Hi All. We are just coming out of a deep Arctic freeze here, which we were in for about five days. Ouch. At one point it was like -40 (without windchill), which I think is my new record for cold since I’ve lived in Canada. I had my husband “walk” the dogs during the time, lol. Did you get any of the freeze? Now we’re back to regular winter temps and it feels easy in comparison. Even with a snowstorm upon us, it’s much better than a freeze like that.
My reading year is starting off okay, though I feel I’m already getting a bit behind, ha. I had some Publishers Weekly assignments due. Do you remember Adelle Waldman, the author of the 2013 novel The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.? Well she has a new novel coming out in March called Help Wanted, which is a workplace kind of story about a group of box-store workers in Upstate New York and the conditions they face. Adelle is a thoughtful author and I got to do a Q&A with her for PW, see that here. To research her novel, she actually worked at a box-store for about six months and found her co-workers hardworking and funny, but the conditions they faced were pretty unstable and hard to make a living doing.
Also I just came upon a Jan. 2 article in The Post by Stephanie Merry titled “When should you give up on a book? Readers weigh in.” I think it says a lot of readers give a book about 50 pages before deciding whether to stick with it or not. Though some readers bail after a couple of sentences, while others slog through a book to the bitter end. What is your rule of thumb for whether to keep on going with a book?
I must admit I’m usually a “slogger” and I rarely DNF books once I decide to pick them up. Ugh, I know It’s crazy — life is short etc. — but if you do enough research on what you’re going to read beforehand and what appeals to you, then you often don’t run into situations where you dislike a book so much to discontinue it. But once in a blue moon you will, and then it’s either bail or slog. I often think the book might get better so I should stick with it, which perhaps is just wishful thinking, though it can come true occasionally.
And now I’ll leave you with a review of a novel that I finished at the start of the year.
The Guest by Emma Cline / Random House / 304 pages / 2023
4.2 stars. Emma Cline is a master of outsider protagonists who do bad things — the antiheroes. I loved this one: it’s dark, edgy and unsettling — about a 22-year-old girl (Alex) who’s broke and has left the city and an N.Y. apartment full of roommates and a guy named Dom she stole money from — and snagged a rich man (Simon) twice her age on Long Island. She’s living with him for a month or so in his big house with the pool and near the beach but after one false move she’s out and left to make her way with nothing but a bag with a few clothes and a spotty phone that fell in the pool.
She ingratiates herself with a guy or two and bums a couple places to stay. She plans just to stay afloat for a week till she’ll crash Simon’s Labor Day party and try to get back together with him. But until then, she’s left to meander the gated places she’s not a part of. Meanwhile she’s scared that Dom, the guy she stole money from is after her. Along the way, she gets entangled with those she imposes on and leaves a line of destruction in her wake.
This is a fast read. One that stays with you after the last pages turn. Alex has some good sides and bad sides about her that was hard to turn away from. I probably liked the novel a bit more than others on Goodreads since its overall rating is just 3.34. This rating might be because Alex is sort of conniving and the story is a bit dark. Still to me, Cline puts you right there and takes you with this person, barely getting by, who you want to see not fail, despite her not being very likable. Maybe I liked the novel a smidge more than Cline’s 2016 debut novel The Girls, about a young girl who gets caught up in a cult in 1969 California, which was good but creepy. Cline’s still only 34 and a talent to watch.
That’s all for now. What about you — have you read this author and what did you think?
We had the freeze too! It got to -20 and was below 0 for days. My space heater had to work overtime.
The “When to DNF” question is interesting. If it’s a modern book, I give it 100 pages. If it’s a classic, I keep slogging until it pisses me off.
Hi AJ, yeah I like my space heater too. Without it, I wouldn’t make it, lol. Below 0 temps are no fun!
Good point about DNFing. I think I’m even more a slogger with classics. I saw you had slogged through Moby-Dick, which impressed me. But slogging can drive one crazy. I might not pick certain classics up because of that. Like Henry James? no thanks! Enjoy your week.
I don’t start reading a book frivolously and if I start it, I’m going to finish! I almost never read a book that I actually hate. In fact, I can’t remember the last time that happened.
Hi Dorothy, yeah I agree with what you’re saying. Usually I will vet what I want to read in advance … and I can’t remember hating a book either. Finish what you start is a pretty good mantra. Have a great week.
