What I'm Currently Reading: 20/03/17
Since I've picked this blog back up, and I'm only just coming back with blog posts and ideas for here, I figured I'd start a new series. Depending on how much I'm reading, the pace I'm reading at and all those other variables will determine how often I do this, but as I'm slumping with these two reads, I thought I'd discuss them!
I've been "currently reading" Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor since 23rd February... so we're going on a month now. I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone last month (after acquiring those gorgeous UK out-of-print editions in January) as I wanted to read them just in time for her new book Strange the Dreamer coming out at the end of March, but since starting this, I cannot seem to finish it. I've read 163 pages out of the stonking 513 pages. I even started listening to the audiobook (this is my first and I found it so much easier listening to the text I'd already read) and I've almost caught myself up after four hours of listening. Despite that, I'm still really stuck with this. Days of Blood and Starlight has taken an entirely different direction to where Daughter of Smoke and Bone went. It's fully of otherworldly creatures called Chimera (which, as a huge lover of Greek Mythology you'd think I'd be right at home, but let's face it, Greek Mythology is so vast!) and the narrative is jumping around to new characters and perspectives without warning. I'm just so lost. Not only that, but to me, it feels like a bunch of stuff has happened between the transition of the first and second but we've not been told what, only dumped in the present, scrambling around wondering what happened. I got to the point where I watched a spoilery review just so I could understand the narrative, but that didn't help either. I think in my heart of hearts that I'll end up abandoning it. What this space...
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff has only been sat in my "currently reading" pile for a few days, however I'm starting to struggle with this one. Last month, I read Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza and loved it. I've never read sci-fi until then, but it was just so easy for a beginner so I ate it up. I've heard Illuminae is great for those into "low" sci-fi which is perfect for me. The concept of the mixed media had me drawn in ever since I heard about it, however that seems to be the problem for me. Much like others that have read it, I've found it hard to connect to characters and envision them because we're not given descriptions, only documents and IM transcripts. Due to being new to the genre, a lot of the technical logistics of the world is lost on me. I'm persevering but in truth, it's just hard to connect to a narrative that's disjointed and not entirely clear (to me, at least). However, I believe when I'm finished with this, a re-read will be far more enjoyable as I'll have hindsight in my back pocket helping me along the way!
What do you do when you're faced with books you're not enjoying? Let me know!
I've been "currently reading" Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor since 23rd February... so we're going on a month now. I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone last month (after acquiring those gorgeous UK out-of-print editions in January) as I wanted to read them just in time for her new book Strange the Dreamer coming out at the end of March, but since starting this, I cannot seem to finish it. I've read 163 pages out of the stonking 513 pages. I even started listening to the audiobook (this is my first and I found it so much easier listening to the text I'd already read) and I've almost caught myself up after four hours of listening. Despite that, I'm still really stuck with this. Days of Blood and Starlight has taken an entirely different direction to where Daughter of Smoke and Bone went. It's fully of otherworldly creatures called Chimera (which, as a huge lover of Greek Mythology you'd think I'd be right at home, but let's face it, Greek Mythology is so vast!) and the narrative is jumping around to new characters and perspectives without warning. I'm just so lost. Not only that, but to me, it feels like a bunch of stuff has happened between the transition of the first and second but we've not been told what, only dumped in the present, scrambling around wondering what happened. I got to the point where I watched a spoilery review just so I could understand the narrative, but that didn't help either. I think in my heart of hearts that I'll end up abandoning it. What this space...
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff has only been sat in my "currently reading" pile for a few days, however I'm starting to struggle with this one. Last month, I read Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza and loved it. I've never read sci-fi until then, but it was just so easy for a beginner so I ate it up. I've heard Illuminae is great for those into "low" sci-fi which is perfect for me. The concept of the mixed media had me drawn in ever since I heard about it, however that seems to be the problem for me. Much like others that have read it, I've found it hard to connect to characters and envision them because we're not given descriptions, only documents and IM transcripts. Due to being new to the genre, a lot of the technical logistics of the world is lost on me. I'm persevering but in truth, it's just hard to connect to a narrative that's disjointed and not entirely clear (to me, at least). However, I believe when I'm finished with this, a re-read will be far more enjoyable as I'll have hindsight in my back pocket helping me along the way!
What do you do when you're faced with books you're not enjoying? Let me know!
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