DNF Mini Reviews: Spring 2017

I don't normally post reviews for books that I don't finish reading but a part of me thinks that if I don't mention my thoughts it's a loose end I need to tie up. Plus I have a whole in my posting schedule because I wasn't able to read much last weekend and this weekend is ALA. There's so many books and so little time so I'm trying to prioritize the ones that are capturing my interest and that means having to put aside a few.

So I decided to to a few quick posts to explain my thoughts on the two books I shelved as "DNF" this summer. Writing DNF reviews is a tricky subject. I didn't want to do full reviews on the book because I don't really have a well-rounded enough view on it. But I also wanted to explain why I didn't quite like the books because I try to be really honest here. So I based this post on Nikki at There Were Books Involved's DNF Q+As. This allows me to explain why the book didn't quite work for me without giving a full review. So here you go, my DNF Reviews

Title: The Shadow Land Author: Elizabeth Kostova Published: April 11, 2017 by Ballentine (Random House) Source: Netgalley (Amazon / Goodreads)                                                                                           Synopsis: From the #1 bestselling author of The Historian comes an engrossing novel that spans the past and the present and unearths the dark secrets of Bulgaria, a beautiful and haunted country.  A young American woman, Alexandra Boyd, has traveled to Sofia, Bulgaria, hoping that life abroad will salve the wounds left by the loss of her beloved brother. Soon after arriving in this elegant East European city, however, she helps an elderly couple into a taxi and realizes too late that she has accidentally kept one of their bags. Inside she finds an ornately carved wooden box engraved with a name: Stoyan Lazarov. Raising the hinged lid, she discovers that she is holding an urn filled with human ashes.  As Alexandra sets out to locate the family and return this precious item, she will first have to uncover the secrets of a talented musician who was shattered by oppression and she will find out all too quickly that this knowledge is fraught with its own danger.  Kostova's new novel is a tale of immense scope that delves into the horrors of a century and traverses the culture and landscape of this mysterious country. Suspenseful and beautifully written, it explores the power of stories, the pull of the past, and the hope and meaning that can sometimes be found in the aftermath of loss.

Why it Didn't Work For Me:
This one hurts. It hurts so badly. I'm a huge fan of Elizabeth Kostova. The Historian is one of my all-time favorite books and I even really liked The Swan Thieves. But something about this book just didn't hook me. I can't describe why. I mean it had all the hallmarks of a good Elizabeth Kostova novel, there was a fascinating setting and atmospheric plus a good amount of mystery. This should absolutely have hooked me, and yet it didn't. I just never became invested in the plot. I didn't care about Alexandra returning the urn and it felt like it was just dragging everything out. I'm sure Kostova will connect everything and have some big reveal in the end but I just didn't want to stick around for that.

How Much I Read:
26% of the e-ARC

Will I Go Back to It:
Maybe. It could have been a case of bad timing. I read this just as I was coming out of my months long reading slump and I think I was very reluctant to invest time into a book that wasn't capturing me because I didn't want to backslide. But I do love Kostova's writing and I would like to read this book because of that.

Title: The Hush Author: Skye Melki-Wegner Published: June 6, 2017 by Sky Pony Press (Sky Horse) Source: NetGalley (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In a world where music is magic, the echoes can kill you.  Chester has been traveling from village to village, searching for his kidnapped father. One night while fiddling to earn a few coins, he accidentally connects to the Song—the music that fuels every aspect of the world. It’s illegal to interact with the Song—only a licensed Songshaper may bend music to his will—and when Chester is caught, he’s sentenced to death.   But just before the axe is about to fall, someone in the crowd—a member of the infamous Nightfall Gang—stages a daring rescue, whisking Chester into the Hush, a shadowy nightmare mirror-world where Music can be deadly and Echoes can kill.  Susanna, captain of the Nightfall Gang has been watching Chester. She needs his special talent to pull off an elaborate plan. And she’ll risk everything to succeed. Even Chester’s life.

