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I am reading The Luminaries and I am 41% in. I am not sure exactly what that is in old money but it is a few hundred pages. Let's face it, if I had been asked to read the book the situation would have been quite hopeless because I would have taken one look at the size and politely declined. With a kindle you don't think about how long it is... unless it is The Luminaries... in which case there is a point at which you hit the wall and I am there right now. Will I ever finish this book? Please don't misunderstand me - I can recognise a Man Booker prize winner as quickly as the next person: heavy duty writing with tight plotting, deft characterisation, a dramatic sense of place etc etc. I think that the secret is to immerse yourself in the gloom and the mud and the corruption and suspicion and just keep plodding on. Do not, under any circumstances, look up from the page, do not think of the other novels waiting for your attention, characters frolicking in the sunshine anxious to entertain you, because if you do you are doomed. Can I do it? I need you to cheer me on, make me believe I can get to the finish line. Perhaps I should stock up on jelly babies - apparently they are the perfect energy food for long distance readers. I must not look at Wikipedia for the plot summary - I must not - I am not that weak. Am I?
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Are you enjoying it? If so, carry on - if not, life is too short.
ReplyDeleteThis made me laugh because I'm in the same situation with A.S. Byatt's The Children's Book... which I'm only reading because it is our book club choice this month. I don't even know if I'm enjoying it as I'm so distracted by the small print and sheer number of pages.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with Elaine, although i have previously ploughed through great big books but broken them up along the way with some easy read of a crime novel. Sometimes works sometimes doesn't. Usually depends on how complex the plot is! At least you are not having to hold up a huge book and have it fall on your head when you drop off in bed. Good luck.........
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you hit the wall says it all for me. And if you're thinking about a nice novel with sunshine and love or food or white and blue china ;) or whatever it is you prefer then why put youreslf through this? Elaine is absolutely right!
ReplyDeleteOrdinarily I would relish a long book but what I have read of this has not been encouraging. I should be tempted to read the summary but I know that you are made of sterner stuff!
ReplyDeleteJust one question: Why??
ReplyDeleteLet it go. Prize or not, if it ain't enriching your life or feeding the sweet peas and roses, abandon the mud and drudge.
jelly babies certainly work for marathons. so I guess they might work. one every 5%?
ReplyDeleteI agree that life is too short. If it's not ringing your bells by now - and if you're talking of hitting the wall, then it can't be - it's not likely to do so in the remaining 59% (hope that's right; my arithmetic is not what it ought to be). At least you've tried!
ReplyDeleteGo, Alice go! (But by all means, do look at the plot summary.)
ReplyDeleteHave abandoned 7 books in my lifetime (and one was a children's bedtime story) I think as I mature I make more allowances for myself... more biscuits, more chocolate, more napping and certainly more of what I want and less of what is boring me... having said that - this book is like the marathon you trained for, you know you can do it but it still hurts. ♥♥♥
ReplyDeleteDear Tepid Reader: Look at the plot summary and decide. Life is too short and there are too many difficult things to deal with and lovely things to enjoy than to struggle with a big book. If at a later date you find yourself wondering what happened in it, you can always try it again.
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