Not every book is for us—and that’s okay. I didn’t click with Sula, but I see its brilliance. Meanwhile, The Kin of Ata Are Waiting for You is a niche fave I adore. Which book didn’t work for you but you still respect? #BookSky 📚💙 #ReadingLife #BookTalk #SpecFic #LitFic - ThreadSky

mcneilauthor.bsky.social • 24 days ago

Not every book is for us—and that’s okay. I didn’t click with Sula, but I see its brilliance. Meanwhile, The Kin of Ata Are Waiting for You is a niche fave I adore.

Which book didn’t work for you but you still respect?

#BookSky 📚💙 #ReadingLife #BookTalk #SpecFic #LitFic

Comments

willowlthewisp.bsky.social•24 days ago

"Fight Club" by Chuck Palahniuk. I'd seen the film prior to reading, but I hadn't read stream-of-conscious before and it almost broke my brain. I respect the narrative's nuance and sheer baffling level of craftsmanship, but I never want to see the inside of that book again, ha ha.

mcneilauthor.bsky.social•24 days ago

Interesting! I saw the film before reading the book also, and I recall largely just being disappointed at the book's ending vs the film's.

willowlthewisp.bsky.social•24 days ago

I'd agree with that! The film's ending was definitely the better payoff.

mcneilauthor.bsky.social•24 days ago

Plus the Pixie's! *chef's kiss*

ahardreturn.bsky.social•24 days ago

Also Sula! (Meanwhile Song of Solomon stayed with me for weeks in the best way.)

thatenglishteacher.bsky.social•24 days ago

I agree and I think so many of the seeds of Song of Solomon are sown in Sula. Ajax sort of becomes Milkman. But SoS is perfectly crafted.

mcneilauthor.bsky.social•24 days ago

Oh interesting are they connected in any way or do you just see how her craft grew and progressed from one to the other?

thatenglishteacher.bsky.social•24 days ago

The latter. I think SoS, Beloved, and Jazz are where she really peaks and earns her seat on the throne 👑

mcneilauthor.bsky.social•24 days ago

Oh I may have to try that one. Thank you for sharing!

ahardreturn.bsky.social•24 days ago

Of course! Though I’m not typically an audiobook listener, Toni Morrison narrated her collection herself. That’s how I experienced her books and I recommend it to others. So good.

bohemianrapsoddity.bsky.social•24 days ago

The Passenger Cormack McCarthy

mcneilauthor.bsky.social•24 days ago

I was supposed to read one of his in college but we never made it that far in the syllabus.

thatenglishteacher.bsky.social•24 days ago

CM is so hit-or-miss for me. The Border Trilogy was AMAZING-so many gorgeous sentences. But I’ve never been able to get thru Blood Meridian, and the Passenger seemed unfinished.

bohemianrapsoddity.bsky.social•24 days ago

Yes! Unfinished is a good way to describe.
For the most part I love the writing style of CM. Beautiful writing that draws me in. I enjoyed the writing of The Passenger, but the story wasn't satisfying.

thatenglishteacher.bsky.social•24 days ago

Right? Like … no whiff of a resolution. And too much physics/ theory for this English lit nerd. And don’t even get me started on Stella Maris 😭😑

bohemianrapsoddity.bsky.social•24 days ago

😂 I won't. Cause that book lost me.

jillianreadsbooks.bsky.social•24 days ago

Ulysses 😂

mcneilauthor.bsky.social•24 days ago

Oh my gosh did you finish Ulysses???

jillianreadsbooks.bsky.social•24 days ago

😂 no, that bastard of a book might as well have physically kicked me out of it! I’m ready to tangle with it again though!

mcneilauthor.bsky.social•24 days ago

Lol!! My husband had a copy, and when we moved out of Boston he decided he was never going to finish it, so we put it in a free box on the curb, and it was one of the first books taken!

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