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lucyjayne t1_jdcp3nw wrote

I feel like I might have bad taste or something lmao, because I love things a lot of people criticize like The Hunger Games, and Eragon, and Ready Player One. A lot of people seems to dislike the last two especially. But you know what, I don't care in the least. I like what I like and I have the best time reading books like that!

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sekhmet1010 t1_jdd3eat wrote

I think that there is something called objectively good and objectively bad. It's not gatekeeping to acknowledge that.

I enjoy the Eragon series a lot. All 4 books, in fact, not just the first. But i do absolutely see what others are talking about when they critique it.

That critique however doesn't take away my enjoyment of it at all.

I might know that french fries and chicken nuggets aren't delicacies, but i enjoy them thoroughly nonetheless.

I think that many people attach their identities too much to their likes/hobbies, so when someone criticises or even critiques something, they feel personally insulted. It's a silly way of living one's life.

It is completely possible to love a flawed book, and to hate a great one, whilst being fully aware of the flaws and the greatness.

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PinkMoonbow t1_jdemnqe wrote

I love both Hunger Games and the Eragon/Inheritance series too ! Can't wait to re-read both.

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typically-me t1_jdfpx6c wrote

I think you can see the flaws in something and still appreciate it. With Hunger Games it’s simple writing (but for YA so that’s kind of understandable) and Katniss is a bit too conveniently good at everything and has the whole “not like other girls” thing going on which is very out of vogue nowadays. But it does have some interesting themes and does a good job of subverting certain tropes in a way that is interesting and actually has something to say.

Eragon doesn’t have a whole lot of depth to it and is largely Star Wars in a high fantasy setting (like I wouldn’t be surprised if it actually started out as a fanfic with that premise), but I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. I can’t really speak for Ready Player One since I’ve only seen the movie, but I’m guessing it’s kind of similar in that way. And ultimately one could argue that being entertained is largely the purpose of reading.

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iNeedScissorsSixty7 t1_jdxmaes wrote

I know what you mean. I'm reading the Stormlight Archives right now and to me it's the best goddamn thing since sliced cinnamon bread, and then I see people in this sub calling it the "McDonalds of literature." I read strictly to be entertained, so I like straightforward, entertaining books. I read No Country For Old Men a couple of months ago and found it to be middling and tedious. I read the Scarlet Letter a couple of years ago and I fucking hated it. The only thing that overly flowery prose does for me is cause annoyance, so most of the widely-regarded classics are books that I couldn't stand.

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