Why It Didn't Work For Me:
This one totally sounds like a book I would love. I mean it's a super unique YA fantasy and I am all about those. It also sounds really atmospheric and dark. And to me honest, it was. I picked this up because I needed a quick read before I had to read something for a blog tour. I thought I could plow through this in a few days and I didn't. Then I needed an e-book later in the month and I picked this up again and realized I just didn't want to read it. Again it just hasn't captured me. But I am not very far in. I don't know that I have given this book a fair chance but I don't really want to read it at the moment so I'm DNFing.

How Much I Read:
15% of the e-ARC

Will I Go Back to It:
Maybe. Like I said, I don't think I have given this book a fair shot. Unfortunately I just have so many other e-books for review including some that I am really excited about so I'm not sure I will take the time to go back to this one. But I do want to.

Have you read The Shadow Land or The Hush? What did you think? What makes you DNF a book and do you ever go back to it after you put it down for an extended period of time? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading.

DNF Mini Review: The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova

Ugh, this one hurts. Please don't hate me bloggers friends who love Elise Kova. Read this first. It's not the book, it's me. I don't mark a lot of books as Did Not Finish but every once and a while a book is just not working for me. It's been a few months but I have to once again mark a book as DNF. I gave it a good go but after following my rule of putting it down for a few days to gauge interest, I still didn't want to pick it up.

I decided to to a quick posts to explain my thoughts on the book I shelved as "DNF" this month. Writing DNF reviews is a tricky subject. I don't want to do full reviews on the book because I don't really have a well-rounded enough view on it. But I also wanted to explain why I didn't quite like the books because I try to be really honest here. So I based this post on Nikki at There Were Books Involved's DNF Q+As. This allows me to explain why the book didn't quite work for me without giving a full review. So here you go, my DNF Reviews

Title: The Alchemists of Loom Author: Elise Kova Published: January 10, 2017 by Keymaster Press Source: Netgalley (Amazon / Goodreads)                                                                                           Synopsis: Her vengeance. His vision.   Ari lost everything she once loved when the Five Guilds’ resistance fell to the Dragon King. Now, she uses her unparalleled gift for clockwork machinery in tandem with notoriously unscrupulous morals to contribute to a thriving underground organ market. There isn’t a place on Loom that is secure from the engineer turned thief, and her magical talents are sold to the highest bidder as long as the job defies their Dragon oppressors.  Cvareh would do anything to see his sister usurp the Dragon King and sit on the throne. His family’s house has endured the shame of being the lowest rung in the Dragons’ society for far too long. The Alchemist Guild, down on Loom, may just hold the key to putting his kin in power, if Cvareh can get to them before the Dragon King’s assassins.  When Ari stumbles upon a wounded Cvareh, she sees an opportunity to slaughter an enemy and make a profit off his corpse. But the Dragon sees an opportunity to navigate Loom with the best person to get him where he wants to go.  He offers her the one thing Ari can’t refuse: A wish of her greatest desire, if she brings him to the Alchemists of Loom.

How Much I Read:
38% of the e-ARC

Why it Didn't Work For Me:

Well first, I think this is just a serious case of it's not you, it's me. I'm in a hardcore reading slump right now. I read about half what I normally read in a month because life. I've been sick and super busy and just haven't been in the mood or even able to focus on reading. I just think this book had the unfortunate position of being the book I started during that time period. I tried to power through that but I don't think this will be the book which is able to do that.

I think the biggest thing here was that it's just a case of being such a plot driven reader. It's not that this book was boring, it just it's the first book in a new series and therefore there is a ton of exposition. It was just so much world building. I know new fantasies have to do that to establish everything but when you are a plot-driven reader in a book slump that's just not going to do it for you. It's just a case of wrong book at the wrong time. I mean don't get me wrong, the world was interesting but right now I can't spend a month reading something that isn't going to hook me.

In addition I didn't really connect with the characters. The book was split up into multiple perspectives and while some characters were interesting, I found it really hard yo keep track of who was who and what they were doing. Both main characters where interesting I just wasn't invested in their struggle. It's like we joined them in the middle of their story and at that point I wasn't invested. I did however like a different character whose name I don't even know. She was such a small part of the story but her struggle I found engaging. But it still wasn't enough.

