tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post8753632257665614312..comments2024-03-11T12:08:18.468-05:00Comments on In Bed With Books: Beginning, Middle, or End?Livianiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10479932701589363306noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-30365337676249102632009-06-25T00:09:18.916-05:002009-06-25T00:09:18.916-05:00Oh yes. Beginning and ends are VERY important to ...Oh yes. Beginning and ends are VERY important to me, but it's the middle that will make me put a book down and not pick it back up again. My husband judges all books by the first line. If it's not good, we won't read it.Natasha @ Maw Bookshttp://blog.mawbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-30015521786435202742009-06-23T08:38:05.874-05:002009-06-23T08:38:05.874-05:00Beginnings have to catch me from the start. I can...Beginnings have to catch me from the start. I can't continue reading past page 60-75 to see if the book gets better.<br /><br />I've wasted a lot of time on books that didn't grab me in the first 75 pages, and I've decided its time to stop.<br /><br />I agree that the ending has to be good--provide a viable resolution to the story--for me to love it when its time to write the review.<br /><br />The middle doesn't have to be fantastic, but it does have to keep me moving along in the story.Serenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04745809545249574387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-3893241125419051972009-06-22T17:27:26.358-05:002009-06-22T17:27:26.358-05:00The ending does finalize everyone's perception...The ending does finalize everyone's perception of your book.<br /><br />Which makes writing the ending ridiculously stressful.<br />Ugh.kamihttp://kamimgarcia.typepad.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-63261768002200072482009-06-22T00:12:27.647-05:002009-06-22T00:12:27.647-05:00It is much better when they're all good, isn&#...It is much better when they're all good, isn't it? You don't have to ponder the question at all.Livianiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10479932701589363306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-55226665042857407102009-06-21T16:39:05.386-05:002009-06-21T16:39:05.386-05:00This is a hard one.... The beginning HAS to hook m...This is a hard one.... The beginning HAS to hook me, or I'm not going to read further. But if the ending is bad, it is going to leave a bad taste in my mouth. And if the middle is slow, I feel like I can't fully recommend it you know?Lenore Appelhanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16664671644163369772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-16695841420376056842009-06-21T12:37:25.260-05:002009-06-21T12:37:25.260-05:00All are important: the beginning needs a hook so I...All are important: the beginning needs a hook so I can get into the story, the middle needs to move along well (or else I'll give it up even if I liked the beginning), and the end needs to wrap up well.Priyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02580889624574099498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-61388225666649291532009-06-21T12:11:09.158-05:002009-06-21T12:11:09.158-05:00Great question. I think all are very important:
B...Great question. I think all are very important:<br /><br />Beginning--You need a good hook to get your readers into the book. A boring beginning could lead to a person putting down the book!<br /><br />Middle--Probably the most important, you need a story that makes sense and flows.<br /><br />End--I hate bad endings. Cliff-hangers especially bother me. Books need to end with a bang without being too cheesy!!!!Bookwormhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12016900109049413411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-20144305915438093852009-06-21T11:50:00.377-05:002009-06-21T11:50:00.377-05:00This is a really great question! I think that the ...This is a really great question! I think that the beginning is more important to me. If I am not drawn into the book in the first 50 pages or so, I will put it down. I've done that with a lot of books that people have told me are great, but I just can't get into them.Ashleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03010896007428362632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-86534939078298899002009-06-21T08:43:31.797-05:002009-06-21T08:43:31.797-05:00Donna, you put it perfectly for me. That why-did-I...Donna, you put it perfectly for me. That why-did-I-read-this-because-I-spent-all-that-time-for-<i>that</i> feeling is what really gets me.<br /><br />And I know where Rhiannon and shelf are coming from, but I tend to be generous with books and read past the beginning if it sounded good enough. But the quality of the prose does matter. If I can't get into because I think the writing is horrible I know that isn't going to improve.Livianiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10479932701589363306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-12398284866003855742009-06-21T08:17:30.033-05:002009-06-21T08:17:30.033-05:00One book I read, The King in the High Castle (or s...One book I read, The King in the High Castle (or something to that effect) by Philip K Dick had me going eh throughout most of it. Then I got to the end, and I mean the last couple of sentences, and was floored by it.<br /><br />The ending makes all the difference. The book can be amazing but if it's a rocks fall, everyone dies ending that has me going WTF? then the rest of the book is tainted and I'm wondering why the hell I even read it.Donna (Bites)https://www.blogger.com/profile/12585421704517898076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-52970166057094575342009-06-21T06:31:50.079-05:002009-06-21T06:31:50.079-05:00I'd say that the beginning is really important...I'd say that the beginning is really important, because it really helps me pick a book. I will read the first few pages and, id I'm not hooked, I won't continue reading it. However, the ending really is important of my general feel of the book once it's over. I can forgive a not-so-good middle is the book has a strong beginning and a strong ending.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155374563273721268.post-12428414633248156082009-06-20T23:46:18.862-05:002009-06-20T23:46:18.862-05:00I'm all about beginnings--that first flush of ...I'm all about beginnings--that first flush of love is just so important! I love getting to know the author's style, the characters' voices, the world. If the beginning doesn't work, or I don't like where it's going in the middle, I'll cheerfully put it down and try another book. On very few occasions an ending has disappointed me, but I find I can put up with a less-than-perfect plot for some above-average writing.Rhiannon Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03611927348379723038noreply@blogger.com