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Do you ever feel like, when you read a book – then read someone elses opinion of the book, that you have read 2 totally different books?
I just read Fallen (review to come) – and this is not the first time I felt this way, but I loved it – then reading the reviews, soo many readers did not like it at all, even bloggers/reviewers that I love, trust and are my “go to gals” for awesome reviews, and trusted thoughts – did not like it.
Do you know what I mean, I know that everyone has there own opinion – and as my best friend tells me all the time, “Opinions are like a** holes, everyone has one and they all stink.” But honestly, do you feel like your on some alien planet or read the wrong book, when you either loved, or hated a book so many other's just LOVED/HATED?
I use Fallen as an example of one I loved, and lots of other hated...but also, Demons Lexicon, I hated it...almost did not finish it, but most everyone else loved it...and cant WAIT for Demon's Covenant. Is another example – there's other's I am sure....
Now not saying that everyone is not entitled to there opinion, not at all, I like hearing other's thoughts, and love honest reviews – good and bad...I guess I just feel weird, like maybe my take or my feelings were wrong...
Maybe that's the anxious part of me coming out, thinking my opinion cant possibly count, that I basically have no right to even write reviews...or something – but do you ever feel like you must have read two entirely different books for your opinions to be so different?
Also, do you feel bad, that someone else just totally missed the part that made a particular book so awesome to you, or that you just totally missed that made a book so great and perfect for someone else?
Am I just totally off my rocker with this one? I mean it is 1 AM, and I have been stuck in a house for the last 5 days with 5 adults and 3 kids, so I could very well be falling off the rocker!
BTW wanna see ALL the snow? This video was taken though a window looking out at my deck -
I took photo's but I cant get them to upload - frustrating!
2/11/10
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I totally know what you mean! I did not care for Beautiful Creatures but I had read such great reviews about it. At times, I just wanted to stop reading it but kept thinking it had to get better. It never did! In fact it got worse. At the end, I was like "What was the point?!" So, yes, people have different opinions which is why there is such a variety of books but I think it's good step out and try a different book every now and then from what you normally read. You might just surprise yourself...And even books you dislike can teach or show you something new.
ReplyDeleteAnd, all that snow is crazy!!! My sisters live in VA and complain nonstop about the snow to me. But from where I'm sitting (CA), it looks so pretty!
Don't worry Jenn. Happens to me all the time. I have seen people hate books I have loved and have seen glowing reviews of books I just couldn't read more than 25 pages. It's all a matter of personal reading preferences.
ReplyDeleteVive la difference, I say! That's why it's so great to have so many blogs out there. Everyone has a different take on things, and sometimes you'll read a review that gives you something positive to look for in a book that you might have otherwise overlooked, and other times it's up to one person to point out that the emperor has no clothes. Keep up the great reviews!
ReplyDeleteFirst: *jawdrop* So much snow, it's like a winter wonderland! *passes over blankets*
ReplyDeleteSecond: Your opinion definitely matters! Like others have said, it's your personal preference; not everyone's going to like the same thing, since not everyone is the same. If you really liked a book even though others didn't, it doesn't matter. Just review it honestly and share your viewpoint, which is definitely important.
But it happens to me all the time! I'll read super positive reviews of a book, rush out to get it, and be really disappointed. Sometimes I wonder if I'm too critical of books...*sigh* But everyone has their own tastes so we all feel differently about books :D
I LOVED Fallen. There are a lot of books like it that people seem to either love or hate, with no in between. That's why I like to read a positive and negative review of the same book and compare them.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this all the time! But I think that because our blogs and our opinions are ours we should be able to express them. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (cue music). I haven't read Fallen yet but it is in my TBR mountain.
ReplyDeleteIf we all liked the same things, the world would be pretty boring! Don't worry about it.
ReplyDeleteLOL Cue Music that's great Junkie, Made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteYou all are so right, we all like different things - and I love different opinions honestly like several of you said, boring world if we all liked the same things - guess it just make me ponder - there's such a WIDE range sometimes! :)
Thanks for making me feel TONS better!
I hear you! I didn't like Beautiful Creatures and everyone basically thought I was nuts. I also didn't LOVE the Newbery winner and again, everyone disagreed with me. You are definitely not alone in this!!
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way about "Fallen"! I loved it and I was surprised about the negative reviews I saw, but this is why it is important to have so many of us bloggers out there. People can see the different opinions and then make their own choices.
ReplyDeleteYep, we all have opinions. I've been reading the shifter series by Rachel Vincent. Her main character goes from self-involved trying to get away from the family, to a character who is learning what's important and how she needs her family and they need her. That's just one of the ongoing themes in this series, but a lot of people read the first book and hated it because of the character's flaws - flaws that many college age girls have. They're complaining about her selfishness, and etc, but don't realize that is actually part of the story. How she grows and learns.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is how I feel about LKH's latest Anita Blake books. Can't stand them, except for the occasional glimpse of the old Anita (actiona, not the bed action) but a lot of people love the direction these series have taken.
We're all different, and yet the same in that we want others to understand our point of view, but don't necesarily understand other points of view. That's what makes us deliciously human, I guess. And that's why I lurk around on blogs, looking for different opinions of books that are out there. Which brings me to the love of your blog, for giving me some ideas of YA novels.
I know what you mean. But I am always intrigued when I see that a reviewer -- especially one I usually see eye to eye with -- has a totally different opinion about a book. I find myself being curious about *why* we saw the book so differently. That's part of what makes reading detailed book reviews interesting.
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