It's that time again, the night before book group. Normally I'm in the shameful position of not having finished the book but due to a bout of winter vomiting virus yesterday and taking a recuperative day off work today, I have actually read the whole of Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I was absorbed by it once I got over the clumsy writing and sloppy editing, which just underscores the power of a great plot. Did I mention the information dumping? I don't think I'll read another.
I've found ways around not having finished the book. I read the first and last chapters and a few in the middle, then print a couple of reviews off the internet. Usually, I can blag my way through the evening, since our group can be distracted by the wine, the food and other pressing matters and we have to remind ourselves that there is a book to discuss. I'm usually reading something else and find it hard to tear myself away to read the book group choice. Why make the effort? Without the group, there's so much fiction I wouldn't have tried because it's outside my comfort zone. Even if I don't finish a book in time for the meeting, I almost always finish it later. And we laugh.
I wanted to start a book group. But no one ever seems to have time - or rather, they can't remember how to make time. Does it sometimes surprise you how badly written/edited published books are? It strikes me as bizarre that books of that caliber are praised(see the entire Twilight Series for undoubted proof). It makes me (real writer) frustrated. When you try to explain why poorly written blockbuster novels are bad for the reading public, no one seems to "get it."
ReplyDeleteI struggle to find the time to make the most of book group but it's worth it. I agree with you about poorly written/edited books but they've usually got gripping plots, which is the bit I struggle with.
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