Will I Go Back to It:
Maybe. I am kind of curious about what happens. I feel like if I wasn't in such a reading slump this may have worked for me. And I am really interested in this author. I know a lot of blogger friends really love her and I have a copy of the first book in her other series. Maybe I will read that first and then depending how I feel, go back to this one. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't the kind of book for me to read during such a hardcore slump.

Have you read The Alchemists of Loom? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

DNF Mini Review: The Devourers by Indra Das

I don't mark a lot of books as Did Not Finish but every once and a while a book is just not working for me. It's been a few months but I have to once again mark a book as DNF. I gave it a good go but after following my rule of putting it down for a few days to gauge interest, I still didn't want to pick it up. Plus with reading a few books I had loved and not a lot of time to read this week, I decided not to power through and DNF it.

I decided to to a quick posts to explain my thoughts on the book I shelved as "DNF" this month. Writing DNF reviews is a tricky subject. I don't want to do full reviews on the book because I don't really have a well-rounded enough view on it. But I also wanted to explain why I didn't quite like the books because I try to be really honest here. So I based this post on Nikki at There Were Books Involved's DNF Q+As. This allows me to explain why the book didn't quite work for me without giving a full review. So here you go, my DNF Reviews

Title: The Devourers Author: Indra Das Published: July 12, 2016 by Del Ray (Random House) Source: Netgalley (Amazon / Goodreads)                                                                                           Synopsis: For readers of Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, China Mieville, and David Mitchell comes a striking debut novel by a storyteller of keen insight and captivating imagination.  On a cool evening in Kolkata, India, beneath a full moon, as the whirling rhythms of traveling musicians fill the night, college professor Alok encounters a mysterious stranger with a bizarre confession and an extraordinary story. Tantalized by the man’s unfinished tale, Alok will do anything to hear its completion. So Alok agrees, at the stranger’s behest, to transcribe a collection of battered notebooks, weathered parchments, and once-living skins.  From these documents spills the chronicle of a race of people at once more than human yet kin to beasts, ruled by instincts and desires blood-deep and ages-old. The tale features a rough wanderer in seventeenth-century Mughal India who finds himself irrevocably drawn to a defiant woman—and destined to be torn asunder by two clashing worlds. With every passing chapter of beauty and brutality, Alok’s interest in the stranger grows and evolves into something darker and more urgent.  Shifting dreamlike between present and past with intoxicating language, visceral action, compelling characters, and stark emotion, The Devourers offers a reading experience quite unlike any other novel.

How Much I Read:
48% of the e-ARC

Why it Didn't Work For Me:

Well first, I did actually like the writing and world of this book. When you have a Gaiman comparison in the synopsis of course there is high expectations. And I honestly think this book lived up to that. It had gorgeous and lyrical prose that that brought the book to life. It was one of those books that reads like a modern fairy tale. It had an old world and lyrical style that I did really like. But atmosphere alone will not keep me reading.

I think the biggest thing here was that it's just a case of being such a plot driven reader. It's not that this book was boring, it just had a very different style. It was kind of rambling and that's not what I typically like when it comes to my books. The half of the book that I read really felt like nothing much was happening. There was a bit of a mystery that I was interested in exploring further but not enough really to keep reading.

In addition I didn't really connect with the characters. The book was split up into two different time periods, a past and a present. Both were inhabited by different people who were noticeably similar. It was hard to keep track of them which made it hard to really connect. This is also a book about shapeshifters or werewolves. I was into the concept but in actual practice I felt like this aspect was confusing and the attempt to make them darker and gritty just came off as almost aloof. It was just one more thing that kept me from connecting.

Will I Go Back to It:
Probably not. I am kind of curious about the mystery and reveal but I don't think I'm curious enough to keep reading. I have theories about it and kind of want to make sure I'm right but I'm not really sure. But to be entirely honest I just really wasn't feeling it and I'm not sure that the second half would be more plot-driven. This is probably just a case of a book not working for me.

