How Long Do You Give It?

[LivreAmour217]

I usually know within the first two to three chapters if I'll enjoy a book or not. That being said, I do make an effort to finish every book that I begin, although there have been a few that I found so offensive that I had to put them aside.

[Zoe303]

I decide after reading a couple of chapters. I wouldn't read a book if it hadn't been highly rated so I wouldn't be put in that situation, but sometimes there are books that are highly rated but that I consider too boring or difficult to understand. Throughout my life there are only two books that I haven't finished (and never will XD), the funny thing is that they both happened to be by Jane Austin! XD

[Ealasaid]

I always try to get at least halfway through a book before I give up. The book has to be incredibly terrible for me to put down. I like to give the author the benefit of the doubt. There have been very few books I have never finished, and either the book was so awfully written with no plot or character development or was terribly offensive that I felt the need to not finish it.

[KWKLEIN]

Usually I decide right away, sometimes as early as the first page. Sometimes I do go a chapter or two. But I like to do my deciding at home. I take home and armload of books and put most of them in the bathroom. There, with no distractions, I decide which books will go right back to the library and which ones I'll keep out. Some stay stacked in by bathroom for weeks before I return them. Some I read a few pages at each sitting until I finish the book. And sometimes I have my notebook and pen handy to make a note of ideas I get or a gem I pick up in the pages that I want to keep or look up.

The thing is, though, it really helps me to get the books home before I make a final decision as to keep them for a while and read them or not. At the library, my brain can only decide as far as me taking it off the shelf or not. And the title, jacket flap, the blurb about the author, or the cover might entice me enough to put it in my book bag, but I seldom make the decision as to whether I will read it until I'm in the comfort of my own bathroom.

[tnrose84]

If its boring, about 2 chapters. If it starts to really freak me out I have to quit on it but hate to do so.

[zeldas_lullaby]

I don't give a book very long, because I have focus issues and I get pretty peeved if it isn't happening. It's better for me to stick with familiar authors, although that seems to be no guarantee these days!

-- 23 Apr 2015, 00:57 --

I take home an armload of books and put most of them in the bathroom. There, with no distractions, I decide which books will go right back to the library and which ones I'll keep out. Some stay stacked in by bathroom for weeks before I return them. .. but I seldom make the decision as to whether I will read it until I'm in the comfort of my own bathroom.

HA HA! Just don't tell the librarians.

[NLC[JRZ]]

Like numerous people said before, it really depends on the story. I read until I deem the book unfit to finish whether that be the first few pages or halfway through. I usually finish books that I intentionally sought out, but books that I happen to find are subject to be put down within the first few chapters. Of the books that I actually intended to read I've put down two, Linger (second installment of Shiver series by Maggie Sfnigyicantwriteabooktosavemylifesky), and The Book of Dave by Will Self. While Linger was just too boring and for the most part unimaginative as can be (I barely got through the first book), The Book of Dave's language just proved to be too much for my patience. It was not really English per say, it was written in a very broken way with a lot of slang. I found myself frequently referring to the glossary in the back of the book in order to attempt to comprehend every other word in one sentence. Maybe that says something about my patience or intellect, but good lord that was the most difficult read of my life and I only made it about 10 pages. My luck in selecting random books has been bad, so the number of trial books that never get the full read is at an all-time high. Someone please rescue my poor mind from terrible literature.

[zeldas_lullaby]

Like numerous people said before, it really depends on the story. I read until I deem the book unfit to finish whether that be the first few pages or halfway through. I usually finish books that I intentionally sought out, but books that I happen to find are subject to be put down within the first few chapters. Of the books that I actually intended to read I've put down two, Linger (second installment of Shiver series by Maggie Sfnigyicantwriteabooktosavemylifesky), and The Book of Dave by Will Self. While Linger was just too boring and for the most part unimaginative as can be (I barely got through the first book), The Book of Dave's language just proved to be too much for my patience. It was not really English per say, it was written in a very broken way with a lot of slang. I found myself frequently referring to the glossary in the back of the book in order to attempt to comprehend every other word in one sentence. Maybe that says something about my patience or intellect, but good lord that was the most difficult read of my life and I only made it about 10 pages. My luck in selecting random books has been bad, so the number of trial books that never get the full read is at an all-time high. Someone please rescue my poor mind from terrible literature.

I'm not familiar with the Book of Dave, but I tried to read Shiver and it put me to sleep. I hear ya!

[dancing with hugo]

Most of the time, I'll struggle through even the most boring, tedious book. After all, if the author took the time and effort to create it, the least I can do is read ir once I've started it (Except for 50 Shades of Gray, that is). I don't have to like bad literature, but I feel that all reading sharpens my ability to recognize good writing. Perhaps that's naive of me, but after all, I still read all of Steven King's work even though I personally don't feel that he's written anything else on the level of Carrie or The Shining.

[msmail12]

I definitely have a hard time calling it and saying that a book is a lost cause, particularly since I am not all that picky, and there has to be something seriously wrong with a book for me to get absolutely no enjoyment out of it. However, with the excess of books at my fingertips with eBooks, I am beginning to modify my view since it seems silly to read an OK book when there are so many great ones out there. If the author is one that I have read and liked before, then I will give them a solid 100 pages, but if it is an author that is new to me, particularly if they got bad reviews, then I will give them somewhere between 25 and 50 pages depending on how their mechanics are, character development, scenes, transitions, etc.

[literarycat]

Before I buy a book I will read the first few pages if not the first chapter before buying it. If it holds my attention, I'll buy it. Then after that I strive to finish it, I hate leaving a book unfinished. But normally if I am halfway and it is still too difficult I will skim the rest of the way.

[hannahbm13]

If I decide along the way that I don't like the book then I will give it around 100 pages before I give it up for good. Unless I'm really really not into it, then it doesn't matter too much.

[j_brower]

I typically read an entire book -whether good or bad- from start to finish because I think there is a chance for it to get better (or even better) before it ends. This has caused me to read some great books, and some awful books. Unless I can really tell from early on that a book has no potential I do not set a cut off point.

[kitsune1997]

I usually give it the first two chapters. However, there have been occasions I put it down after the first page.

[Jolyon Trevelyan]

If i start a book i have to finish it.

Of course books i think are bad can take me months or years to finish.