Thursday 22 June 2017

We're Allowed To Like Different Books

Earlier today, Penguin in the UK and the US excitedly announced that John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns, was publishing a brand new book in October this year. It's called Turtles All The Way Down (isn't that a Discworld quote or some kind of old saying?) and the internet, of course, exploded. Everyone was excited, thrilled, preordering it and using a lot of gifs.

My reaction: "Oh, that's nice." And then I went to eat my dinner and drink my mug of tea.

Now, before you grab your pitchforks and lit-torches, let me say this: we can have different opinions and tastes and still be happy, kind, respectful people. That's why I never say on my blog "This is my opinion". I trust you guys know and get that.

See, I tried John Green. I REALLY DID! I read Paper Towns, his short story in Let It Snow and The Fault In Our Stars. I have read him and I liked them. I didn't love them, but I didn't hate them. I liked them enough. I get why you guys like and love John and his writing - but he's not for me.

Same with Sarah J Maas. I have read Throne of Glass and I struggled. But I read it. And, while this book also wasn't my cup of tea, I get why you like and love the story. And I respect your thoughts and opinion.

And there are books you guys hate and I love. I met someone a few weeks back who hadn't read Harry Potter and, while I was shocked over this news (Harry Potter is MY series), I got why and respected them. I know people who read and liked 50 Shades of Grey and while I will never read the series (ever!), I know this series brings some fun to its readers.

This has taken a while to get to this realisation, but in a world that has suddenly got dark and we all need a bit of fun in our reading lives. But let's be respectful to what everyone likes to read, can we?

With that, here's a picture of of turtles all the way down...!

2 comments:

  1. "My reaction: "Oh, that's nice." And then I went to eat my dinner and drink my mug of tea."

    That made me laugh in public. I agree though. Well, on being allowed (and should be encouraged) to like different books. Wait, I'm currently sitting in the venue where John Green did his Fault in Our Stars Seattle reading. Is that then blasphemy?

    My confession is that I don't really care for the Robert Galbraith series. I buy them marked down, then get to reading them weeks later. And that's OK.

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  2. I wasn't that excited either. John Green isn't my thing (I did enjoy The Fault in Our Stars, but I didn't think it was the best book ever or anything).
    I also completely agree about reading being such a subjective thing that no two people will ever read the same book or series and feel exactly the same about it. A book everyone loved I didn't was Orangeboy, I read all of it but it just didn't click for me, which I was very disappointed with.
    Great post!
    Amy ❤

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