Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

t1_je6mesz wrote

You know that it's okay if you don't like a book? That doesn't make it garbage. It's okay for other people to like a thing that you don't.

17

t1_je79e8z wrote

I'm all for criticizing a book you don't enjoy, but it's weird to criticize a book when you didn't understand it. It always says more about the reader than the book

6

t1_je79fbr wrote

I'm all for criticizing a book you don't enjoy, but it's weird to criticize a book when you didn't understand it. It always says more about the reader than the book

1

t1_je7akb1 wrote

Criticism is important, but I think that there's a big difference between critique and insult.

It's definitely a thing on here for people to pretend they're doing the former when they're really doing the later. "How can anyone like this pile of garbage book? I'm just asking for an explanation. What am I missing about this shitty book that makes people think this terrible author is any good?" isn't criticism.

5

t1_je7d5e1 wrote

The "What am I missing about this book?" question always gets me. When it's a celebrated or popular book - as is the case with Ducks, Newburyport - there is usually plenty of writing out there explaining what people found enjoyable or impressive about the book. The answers are already out there, and I am skeptical that anyone on this subreddit is really going to provide some unique insight in this regard. As you have said, it's just a veiled way to complain about disliking the book. And it's fine to dislike books, but it is much nicer to see someone wright thoughtfully about why they dislike the book rather than just use trite, nonspecific hyperbole to disparage it.

4

t1_je7ase6 wrote

That's fair but I do frequently do the latter with authors like Weir and Sanderson, but I'm admittedly a little mean spirited. Don't even get me started on imagine dragons in a music discussion

2

OP t1_je6pujv wrote

You know it's okay to not like a book? It's okay for others to not like a book you like, that doesn't make it good.

−12

t1_je6raz0 wrote

I mean, yes? I know it's okay to not like a book. That's... literally what I opened my comment with? It's okay if you don't like a book.

It's absolutely okay for people to not like books that we like. You don't have to think the book is good. That doesn't make it "a hoax," and, personally, I don't think it's particularly productive discussion or particularly civil to launch into a hyperbolic screed about "what the fuck is this shit?"

To be honest, the whole complaint mostly reads like sour grapes (I mean, really "how dare you?" to the author because they published something you don't like that got critical acclaim?) or like "I don't get this work, so there's something wrong with everyone who did get it," which kind of says more about you than about fans of the book.

11

t1_je77nhc wrote

You didn't just not like the book though. You demanded people explain its merit to you while simultaneously concluding that it's a pile of garbage. Your post is not a critique, it's insulting the book, the author, and anyone who did like it.

2