Have you read The Devourers? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

DNF Mini Review: Tell The Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan

Well, I have had to mark another book as Did Not Finish. I don't often DNF books. I will power through because I can find something redeeming about the book, or I am just pretty good about picking books I like. But every once in a while a book comes along that I just can't power through and am surprised I didn't like. I probably DNF one book every couple months but it's been awhile, since Decemeber, since I DNF'd something.

So as I am on a bit of a weird cycle with my reading and didn't have much time to read this weekend, I decided to to a quick posts to explain my thoughts on the book I shelved as "DNF" this month. Writing DNF reviews is a tricky subject. I don't want to do full reviews on the book because I don't really have a well-rounded enough view on it. But I also wanted to explain why I didn't quite like the books because I try to be really honest here. So I based this post on Nikki at There Were Books Involved's DNF Q+As. This allows me to explain why the book didn't quite work for me without giving a full review. So here you go, my DNF Reviews

Title: Tell the Wind and Fire Author: Sarah Rees Brennan Published: April 5, 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Source: Netgalley (Amazon / Goodreads)                                                                                           Synopsis: In a city divided between opulent luxury in the Light and fierce privations in the Dark, a determined young woman survives by guarding her secrets.  Lucie Manette was born in the Dark half of the city, but careful manipulations won her a home in the Light, celebrity status, and a rich, loving boyfriend. Now she just wants to keep her head down, but her boyfriend has a dark secret of his own—one involving an apparent stranger who is destitute and despised.  Lucie alone knows of the deadly connection the young men share, and even as the knowledge leads her to make a grave mistake, she can trust no one with the truth.  Blood and secrets alike spill out when revolution erupts. With both halves of the city burning, and mercy nowhere to be found, can Lucie save either boy—or herself?   Celebrated author Sarah Rees Brennan tells a magical tale of romance and revolution, love and loss.

How Much I Read:
24% of the e-ARC

Why it Didn't Work For Me:
*exasperated sigh* I don't know. A lot of really small things. I was really excited to read this book when I first heard about. It's a science fiction retelling of A Tale of Two Cities and involves doppelgangers and dark magic. How cool does that sound? And then when I started reading it, I was into it. The world was fascinating, there was a great opening scene with a lot of mystery, intriguing characters. It was going well. But then I just lost interest. For one thing, the world-building became confusing and over-wrought. There was so much exposition and explanation in the first quarter of the book and I was waiting for some semblance of a plot that was coming very slowly.

But I think the big kicker for me was the characters. I just couldn't connect with them. The main character just felt flat and the secondary characters felt grating. I know that one was meant to be funny and sarcastic but he just felt mean. I didn't want to be around them and that's what may have done it for me. I put it down for the weekend and when it came time to go back I just wasn't interested.

Will I Go Back to It:
Maybe. I am kind of curious about the plot. There was some mystery I have theories about and I find of want the know if I'm right but I'm not really sure. I may try the audiobook. There have been multiple instances where I DNF'd something only to love the audio. And this may work in this format because there is a lot of world-building that can help create the setting in a more interesting way. Maybe if I give it a little more time, the plot will kick in and I will be more interested.

Have you read Tell the Wind and Fire? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

DNF Mini Reviews: July & August

I did a post like this in the winter and decided I should maybe do one again. I don't normally post reviews for books that I don't finish reading but with all the books in my TBR this summer and fall I have been DNFing a bit more than I usually do. There's so many books and so little time so I'm trying to prioritize the ones that are capturing my interest. But a part of me thinks that if I don't mention my thoughts it's a loose end I need to tie up/

So I decided to to a few quick posts to explain my thoughts on the two books I shelved as "DNF" this summer. Writing DNF reviews is a tricky subject. I didn't want to do full reviews on the book because I don't really have a well-rounded enough view on it. But I also wanted to explain why I didn't quite like the books because I try to be really honest here. So I based this post on Nikki at There Were Books Involved's DNF Q+As. This allows me to explain why the book didn't quite work for me without giving a full review. So here you go, my DNF Reviews