We had our first freeze of the season, just coming out of it today, in fact. And it got down to a terrible 18 degrees…I’m almost embarrassed to mention that number now. lol
I’m a book sampler, so I always come into a year expecting to DNF at least 15 of the books I start that year. I’ve already abandoned three this year, in fact, after reading 50 to 100 pages into them. Usually, it’s a matter of style more than plot or subject that causes me to give up on a book. Either I find myself muttering about something before I realize that the book is just not going to work for me. If it’s an ARC, I finish it no matter what, because I feel that’s part of the understanding between me and the publisher – but I’m sure more than a few publishers would have preferred me to just give up and stay quiet.
Hi Sam, yeah I like that you’re a book sampler since it helps others know what to pick up. You read samples from such a wide array of books & writers that I can see where you’d inevitably need to DNF ones that don’t suit you. And I can see that style is a big factor. If a writer has an irritating style, that’s hard to slog through, no doubt.
18 degrees is pretty rough for Texas. I think it snowed once in San Antonio when I was going to college in the ’80s. People didn’t know what to do. lol.
Enjoy your books.
Your thermometer goes ultra-low. You really have cold weather! Here in Michigan we thought it was cold but I guess it’s balmy. Next week we hope for warmer days.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hi Mae, yeah I didn’t really look at this manual thermometer until the big freeze. All our digital temp gadgets outside sort of conked out when the temps went way low. So I guess it’s good to have the old kind. We usually only get about 5 days of crazy temps per year but it was crazy. Enjoy the more balmy temps!
In southern California we have managed to avoid the freeze that has hit the rest of the US, thank goodness!
I tend to give a book 70 to 80 pages before I DNF it though that rarely happens.
Hi Helen, I hope you’ve gotten some good rain to alleviate drought conditions.
I think 70 to 80 pages seems a good indicator. You plow through a lot of books, I don’t see many DNFs on your site. Happy reading.
You had brrrutal temps at -40! We have had a few days below 30 F and nights at 15F with 0 degrees windshields. Between Saturday night and Monday temps will reach even lower than 15F at night, but next week will be “normal-ish” again, God willing! Like I told before, I wanted to read The Guest last year. The premise sounds sooo good.
I usually give a book between 50-100 pages before I jump ship, but the jumping is usually for a later date since I think that when one book sticks (usually because of the uncomplicated pacing) is because it was the right book at the right time. Having said that, I have abandoned books at 200 pages if I’m not making fast enough progress. The last couple of years I have become more adventurous in terms of my reading regarding the knowledge beforehand that I allow myself to have; I’m researching less and reading more buzzy books instead. The downside is that sometimes I have a string of mediocre reading before I find a golden one.
Hi Carmen, I know what you mean. Sometimes I read buzzy books without vetting them much and then sometimes I get stuck with a book that I want to throw against a wall. Sometimes I can’t trust *high* Goodread ratings or a critic’s review. I went into Study for Obedience pretty blind — though your review in GR helped me know it would be *weird* with a capital W. Lol, and it was! I was forewarned. I guess there’s so many factors we need to take into account so we don’t get stuck with a stinker book. Did you have many ARCs now?
Stay warm in Conn.!
I have like 8 ARCs that span until March, and one from July. I’m reading slowly nowadays; I’m starting to think that if I keep going at that pace I’m not going to read the same amount of books as last year. You too stay warm, and happy reading! 🙂
That’s a lot of ARCs. I requested the new Erik Larson, nonfiction, we’ll see if I get it. It’s an April book. But I haven’t taken more Arcs. I’m reading slowly too, trying to finish a book this weekend. Struggling a bit with focus. Good luck with your reading.
I was in the middle of the freeze in Austin, Texas, but not anything like your freeze! Yikes! At home in Northern California it’s usually colder than Texas (where my daughter lives) but it was a lot warmer. We’ve been having highs in the 50s with a lot of rain, but definitely warmer than last year!
I usually try and stick it out to at least the 30% mark in a book before I DNF, but I have done it sooner. I hardly ever slog through. I never pick up a book I think I might not like, I usually research the author’s overall rating and check out past reviews on their work, but that doesn’t always work. Reading is, after all, subjective.
Hi Rachel, you’re right. Sometimes other reviews won’t be what you think about a book. It’s a bit amazing how divergent reviews on Goodreads can be. I also try not to pick up books I think I might not like. Like I’m not too into fantasy or sci-fi and YA, so I don’t often pick those up. It’s good you’re not a slogger.
I love your pics of Northern Cal … it does look quite rainy this season. I hope your daughter enjoys Austin, quite a happening place.
