Usually if a book sucks, I keep reading it in the hopes that it’ll improve by the end (it actually did once, which only encourages this behavior).

*eye rolling*

But I still say “Lolita” is one of the best written books, ever.

WV, You wrote: So, does this mean that I’m maturing as a reader and writer (realizing that my limited time can be spent on more productive or enjoyable things)?

My answer is: Yes!

I dare you to post a picture of that book! It’s what I do in my “Why I Stopped Reading” posts.

I recently stopped reading a brilliant, classic book because the MC kills a cat. Most times I stop reading because the book sucks. And I feel no guilt whatsoever!

Wolf- I’ve always struggled with the same feeling. I’m learning to stick up for myself to myself though. I think this is part of the process.

Merry- Lolita is one of those books that I’ve always wanted to read, but always felt that the subject matter would be too disturbing for me. I can’t blame you at all.

Most of the other books that I’ve felt this way about, I had an obligation to finish- just as you did. I think this is the first that I actually was able to let go of.

You made me laugh when you said you worry about how you’d feel if someone put down your book, because I actually think of that when struggling through a novel. I feel like I’d be hurting the author’s feelings, even though there’s no way they’d know.

And Nabokov is brilliant, honestly friggin brilliant. His writing was beauty on the page, but the character of Humbert Humbert and the subject matter in general turned my stomach so bad that I whipped the damn book across the room an average of once every ten pages. My mother’s radiator still has the dents… and the library was none too pleased either.

I have put down other books, though I hate doing it. I think because I am a writer and in my head I keep thinking how upsetting I’d find it if someone was so bored by my writing that they couldn’t be bothered.

CJ- I betcha you don’t. Muahahahha!