And the Winner is...
Goodreads, a site I love because I get many ideas for books to read, just announced its choice awards for 2012. Emphasis on the word choice here, because we all know that reading is very subjective. Well the list completely confirms that notion for me.
The winner for fiction? JK Rowling's The Casual Vacancy. I have not yet read it, but I have been told by many trusted readers not to waste my time. Furthermore, the Goodreads rating is only 3.31 stars. And so I wonder, is this book really worthy of the title for best fiction? Or is the book just riding the coattails of Harry Potter's success? I am guessing the latter, but if I choose to read it, which I should, then I guess I can make a better judgment.
The winner for best mystery and thriller? Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn. Well, I did read this one, but I did not agree with its rating of 4.01. The blurb for the book, as provided by Goodreads, reads:
Now this one is no surprise, but the winner for best Romance is 50 Shades Freed, by EL James. These books are so popular, I am sure I don't have to say much here. Poor writing, too much kinky fuckery and very little plot. I think the book garnered a 3.93 rating simply because people were rating with their loins, if you know what I mean. I guess I need to remind myself, again, that reading and writing are subjective. Insert chant here, right?
I started to lose hope with the list. I thought, is there even one book that I have read and think is completely deserving of the title? And finally, as I looked at the list on the left side of my screen, I found it.
In the Young Adult category, John Green's The Fault in Our Stars took the top prize. And, if you've kept up with this blog at all, you know I read the book, loved the book, recommended the book for book club, read the book again, bought the book, and will read the book at least one more time in the next couple of years. In a previous post, I talked about my love for all things John Green, and in the interest of keeping this short, this is his best novel yet. I will be curious to know if he can do better, but if anyone is up to the challenge, I think it is John Green.
So all of this talk about reading, writing, subjectivity, and lists made me think of my own writing, which still seems to be getting nowhere, fast. Sure, I have a draft finished, something I said I'd have done by November 30. But now, I have to go back and fill in a few holes, big holes, and I am finding that difficult to do. I have page upon page of my own questions, questions from my writing group, and concerns I might have, and to be honest, the whole thing is overwhelming. What I need to remember is this: If I just get the manuscript finished, and I am happy with it, I can add myself as winner to the top of my own list. Right?
The winner for fiction? JK Rowling's The Casual Vacancy. I have not yet read it, but I have been told by many trusted readers not to waste my time. Furthermore, the Goodreads rating is only 3.31 stars. And so I wonder, is this book really worthy of the title for best fiction? Or is the book just riding the coattails of Harry Potter's success? I am guessing the latter, but if I choose to read it, which I should, then I guess I can make a better judgment.
The winner for best mystery and thriller? Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn. Well, I did read this one, but I did not agree with its rating of 4.01. The blurb for the book, as provided by Goodreads, reads:
Marriage can be a real killer.
One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit and deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn.Well, I just don't agree. Flynn might be one of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, but I can't say that I found this book worthy of critical acclaim. Her characters did not garner any sympathy from me. The main characters, Nick and Amy, used each other and deserve every little bit of comeuppance that manages to head their way. I was able to put the book down and at least for me, it didn't have the draw of a nasty addiction. By the end of the book, I realized that Flynn's work just didn't live up to the hype. Gone Girl went back to the library and thank goodness, is gone from this girl.
Now this one is no surprise, but the winner for best Romance is 50 Shades Freed, by EL James. These books are so popular, I am sure I don't have to say much here. Poor writing, too much kinky fuckery and very little plot. I think the book garnered a 3.93 rating simply because people were rating with their loins, if you know what I mean. I guess I need to remind myself, again, that reading and writing are subjective. Insert chant here, right?
I started to lose hope with the list. I thought, is there even one book that I have read and think is completely deserving of the title? And finally, as I looked at the list on the left side of my screen, I found it.
In the Young Adult category, John Green's The Fault in Our Stars took the top prize. And, if you've kept up with this blog at all, you know I read the book, loved the book, recommended the book for book club, read the book again, bought the book, and will read the book at least one more time in the next couple of years. In a previous post, I talked about my love for all things John Green, and in the interest of keeping this short, this is his best novel yet. I will be curious to know if he can do better, but if anyone is up to the challenge, I think it is John Green.
So all of this talk about reading, writing, subjectivity, and lists made me think of my own writing, which still seems to be getting nowhere, fast. Sure, I have a draft finished, something I said I'd have done by November 30. But now, I have to go back and fill in a few holes, big holes, and I am finding that difficult to do. I have page upon page of my own questions, questions from my writing group, and concerns I might have, and to be honest, the whole thing is overwhelming. What I need to remember is this: If I just get the manuscript finished, and I am happy with it, I can add myself as winner to the top of my own list. Right?
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