Cheers.
Another blogger was telling me about his very cold weather in Saskatchewan (Mysteries and More in Saskatchewan). I have always lived in warmer states (Alabama, California, a few months in Texas), although the temps in Alabama and Texas seem to be gettier frostier than when I lived there.
I am mostly a slogger too, although I rarely run into books that bother me that much. Sometimes I will quit because of topics I cannot handle, such as torture. My husband will absolutely not give up on a book, which I admire but I would not force myself to finish a book I am not enjoying.
The interview with Adelle Waldman is very interesting and the topic of the book is impressive. Back in the 1970s, I was out of college, living in Selma, Alabama for a year, and wanted something to do, and ended up working in that type of store for a few months leading up to Christmas. A very interesting experience.
Hi Tracy, wow interesting about your box-store experience. I bet that was something. Do you ever miss Alabama? This is weird but I’ve been to Selma once during Christmas. My sister was in a car wreck and in the hospital there around 1980. She had been visiting a high school friend from Alabama. She was all right after awhile but I’ll never forget Selma because of that.
I hear what you’re saying about certain topics that are unreadable and can’t be slogged, like torture. I agree. Graphic awful crimes and animal abuse etc. No no no! avoid at all costs.
I will check out the Saskatchewan blog, thanks. good to know. Have a great week.
I had to think a while about whether I miss Alabama. When I moved to California with my first husband, we were in Riverside and it was yellow and brown and smoggy. That was a big change from the lush trees and vegetation in Alabama. I was born and raised in Birmingham, in a very urban environment but you could hardly go anywhere without seeing lots of trees. So I miss that, even now. But otherwise, no.
And that is so interesting that you were in Selma in 1980. When I was there I wasn’t that focused on the historic part that Selma played in the Civil Rights movement only 5 years earlier. I cannot explain that except that I was young and newly wed.
That’s nice that you had a lot of trees in Alabama. That makes a big difference. Coincidentally, I grew up in Redlands, Cal, which is near Riverside. We had a lot of orange groves in the 1970s before many were cut down in the 1980s. We had a lot of avocados and citrus living there. Are you now in SoCal or Northern Cal? I moved away in my 20s but I still go home to Cal and check on my parents.
I am in Southern California, in Santa Barbara. (Actually between Goleta and Santa Barbara but very close to both.) I know where Redlands is although I don’t think I have been there. I worked in Corona when I lived in Riverside and initially lived on March Air Force Base.
Hi Susan, you write so well and this post has given me so much to think about.
Very good interview with Adelle Waldman. Never read her but her new book dealing with working class life is important and I am always interested in novels set in upstate NY.
Good point about Emma Cline’s heroines (The Girls and The Guest) being anti-heroes. And what’s really interesting is that they are female outsiders. I haven’t seen that as much in the novels I have read where the female character is more rooted to her family,, friends, society etc. Cline’s women in comparison seem to be drifters and that is unique.
Before I started my blog I was terrible at finishing books even if I was enjoying the book I would be on to the next thing. Thankfully blogging has changed that. I can’t review unless I finish the book and it’s been a big improvement in my reading life.
Thanks Kathy that’s nice of you to say, and that’s interesting how blogging has changed your finishing books. That’s great. It seems you take on some harder or older books and classics at times, so I’m always impressed that you finish them. Sometimes I fear my patience will not be good with some of the denser classic tales, so I don’t pick up older books or classics as much as I should. hmm.
I really wonder what Emma Cline will put out next. Her themes are a bit similar in both novels. Will she continue to write about female antihero protagonists? I’m probably okay if she does –as her writing is pretty perceptive.
And I have not read much on working class life like Adelle Waldman focuses on with her new book. She had a lot to say about it. We could’ve talked for hours, lol.
Have a great week Kathy. & Happy reading.
That is some cold weather! My son has awful temps and snow in Nebraska and we have been getting 22 degree mornings here in North Florida. Now, that sounds warm compared to your temps but….this is unusally cold for us here.
So, it depends on the book I am reading if I DNF. If it’s for a book club I am participating in I slog through. Mostly my rule of thumb is if I can’t get invested in about 50- to 60 pages, I abandon it. That’s because I have SO many books at home as well as my long to-read list so I don’t want to waste time on something that doesn’t engage me.
Secondly, if I wasn’t prewarned and come across animal abuse I ditch it. Can’t abide that.
I read The Guest – by accident! I liked it but I thought i was requesting a book by Emma Straub and got this one. It was interesting and would make a good tv movie.