Title: The Watchmaker of Filigree Street Author: Natasha Pulley Published: July 14, 2015 by Bloosmbury Source: Netgalley (Amazon / Goodreads)                                                                                           Synopsis: 1883. Thaniel Steepleton returns home to his tiny London apartment to find a gold pocket watch on his pillow. Six months later, the mysterious timepiece saves his life, drawing him away from a blast that destroys Scotland Yard. At last, he goes in search of its maker, Keita Mori, a kind, lonely immigrant from Japan. Although Mori seems harmless, a chain of unexplainable events soon suggests he must be hiding something. When Grace Carrow, an Oxford physicist, unwittingly interferes, Thaniel is torn between opposing loyalties.  The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is a sweeping, atmospheric narrative that takes the reader on an unexpected journey through Victorian London, Japan as its civil war crumbles long-standing traditions, and beyond. Blending historical events with dazzling flights of fancy, it opens doors to a strange and magical past.

Why it Didn't Work For Me:
I'm really not sure why this didn't work for me, it really should have. It had all the trappings of a book that I would normally love. It's historical fantasy set during the 19th century and it's steampunk. But for some reason it didn't capture my interest in the two weeks I tried to read it. It may have been the writing style. I'm a really plot-driven reader so if it doesn't hook me on the plot in the first 20% I'm probably going to struggle through the rest of it. But I think it was honestly a case of bad timing. I have a lot of review books to read around the same time and I couldn't give this the attention it deserved. I also think that I had been reading a lot of steampunk books before I started this and I really just needed something totally different.

How Much I Read:
22% of the e-ARC

Will I Go Back to It:
Maybe. I do just think it is a case of bad timing. Maybe if I am looking for an e-book or something steampunk I will pick this one up again. Maybe if I give it a little more time, the plot will kick in and I will be more interested.

Title: A History of Blood and Salt Author: Sarah Moskowitz Published: July 28, 2015 by  Source: NetGalley (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Beckan and her friends are the only fairies brave enough to stay in Ferrum when war breaks out. Now there is tension between the immortal fairies, the subterranean gnomes, and the mysterious tightropers who arrived to liberate the fairies.  But when Beckan's clan is forced to venture into the gnome underworld to survive, they find themselves tentatively forming unlikely friendships and making sacrifices they couldn't have imagined. As danger mounts, Beckan finds herself caught between her loyalty to her friends, her desire for peace, and a love she never expected.  This stunning, lyrical fantasy is a powerful exploration of what makes a family, what justifies a war, and what it means to truly love.

Why It Didn't Work For Me:
This one really pained me to DNF. I put so much time into it. I read this for a good month. I usually give books a week before I DNF them, two weeks tops. I kind of had to talk myself into DNFing this just because I felt like I would have wasted my time if I stopped reading. But that's not the way to think about it and with all the books I have for review I had to just admit it wouldn't work for me. Honestly, it's probably because this is just a really weird book. I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just true. The narrative structure is unique, the characters are unique, the plot is unique. I'm not a big fan of books about fairies and I think this was just one of the ones that didn't work for me.

How Much I Read:
55% of the e-ARC

Will I Go Back to It:
Probably not. I mean I want to finish it. I put in so much work to it. But I know now that I have decided to not finish it, I'll stop reading it an then not really want to pick it up again.

Have you read The Watchmaker of Filigree Street or A History of Glitter and Blood? What did you think? What makes you DNF a book and do you ever go back to it after you put it down for an extended period of time? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading.

DNF Mini Reviews: February

I don't normally post reviews for books that I don't finish reading but lately my TBR has exploded and I have decided that I really need to not read books that I'm not enjoying so that I can give other books a chance. It's not fair to me, it's not fair to the book I'm reading at the time, and it's not fair to the books I could be reading. Plus this month I DNF'd more books than I usually do.

