Masochist Readers discussion

What factors in a book make you turn away from it in disgust? Or what factor in a book makes you completely lose interest in it?

Stilted writing. Characters who let everybody walk all over them and don't ever fight back. Too much description, not enough dialogue. But I'm trying to teach myself to commit all the way through, even if I have to start over a couple of times. One of the reasons I didn't read for...too long...was that I'd pick up books and drop them the minute they got boring. I'm more motivated now.

descriptive scenery...a little is all you need, no point in overkill. Inner thoughts and dialogue is what makes the story.

When the protagonist is a bitch herself (or himself...)

Natasha wrote: "When the protagonist is a bitch herself (or himself...)"

Lol, so true...lots of first-hand experience.

I like inner dialogue with ones self, but I hate when there is more monologue from inside the person's head, than comes out of their mouth.

I agree with the paragraphs and paragraphs of scenery description. Or when the author describes every freaking outfit the woman is wearing in detail.

I definitely agree with excessive descriptions. I hate t that. I get a few sentences in and my mind just starts to wander. Then the skimming starts.
I also have zero tolerance for weak female characters. We all have our insecurities but the whiny, self depreciating ones are impossible for me to respect

Gah!! Pretentious characters that are hardly believable, a lacklustre plot, lack of HEA, writing standard that's mediocre, a prolonged unengaging Story line, rambling that is in no way germane to the entire novel. AAck!!

Soraya wrote: "Wahahaaa you know what turns me off huge...why why oh tell me why do author have to mention 'calloused fingers' on males, urghhhhhh no thank you"
Bahahahahaha! Hey, it enhances their masculinity! No smooth fairy hands for a rugged, hot piece of ass!! It's somewhat anathema in the literary world. :P

Plot with no sense of time or a slow paced plot. Too much attention to unimportant details. Dumb or unlikeable characters. A good example would be Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-too much unimportant things going on. When it comes to unlikable characters or poorly developed characters, The Great Gatsby and Wuthering Heights tops the lists for me. As for time pacing issues, The Lovely Bones and Dan Brown books is by far one of the worst paced books I've ever read.

Also hate preachy books like The Alchemist. That book was too simple.

Yes, I agree with most of the stuff written here.
Recently read and it annoyed me to no end. There were repetitions galore, the heroine being a captive kept describing the luxurious surroundings, the designer clothes and shoes and that was non stop. Every time she got changed/dressed there'd be long and detailed descriptions of every single item. I'd understand if she was a fashionista or a fashion editor, but being held captive and physically and mentally abused the last thing going through your mind would be the expensive stuff you're being lavished with.
I really wanted to get into her inner thoughts and struggles, wanted to feel her desperation and hopelessness and unfortunately didn't get much of that.

The second book improved and got far better but there were still descriptions of designer clothes and luxury items, not so much or maybe I just got immune and let it pass with an eye roll.

Other turn-offs?

Unnecessary dramas, i.e. :

-weak love triangles
-stupid misunderstandings
-lack of communication
-giving up "I'm not good for you, you deserve someone better "etc...usually on YA books. Has anyone met a selfless teenager?!!

So when all the above are used to fill pages after pages just to add some drama

Soraya wrote: "-stupid misunderstandings
-lack of communication
-giving up "I'm not good for you, you deserve someone better "etc...usually on YA books. Has anyone met a selfless teenager?!!

LMAO Ellelou, yesss..."

;p

Ellelou wrote: "Other turn-offs?

Unnecessary dramas, i.e. :

-weak love triangles
-stupid misunderstandings
-lack of communication
-giving up "I'm not good for you, you deserve someone better "etc...usually on YA..."

my thoughts exactly. Especially Vampire Diaries has a lot of that garbage in it.

Ellelou-I agree totally about Consequences. I ended up loving the over all effect of the 2 books but the details! OMG it was so bad! There were literally full pages that the book could have done completely without and been better off for.

I've never read Vampire Diaries though I totally confess to watching the show religiously! Damon makes me happy. ;)

Damon gives me menstrual cramps. Watching Stefan is like passing gallstones.

Aliyah wrote: "Damon gives me menstrual cramps. Watching Stefan is like passing gallstones."

Lmao...Ok, Thursday evenings sound painful for you!

Aliyah wrote: "Damon gives me menstrual cramps. Watching Stefan is like passing gallstones."

Hahaha....choking on my brunch....

I watched the first season of Vampire Diaries...but that's it. I can't stomach Damon and that weird thing he does with his eyes!

Kristin wrote: "Ellelou-I agree totally about Consequences. I ended up loving the over all effect of the 2 books but the details! OMG it was so bad! There were literally full pages that the book could have done co..."

I'm in love w/ Damon as well...I love everything about him. *sigh*

I loved Consequences but the descriptive details almost killed it for me.

