Unread books

Books often take us to other worlds, give us freedom and tranquility, but relationships with books do not always work out. I want to talk about those books that I was never able to finish reading.

Francis Scott Fitzgerald "Tender is the Night"

I already read Fitzgerald’s book “The Great Gatsby” once. Then it seemed to me that the author wrote a little boringly, but I really liked the plot. That is why, when I saw another book by this author in the store, I rushed to the checkout. Unfortunately, I was never able to fall in love with the novel. I started reading again several times, but never even got to the halfway point. This time I was just bored: even the plot didn’t make much of an impression on me. Perhaps this book will be close to some people, but definitely not for me.

Diana Setterfield "Bellman and Black, or the Stranger in Black"

And here history repeats itself. Diana Setterfield’s famous book “The Thirteenth Tale” once made me read in every free minute. However, the new novel by this author did not turn out to be so interesting for me. Perhaps because of the “repetitions,” the book (like the previous one) seems to be imbued with references to the work of the Bronte sisters. And if the first time it was interesting, then the second time it was not so much. Or maybe the whole point is that in the first 50 pages the plot unfolds too quickly, and then the action seems to slow down. In any case, when I reached the halfway point, I lost all interest in the book.

Alexey Ivanov “The Heart of Parma, or Cherdyn - Princess of the Mountains”

For a very long time I wanted to get acquainted with other books by Alexei Ivanov, but somehow it was not possible. And then the book itself was found on the shelf. In this case, the problem is that I started reading this book after the novel “The Geographer Drank His Globe Away,” expecting to see something similar. But The Heart of Parma is a historical novel. It is filled to the brim with names, dates, place names. I really am not close to this genre of literature, but I had previously read other historical novels, and they made a strong impression on me. Here I was lost in the plot from the very beginning. I plan to return to this book in 5-10 years to read and comprehend, but for now it will take up space on the shelf.

Gregory David Roberts "Shantaram"

Many people have probably heard about this book. It sells in huge quantities all over the world, and some people even consider it mystical. But after reading volume 1 (I had this book in 2 volumes), I decided not to start reading volume 2. Of course, the novel can be attractive because it describes the events of the author's life and describes the lives of various people in India. But I just couldn’t feel love for this man, despite the name (“shantaram” translated means “peaceful man”). At first I was interested in reading about Bombay (and not about the adventures of the main character), but later I lost interest in the country itself. Everything seemed the same - as if I was reading the same thing over and over again. Maybe I missed the opportunity to learn a great secret, but it will remain a mystery to me.

It is important to understand: this is my personal reading experience. Don't throw away these books if you ever get your hands on them. But before reading, you need to understand that the book may turn out to be more difficult than you expected. Especially if you have read other works by the author before. You may even need to grow up a little to understand these books. Or you just need to love the author and understand him. Read, friends! At least to have your own reading experience. Or better yet, for fun!