Hi Tina, great to hear from you. It’s funny you read The Guest by accident, gosh if you were expecting Emma Straub and got Emma Cline instead — that’s a big difference! Ha. Glad you found it worthwhile despite that. That same thing happened to me when I read Maggie Smith’s recent memoir, I thought it was the British actress but it was an American poet instead. Funny but I read it anyways.
I think 50 to 60 pages seems reasonable about continuing on with a book. I probably wish I chucked more too.
22 degrees seems cold for North Florida and the plants won’t like it. I hope it warms up soon! Happy reading.
I like Nancy Pearl’s Rule of 50. But, like you, I rarely start a book that I’m unlikely to finish. I had reasons to start it and, if it’s a little slow at the beginning for me, I usually persist and I’m usually glad that I did.
I enjoyed your interview with Adelle Waldman. Thanks for sharing it!
Thanks Joy. Glad you liked the interview with Adelle Waldman.
And good to know you usually persist with books you’re reading. I’m not the only slogger out there. We just need to be careful with what we pick. lol.
Have a great week.
Those temperatures are SO frigid. Makes me grateful for being in the 20s last week and 30s this week where I live. And if I’m not enjoying a book because of stilted prose, or stupid characters, or a plot I’ve read a hundred times before then I definitely stop reading. I do try and choose the books I check out more carefully these days so I don’t have as many DNF books each year, but life is too short to stick with a book that feels like a slog. Hoping warmer temps come your way!
Hi Lark, it’s still pretty cold here but next week should be better.
I think it’s good you put down books you’re not liking and don’t slog on. I wish I could do that more often. I slog too much perhaps. Enjoy your weekend.
I liked the Guest in spite of the questionable character of the main person in the book.
Hi Harvee, Glad you liked the Guest. Yeah Alex is certainly a questionable character. It’s interesting how I sort of rooted for her despite of it. I think the author does a good job making her nuanced – so she’s not totally vile. I look forward to seeing what Cline puts out next. Have a great weekend.
I am glad you liked The Guest because my sister gave it to a friend for Christmas and I doubted her choice. I am a fast reader so I nearly always finish even bad books, although as I often read several at once I have misplaced a few and not much minded!
It is awfully cold in Boston and I really hope my pipes don’t freeze – or yours either! It’s so cold in my living room I haven’t taken my tree down yet. I might put on an audiobook and do that tonight.
I am also looking forward to the new Erik Larson although it’s about the civil war which is not my favorite topic (especially as it seems to be recurring, with only slightly different borderlines). I met his editor at my nephew’s soccer game last year (her son is the keeper) and I have been composing a fan letter in my head since then. I need to finish it soon in case he comes to Boston on tour. The book about the Lusitania reminded me of a favorite book by Elsywth Thane. I wonder if he’d think he crazy if I sent him my extra copy?!!
Hi Constance, interesting about knowing Erik Larson’s editor. That must be quite a job, editing his books. I’m looking forward to the new one, and the start at Fort Sumter. Hmm. I’ve only read a couple of his, my fav being In the Garden of Beasts, which sort of blew me away and was scary.
Glad to know you finish bad books too … it can be painful but someone’s got to do it, lol. We are officially sloggers. Misplacing books is a good way to end one.
The Guest is a bit creepy with the character, but Cline is a good enough writer to pull it off on Long Island.
I hope your pipes hold. We will be warming up this week and might even see +30s and +40s temps. That will feel balmy at this point.
Enjoy the weekend.
I told my mom about your cold temps and she reminded me that when she and my dad lived in Grand Prairie, it got down to -60F. I had to look and see what -40C is and I was surprised that it’s also -40F. Crazy cold! We got cold here, but still in the 20sF. But with no heat (or any power, for that matter) for 52 hours, it got pretty cold in the house, even with the fireplace going all day. I’m over winter! So glad I no longer live in Nebraska. My brother’s in Lincoln and it was awful this past week.
I usually try to give a book 50-80 pages before I give up. Every so often, I’ll just hang on to the failed book and give it another try later on down the road.
I might give The Guest a try, although I didn’t love The Girls. I listened to that one on audio and gave it 2/5 stars.
Hi Lesley, yeah I liked The Guest more than The Girls but some of the themes are similar. The Guest is a pretty easy read … not a lot goes on but you just follow this girl on Long Island for a week. And she isn’t all that likable.
