scold and scorn me for daring not to hate the Twilight series.

[cakmpls]

Well, sometimes a book (or movie) is so bad you really want that three hours (or whatever) of your life back and you need to tell someone about it.

Of course, writing the "I hate this" post wastes yet more of your life...

[febobe]

With you there, Peg. I've only completed ONE book so far, and that's taught me enough that even if I had the inclination - which I don't feel I do - to speak so unkindly, I'd think twice. A book is a major production even before it ever gets to publication, much less by the time it gets all the way through to public availability. It's one thing to say you didn't care for it; it's another to verbally lash the author/book on a public forum specifically dedicated to that purpose.

Ugh. Just. . .ugh. :P

[pameladean]

I have to say, too, that sometimes it looks more like ReaderFails than BookFails. Perhaps I just lack perspective. 8-)

P.

[cakmpls]

I can't say whether you lack perspective, but this comment is not evidence that you do. (I have never written a book, so have no dog in this fight.) IOW, I agree.

[mamculuna]

When I see Umberto Eco at the top of the list, I'm pretty sure this is not a site I want to visit again.

[roadnotes]

I looked at the first ones. I understand the urge to take apart a bad novel from time to time; I understand the urge to snipe. But I don't think they're being helpful in any way. What I'm getting from them is, "I didn't like your book, neener neener!"