Undecided

My dear older sister sent me a book for Christmas.  Funny thing is, I can’t decide whether to keep it or trade it for something else. It’s from Chapters, and I have the gift receipt, so I do have a window of opportunity to do that.

Anyway, this book was recommended to her by the store clerk, who was so enthusiastic, my sis bought it. In fact, she bought 3 copies! One for my other sis, and probably one for a friend.

I began reading it immediately, because the premise  sounded so good! A twenty something year old woman  inherits a delapidated hobby farm on Vancouver Island and decides to leave the city and go ‘back to the land’. What’s keeping me indecisive about the book is the language.

 Now, I can handle a bit of coarse language. I’m sure we all sit through movies and participate in conversations with ‘strong’ language. But this book doesn’t quit. It’s pretty well all through it, and it really detracts from the pleasure of reading it. I know it is part of what makes the characters who they are, but really, does it have to be that way? Isn’t it okay to say “He swore profusely under his breath” once in a while? Do I need to know every crass, vulgar thing the characters think?

In defense of my sis, if she had known the book was like that, she would never have purchased it. My younger sis is half way through (pushing through, which is what I hoped to do, too) because the characters are so interesting.

I decided to read reviews online, and most of them are very positive. It’s a funny story with quirky characters, and gives insight into the human condition…yada, yada…

I’ve picked up the book about three times, and read some. I am pretty sure I’m going to exchange the book for something more worthy of my time, though. I think.

Anyway, have you ever stopped reading a book part way through because it was too explicit or vulgar or crass?