But then you're reading this book, and cringing at regular intervals, and thinking, am I reading the same book here? Have the pages of my copy been swapped out with another, really crappy book? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!*
Is there a part of my brain missing which is required for me to like universally-liked things, like the Harry Potter series**, and bacon?*** Does this count as groupthink?
Is there some Emperor's New Clothes going on here? Will no-one admit to disliking something that a lot of other people like, for fear that they are just not intellectual enough to get it? Is it really possible I am the only one who doesn't get it?
I think the tendency to believe that your subjective opinion is the absolute objective truth is a natural human thing. But there seem to be a lot of people who will take major issue with anyone expressing a contradictory opinion, and regard it as just blatantly untrue. Especially on the internet. Especially about someone not recognising the genius of a book they love.
You should tell me what you think. Surely you dislike books that seem to be universally loved, too?
*I hope you got that reference. I'm just going to put this here (it's totally relevant):
**This post is not specifically about the Harry Potter series. Please don't hate me for not loving the Harry Potter series.****
***I'm not a fangirl generally. I wrote about this two years ago, and unfortunately it hasn't changed. Being a terrifying intense fan of something seems fun. I feel like I'm missing out. On the upside I don't think I'll ever be a stalker.
****I wrote about some classics I read here, and I was really disappointed that I didn't really get a couple of them. I can't be a fan of everything, sure, but I enjoy understanding why other people like what they like. Maybe I'll appreciate Catcher in the Rye in ten years time.
Haha! Yes. Sometimes I'm very much IN on these *rages* and other times...huh? I recently read "Starters" and, mm, I don't understand the raving reviews. Not working for me. And I never understood Jane Austen or the Bronte sisters (the latter wrote some seriously dark books! Like Jane Eyre!).
ReplyDeleteJane Eyre was awesome because it was so ridiculous (crazy ex-wife of brooding love interest in the attic casually setting fire to stuff while the protagonist sleeps? I LOVE THIS BOOK). I've not even heard of Starters! Which probably shows how far behind I get on new releases, etc.
DeleteI will admit to this one. In fact, I confess that some books that people rave about leave me scratching my head. But there are so many good books! The ones that I usually end up loving the most are the ones that work on lots of different layers, which leaves different things in them for different people to love. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend,
Martina
Yes! Reading is such a subjective experience, and everyone's personal prejudices play into what books they like best and what specifically they like about those books. It's nice to read a book that's multifaceted and lots of people enjoy for different reasons :)
DeleteThis. So much this. I often feel like I'm the only one who doesn't love certain bestselling-over-hyped-omgomg-books. It makes me feel like a bad person for not liking them, and I'm not even an overly judgmental or snooty reader.. I love books! Maybe the problem lies in books being hyped up so much that we get too excited about them, only to be let down? I don't know. But I'm with you.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I worry a lot "Am I just being cynical? Do I just hate this because I'm jealous of the writer's success? Am I expecting too much?" I almost always prefer books I haven't heard much about to books I have heard a lot about, because knowing too much about a book/its reception tends to effect the reading experience terribly.
DeleteYes. Ohmygosh, yes, I totally agree. I dislike many "popular" books. Some of them are awesome -- Harry Potter, Inkheart -- but I am more into obscure fantasy novels. I generally feel kinda snooty for turning my nose up at them, but I put off buying popular novels, just because I know my reading taste is different from most people's.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it's like a snowball effect -- one popular person feels bad for hating it, so gives it a good review, and then everyone pretends to love it because of that person... I don't know.
Anyways, I just meant to comment saying awesome post! Have a happy holidays. :)
And it's okay for your reading taste to be different from most people's! You're much better off reading books you will like then just trying to read the popular ones. Popular does not necessarily equal best!
DeleteYou have a happy holidays too :)
Hmm. Yes. I happily admit that I thought the film "Finding Nemo" was an absolute load of old rubbish, and not hilarious and giggle-inducing as most of the world's population seem to think....there is quite a lot of venom out there for people who don't jump on the Nemo train.
ReplyDeleteA more recent example of this is the absolute raving that's going on for "Looking for Alaska" by John Green. Yes, it's an interesting, engaging read, but it's not groundbreaking or unique or worth driving out of your way to get your hands on....plenty of other books have dealt with the same themes with at least as much skill and atmosphere, if not more.
Oh! I've just noticed your footnote - I didn't like Catcher in the Rye either, and I'm quite a bit older than 18....perhaps it's a QLD thing.....
Good post, anyway!
The idea of people having venom towards those who don't like Finding Nemo is actually hilarious. People get so defensive when someone doesn't like something they like! It's not as if anyone's judging them for liking Finding Nemo. (That said I do like Finding Nemo. Not enough to get upset that other people don't, though.)
DeleteI've never read past the first Harry Potter. Dying to know what book you're reading! I'm nosey that way.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to name name's! If I can figure out a way to constructively review it, I will. I don't think there's much point to reviews that are just "I didn't get it" unless I can somehow articulate who would/wouldn't like it and help other people figure out whether it's a book they'd like!
DeleteI actually read the first three-and-a-half Harry Potter books when I was around ten or eleven. And then in book four they were at a Quidditch match for way too long, so I gave up and never returned to it. One day I'll make myself finish the series!
I love the Harry Potter series. (I created a course in uni on the series and the mythology and religious aspects...yes I am a dork.) But I know how you feel, Steph...I dislike a lot of popular books. I was actually in QLD reading a very popular dystopian YA when it came out and was yelling at the poor book seller, ha!!!! Poor bookseller at Dymock's! But not a fan of that series, ugh. I guessed everything by page 3 and I am a terrible guesser/figure-r out-er .
ReplyDeleteCreating a course at uni based on a book series is ridiculously awesome! And it is so terrible when you figure out everything super early on in the book! Surprise plot twists are my favourite thing. Guessing how the book will end at page three and finding out I was right at page three-hundred is not my favourite thing.
DeleteI'm reading Divergent at the moment (which people have raved about and it is being turned into a movie) but I'm finding it slow and not really understanding it.
ReplyDeleteI think the more something is hyped up, the more dread I feel at the thought of reading it and not getting it! Rave reviews terrify me, really. Hopefully Divergent is one of those ones you will get into as it progresses? (I am always hopeful. That's why I finish reading everything.)
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