This week I have read 3 books. 2 that I loved. 1 that I liked
but had issues with.
The 2 I loved you’ve
already heard about:
The 1 that I have issues with is my subject today. See I
waffle back and forth about what to do when I don’t like a book or have issues
with it.
I want to be supportive of writers.
is it really supportive to say nothing
when you have issues with a book? Is it not, in a sense, crippling the author
by not giving them feedback they might be able to use?
For today I am of the opinion that it is like the difference
between advice and assvice. Advice is asked for and wanted. Assvice is not.
Better to say nothing.
Although in this case I’m not going to completely say
nothing because what’s wrong with this book, IMHO, is wrong with lots of books:
paragraphs and even pages of stuff that isn’t necessary and
doesn’t move the story along.
I have written a blog about my irritation with Diana Gabaldon regarding this. I feel free to discuss this as she is so successful
nothing I say will matter to her. In her case she really needs an editor who
says NO. No I’m not going to print an 800 page book for you when 400 would be
sufficient to tell the stories you are spinning.
In the case of the writer of this book I'm talking about today, I should admit up front that I
have a bias. The book genre is historical romance which I generally don’t
enjoy. That said; her characters were engaging. Her setting was enjoyable. The story
was entertaining. I just didn’t enjoy picking through the book to find it.
Again, I don’t want to give assvice but it’s tempting when I
know, Susan Elizabeth Phillips early books (Honey Moon, Hot Shot, Fancy Pants) were just like this for me; engaging
characters, enjoyable settings; entertaining stories in books that were filled
with way too much stuff that didn’t move her stories along. But her later and
current books aren’t like that. She grew as a writer and I love her.
I hope the same will be true for this writer.
Good:
Better:
Best:
Did I get those in the right order?
How do you feel about reviewing books?
(Pics from bing images turned into thumbnails for legal purposes.)
(Pics from bing images turned into thumbnails for legal purposes.)