This week’s musing asks…
What do you think of books that receive a lot of hype? (think of the “Twilight” saga, or “Harry Potter”, or “The Da Vinci Code”). Do you read them? Why, or why not?
This is a good question and one that I was recently discussing with Sandy of It's a Jungle Out There. For the most part, I use the same criteria for "hyped" books that I do for all others. If the topic sounds interesting, I will read it. However, there are very rare times when someone who's opinion I trust recommends a hyped book to me and I will read it. However, I never read super-hyped, "franchised" books (like Twilight and Harry Potter). Like movies, once a book goes into serialization it usually isn't very good. And books that are series right from the start are usually too commercial for my taste. In keeping with the DVD analogy, these are like movies that go straight to DVD. I can promise you that I will NEVER read the Twilight series. No matter who recommends it (with sincere apologies to all you Twi-hards out there).
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8 comments:
I am right there with you with the Twilight series (and Harry Potter, for that matter). I have no desire whatsoever to read them no matter how many people sing their praises. None.
I usually resist things that are too hyped up, because I don't want to be seen as just going with the crowd or jumping on the bandwagon. But Harry Potter? C'mon. Harry Potter is amazing. Even J.R.R. Tolkein wrote Lord of the Rings (the best fantasy books of all time) to be a trilogy.
You know me :) and I'm right there with ya! Although I did try to read Twilight (after my 15 y/o daugther wouldn't leave me alone)and hated every page of it.
I feel the same about Twilight. Sorry all. I picked it up one day while subbing in a middle school library. Writing struck me as painful to follow. That, and I'm just not a vampire fan. Read the first Harry Potter book to one of my boys, but didn't read the rest. I'll be curious to hear what you think about The Dragon Tattoo books, although I can guess.
I read and enjoyed The DaVinci Code, but have no interest in Harry Potter or Twilight. I think there's a big difference between books that spark an intellectual or spiritual discussion and books that make tweens go "squee!"
I have not picked up the Twilight books. I tried to get into one of the HP books long ago and couldn't.
As you Pam know so well, I can be a bit of a contrarian. If everyone else is doing it, I WON'T. I did read The DaVinci Code and it grabbed me from the first paragraph. But that was a book club selection so I may not have picked it up otherwise. Although if I remember correctly, we read it before it became really big, or maybe that's just my selective memory.
I didn't read any Twilight or HP books. My husband read all the HP books, he loved them and he is not a reader.
I'm not often drawn to hype. At one time I was a more narrow reader, only a few authors, now I've branched out more and it's so much for the better.
Twilight is pretty much a waste of time.
Harry Potter, on the other hand, is one of those exceptionally rare situations where the hype is completely justified. Not only are they well-written, but they're creatively written, with clever humor and intelligent storylines. The character development is perfect and it feels completely satisfying at the end.
I don't often tell people to jump on a bandwagon, but for a reader? Harry Potter is a must.
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