So I decided to to a few quick posts to explain my thoughts on the two books I shelved as "DNF" this month. Writing DNF reviews is a tricky subject. I didn't want to do full reviews on the book because I don't really have a well-rounded enough view on it. But I also wanted to explain why I didn't quite like the books because I try to be really honest here. So I based this post on Nikki at There Were Books Involved's DNF Q&As. This allows me to explain why the book didn't quite work for me without giving a full review. So here you go, my DNF Reviews for February:

Title: We Are Pirates Author: Daniel Handler Published: February 3, 2015 by Bloomsbury Source: NetGalley (Amazon / Goodreads)                                                                                           Synopsis: A boat has gone missing. Goods have been stolen. There is blood in the water. It is the twenty-first century and a crew of pirates is terrorizing the San Francisco Bay.  Phil is a husband, a father, a struggling radio producer, and the owner of a large condo with a view of the water. But he'd like to be a rebel and a fortune hunter. Gwen is his daughter. She's fourteen. She's a student, a swimmer, and a best friend. But she'd like to be an adventurer and an outlaw. Phil teams up with his young, attractive assistant. They head for the open road, attending a conference to seal a deal. Gwen teams up with a new, fierce friend and some restless souls. They head for the open sea, stealing a boat to hunt for treasure.  We Are Pirates is a novel about our desperate searches for happiness and freedom, about our wild journeys beyond the boundaries of our ordinary lives. Also, it's about a teenage girl who pulls together a ragtag crew to commit mayhem in the San Francisco Bay, while her hapless father tries to get her home.

Why it Didn't Work For Me:
I was hoping for something with a little bit more action. The synopsis for the book makes it sound like a fast-paced adventure story about characters who take to the seas. What I found was a quirky character-driven story about a father and his daughter who are going through a tough time and not dealing with it very well. It's much more of a Contemporary Adult novel than I was expecting. But I think what really didn't work for me was the pacing. It's not a very long book and I thought I would power through it, but I read half of the book before much of anything even happened. I couldn't see the direction that the book was going in and I wasn't invested enough to wait around for something to happen that would capture my interest.

How Much I Read:
50% of the e-ARC

Will I Go Back to It:
Maybe. Lately I have been enjoying Contemporary novels more than I have in the past so maybe after I get a few more under my belt I can go back to it.

Title: The Marriage Game Author: Alison Weir Published: February 10, 2015 by Ballantine (Random House) Source: NetGalley (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In this compelling novel of Tudor drama and suspense, acclaimed author Alison Weir brings to life one of England’s most scandalous royal love affairs: the romance between the “Virgin Queen” Elizabeth I and her courtier Lord Robert Dudley.   Only twenty-five and newly crowned, Elizabeth vows to rule the country as both queen and king. But her counselors continually press her to form an advantageous marriage and produce an heir. Though none of the suitors have yet worked their way to her throne, the dashing—though married—Lord Robert lays claim to Elizabeth’s heart. Their flagrant flirting, their unescorted outings, and the appointment of Lord Robert to Master of Horse inspire whispers through the court, and even rumors that Elizabeth has secretly given birth to Lord Robert’s child.   Events take a dark turn when Robert’s wife is found dead. Universal shock is followed by accusations of murder. Despite the scandal, Elizabeth and Robert manage to navigate the choppy political, economic, and religious waters around them. But the greatest obstacle to marriage between the Queen and her true love may come not from outside forces, but from within.  With intricate period detail and captivating prose, Alison Weir explores one of history’s most provocative “Did they or didn’t they?” debates. The Marriage Game maneuvers through the alliances, duplicities, intrigue, and emotions of a woman intent on sovereignty—over her country and herself.

Why It Didn't Work For Me:
This one really pained me to DNF. I was so excited to read it. It is Historical Fiction about Queen Elizabeth I and elaborates on a very specific part of her life and rise to power, her thoughts on marriage. I'm not a big fan of romances but I've really loved some sort of anti-romance kind of stories so I had high hopes. And despite a great portayal of QE1 as an empowered feminist, I just wasn't connecting with it. I think what I forgot going into this book is that I don't like stories about forbidden love. It just doesn't work for me. The pacing of this book was also a lot slower than I like. At times it felt incredibly repetitive and the general plot of the story hadn't kicked in yet. For me this was one of those books that just seemed longer than it needed to be. In a week of reading I had only gotten through a quarter of the book and I wasn't ready to invest the amount of time reading this book was going to require.