Various POV's....let me explain, reading from a particular characters's POV then abruptly switching to another character that you have no clue who it is (i.e. a third person). I want to know who I'm reading about AND I want a heads up when it's going to change.

Ellelou wrote: "Aliyah wrote: "Damon gives me menstrual cramps. Watching Stefan is like passing gallstones."

Hahaha....choking on my brunch....

I watched the first season of Vampire Diaries...but that's it. I ca..."

he was cute in S 1 but he just annoyed the crap out of me in S 2 and especially S 3.

Jill~we aim to please~ wrote: "Kristin wrote: "Ellelou-I agree totally about Consequences. I ended up loving the over all effect of the 2 books but the details! OMG it was so bad! There were literally full pages that the book co..."

hmmm, does Damon make you think of Christian Grey. **Looks at user name **

Aliyah wrote: "Jill~we aim to please~ wrote: "Kristin wrote: "Ellelou-I agree totally about Consequences. I ended up loving the over all effect of the 2 books but the details! OMG it was so bad! There were litera..."

LOL...why yes he does. I think he would make the perfect Christian Grey. NOT Matt Bomer, no fun crushing in a gay man. :(

Jill~we aim to please~ wrote: "Aliyah wrote: "Jill~we aim to please~ wrote: "Kristin wrote: "Ellelou-I agree totally about Consequences. I ended up loving the over all effect of the 2 books but the details! OMG it was so bad! Th..."

Ooooh, wait till Soraya sees what you wrote...:) Lol, I actually like Matt...

Clarifina wrote: "Jill~we aim to please~ wrote: "Aliyah wrote: "Jill~we aim to please~ wrote: "Kristin wrote: "Ellelou-I agree totally about Consequences. I ended up loving the over all effect of the 2 books but the..."

haha! I think Matt is hot as hell but it's a darn shame he's gay...(smh)..what a waste.

heh, both of them are pussys. Give me Hugh Jackman any day. Or Viggo Mortenssen (LOTR).

Yea, I'm not going to lie, I love Ian Somerhalder. I had the hots for him way back when he was on Lost. I think I'm a sucker for his dark hair/complexion and super pale eyes.

Aliyah wrote: "heh, both of them are pussys. Give me Hugh Jackman any day. Or Viggo Mortenssen (LOTR)."

Eek! I'll pass. As for a big manly man, I'll take Jason Mamoa...mmm, mmm.

Kristin wrote: "Yea, I'm not going to lie, I love Ian Somerhalder. I had the hots for him way back when he was on Lost. I think I'm a sucker for his dark hair/complexion and super pale eyes."

Yes! I loved him on Lost and was disappointed when he left the show but happily took up with Josh Holloway. :)

Mmmm, Josh Holloway. Yes please. :)

If I need a manlier man then Ian I think I'll pick Chris Hemsworth.

Jill, I completely agree. Last night I was reading The Great Hunt (sorry, can't add cover picture on an iPad). I was completely engrossed in the story until the author suddenly re-introduced a secondary character from Book 1 of the series. I had no clue what he was doing there, or even whether he was good or evil (a dichotomy that is CRITICAL to this particular series).

Sooooo annoying!

Dumb lead characters. Like, I don't care if they're rude, mean, assholes, whatever. If they don't have interesting personality traits or if they're the typical "average looking girl who is really shy and doesn't know she's actually super hot and has no interests or defining characteristics". If they make dumb decisions throughout the novel, I'll probably stop reading. If I'm smart. Sometimes I keep reading and regret every second.

I agree about dumb lead characters! And I hate it if I can feel no connection to the characters, or, almost worse, no connection between two main characters.

I'm also not a big fan of love triangles - often they seem like plot devises, not something that actually helps to move the story forward at all.

Last (but not least) erratic writing that takes me out of the story to try to figure out what I'm reading. I also don't want to be able to spot typos or grammatical errors on every page (or every 5 pages) when I'm reading.

While 50 Shades of Grey and Twilight are have to most obviously annoying people in it, heres other random/implied couples in literature and media laced with love triangles. Examples:

Vampire Diaries

1) Damon + Elena (Delena)-It will never work, Damon irl is a druggie/junkie and abusive

2) Stefan + Elena (Stelena)-Blah same as above

3) Caroline + Klaus (Klaroline)- Klaus looks crazy and like Chris Martin on crack/crystal meth. No sane woman (or anyone would go for a freak like that irl, hate them for the same reasons as #1 and #2)

Classics

4) Heathcliff + Catherine inWuthering Heights-nuff said

5) Elizabeth + Darcy in Pride and Prejudice-what boring, boring BORING people

6) Gatsby + Daisy in The Great Gatsby- I don't get what Gatsby saw in Daisy. Good thing I don't care much about these characters

7) Leah and Antole in The Poisonwood Bible- I really felt disconnected from the characters and also Leah randomly says that she's in love with a man she only knew as an acquaintance