I think it’s good to give a book 50-80 pages and move on if needed. I wish I did that more, but I figure I need to slog and find out if there’s anything more to it, argh.
I can believe Grand Prairie was -60 ! Ouch … I think like other places — Alberta was just decades ago colder, more often than it is now. It used to be regularly below 0 for periods of time in winter. Now not as often.
Did your power get knocked out? 20s is cold with that. Stay by the fire! This week we’ll be warming up, maybe 30s & 40s. That’ll feel nice on the dog walks.
Enjoy your weekend.
I hope you are staying warm! It’s been raining most of the day here.
I don’t easily give on books either. There have been too many instances where I struggle with a book in the beginning that I end up loving. When I do give up on a book, it is often because I cannot connect to it and don’t care enough about the characters or the story. Sometimes I realize it’s the wrong book for me right away and other times I push on for awhile before I accept that it’s not working.
Emma Cline’s book really appeals to me after reading your review. I am glad you enjoyed it, Susan.
I hope you have a great week.
Thanks LF. We’re warming into the 40s this week which is a lot warmer than it’s been. I hope you are enjoying the rain in SoCal. It’s nice for reading right?
I sort of struggle on with a book like you. I try to make it work, lol. But it’s best if I don’t pick up those ones to begin with. You don’t seem to DNF many.
The Cline book was an interesting read — though I’m glad to finally get the character out of my head. A bit unsettling like trying to help a troubled person.
Enjoy your Sunday! and Happy reading.
-40 degrees – that sounds insane. We had -4C recently, which was more than enough for me….
I find it difficult to DNF books, except for library books. With library books, I can just do a passive DNF, i.e. stop reading for a while and then the book automatically disappears from my Kindle after 2 weeks, when the loan expires. Also, it is easier to give up on a book, I haven’t paid for. 😉
Fingers crossed, it will continue with more normal winter temperatures for the rest of the winter. Even here in London, where winter temperatures are fairly mediocre 😉 we’ve had our fair share of storms and flooding this year.
Hi Stargazer, -4C made me laugh a bit. I think we’re done this winter with the really shocking temps, it’s -14C now, which isn’t near as bad as -30+.
I hear you on the DNF-ing. I get a lot from the library, some I have to give back before I even start because the date passes.
I hope you don’t get flooded there anymore. Fingers crossed.
Have a great week.
My goodness that is brutally cold!
I almost never DNF, I am a slogger I guess.
Wishing you a happy reading week
Hi Shelleyrae, thanks for visiting. I need to get back on your blog too.
It was brutal for about 5 or 6 days. Luckily we’re back at -14C which is still chilly but should be in the + soon.
Glad to hear you’re in the slogging club. Ha. I wish I weren’t but I am too.
Happy summer there. Enjoy your reads.
I’m trying to even imagine what -40 degrees would feel like. I doubt if I would be brave enough to go outside to find out. My poor little house heater would probably cough and die trying to get our house to livable temps. Stay warm!
Help Wanted sounds very promising. I’ll add it to my list.
I agree with you about carefully researching what you want to read. It’s rare that I DNF a book now.
Hi Deb, -40 was pretty intense. I woke up & saw the temp and I didn’t really go out for days. It got pretty boring. Luckily it’s going away. I also use a floor heater at times in addition to the house heater which helps me through winter.
I hear you on the DNFs. I’m pretty selective about what I pick up so that helps. A little research on books can go a long way.
Cheers. Have a great week.
I read books totally randomly (totally at random?) so they have to grab me within a handful of sentences. If they don’t, I bail immediately. If a book starts off good but then I lose interest I might skim my way to the end just to see if I can get past boring segments or whatever.
No deep freeze here in Los Angeles, I’m happy to report!
Hi Jinjer. DNF-ing frustrates me too much. I see you’ve been trying to find the right read for the Japanese Lit challenge. That can be hard, finding a foreign or translated book you enjoy. I also know these books less — so it’s more of a DNF risk for me to pick up a translated title yet luckily I’ve found a few. I still need to choose a Japanese lit novel for February! I might try another Hiroko Oyamada novel since I liked The Hole. It was weird but good. ha. We’ll see what else she has. ps. I hear L.A. has gotten some rain this week eh? That’s nice. Keep the drought at bay. Cheers.
It takes a lot for me to give up on a book too! Mainly because I know I added it to my TBR for a reason!
Have a great week.
Thanks for stopping by Marg. I agree. I don’t put books on my TBR lightly — there must be something about them! So I plow on.
Happy reading.