How Much I Read:
26% of the e-ARC

Will I Go Back to It:
Probably. I am doing a Historical Fiction month in April and I may pick this one up again. It's going to take more time than I expected but now that I know what I'm getting into I may like it more.

Have you read We Are Pirates or The Marriage Game? What did you think? What makes you DNF a book and do you ever go back to it after you put it down for an extended period of time? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading.

DNF Review: Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

Title: Robinson Crusoe Author: Daniel Defoe Published: 1719 Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: A shipwreck's sole escapee, Robinson Crusoe endures 28 years of solitude on a Caribbean island and manages not only to survive but also to prevail. A warm humanity, evocative details of his struggle to tolerate his lonely existence, and lively accounts of his many exploits make Crusoe the most engaging of narrators. All readers with a taste for adventure will relish this inexpensive edition of one of the most popular and influential novels ever written.

So there is something you should know about me. I am very competitive. I'm the kind of person who always says things like "race you there" or "I bet I can do this better than you." I actually first became obsessed with reading when I was nine. We had a reading challenge in my class and my friend was beating me so I dug in my heels and tried to read more books then her. You should also know that I hate losing and failing. Finally you should know that I am insanely stubborn. Even when I know I am wrong I refuse to admit it and I will continue to do or say something I started. For all these reasons I seriously hate not finishing a book. I have always looked at it as failure. As letting the book defeat me. I would tell myself that even if I don't like the book it might get better and I should keep reading. But Robinson Crusoe changed all that.

So this month my plan was to read books about island adventure and escape. Because I try to read one classic a month that fits the theme I decided to read Robinson Crusoe, arguably the most classic story about a a person stranded on a deserted island. But what I learned from this experience is that you should choose your books wisely. I've always said that I never DNF books because I know what I like and I don't start books that I don't like. I guess that's not always true.

My first problem with Robinson Crusoe is that it was honestly so dull. I say it time and again but I do not like travel montages. I don't like mundane explanations of what a person is doing on a given day and time. That seemed to be all this book was. Life at sea, life on the island, blah, blah, blah. And while it seemed like a logical thing to explain things like building a shelter and farming the land while you are shipwrecked on an island, everything just came off so pointless. It wasn't much of a plot, it was just constant explanations of what he was doing. I guess being trapped on a deserted island is actually pretty boring. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen and nothing came.

My other problem was the unlikely circumstances on the island. Don't get me wrong, I'm used to this concept, especially when it comes to being stranded on a deserted island. There's weird animals or unexplained things happening on the island. I usually think that this adds an interesting dimension to the book but in the case of Robinson Crusoe the unlikely things on the island made it easier to survive not harder. You find grain and livestock on the island? How lucky! How annoying! Meanwhile he sees ships go by and can build all these elaborate things but can't find a way to get off the island. It was like all the problems with Gilligan's Island but without any of the humor. Sadly, I did never find out if and how he gets off the island. The only thing I will enjoy about this book is that mystery.

Finally, I had a problem with the religious aspect of the novel. This sounds terrible, I know but hear me out, I have no problem with religion and the incorporation of religion in literature. What I had a problem with is the fact that Robinson Crusoe kept thanking "Divine Providence" for his good luck. Your good luck on being shipwrecked on an island? What is so lucky about that? He sort of just resigned himself to being stuck on this island and was actually glad of it. I couldn't handle his acceptance of being in a bad situation and not trying to do anything about it.

I stopped reading 70% of the way through the book telling myself that I would start reading it again. After starting two new books I just gave up and came to terms with the fact that I wasn't enjoying this book and I should actually be reading something I am enjoying. So Robinson Crusoe taught me a a valuable lesson, it's okay to DNF a book. And because I learned something then I feel like I didn't fail. It's only failure if you didn't learn from your mistakes, right?

Have you read Robinson Crusoe? What did you think? When do you decide to DNF a book? Leave me your thoughts in the comment section and as always HAPPY READING!