|
|
Post by elliej84 on Jun 11, 2017 7:57:47 GMT
So I have been wanting to read a book for a while, it has been getting some good press, but there is one major problem that is stopping me from picking it up... The main character has the same name as me. I know it sounds weird, but I really struggle to read books where a character has Eleanor or Ellie for a name. I'm kind of glad that it doesn't seem to be a very popular choice for authors, I would be very stuck if not. Does anyone else have this same problem? Or does anyone else have any other either irrational or rational reasons for not reading certain books? Be interesting to hear your thoughts  |
|
|
|
Post by natsplatt on Jun 11, 2017 8:15:20 GMT
I don't tend to find that a problem, although TBF I can't recall coming across the name Natalie very much either!
I will say though, at the age of about 13, I picked up a book at a school fair for 50p, purely because it was about someone called Hazel (my older sisters name) and the blurb read that she had a harsh time of it, and I liked that idea, lol! (we didn't get on!!!) ironically though, it was a great book, and still on my ATFR list, I've read it multiple times since!!
Nat
|
|
|
|
Post by geminii on Jun 11, 2017 9:46:33 GMT
I do cringe a little, but I've not come across one for some time .. usually it's Sue, or Suzie etc, so I can distance myself ..
However, you have picked the Q3 read with one of the main characters having the same name as me .. I noted this cryptically in my comment to the reveal, but I don't think that you got it !! .. so I will have to see what I think ..  |
|
|
|
Post by shanzi on Jun 11, 2017 10:33:50 GMT
I don't have a problem with names but I do with words. If it is too hard to pronounce, or I don't know the meaning, or too technical, too deep I can't get the gist, then I won't go no further.
|
|
|
|
Post by janetandjohn on Jun 11, 2017 10:44:13 GMT
I don't have a problem with names but I do with words. If it is too hard to pronounce, or I don't know the meaning, or too technical, too deep I can't get the gist, then I won't go no further. Ooops, you might have missed some good 'uns, Chrys  I read all sorts of different books, and I rarely stop, but when I do it's usually because the story is going nowhere. Now it may go somewhere the page after I stop reading - but life is too short and the next book is sure to be better! If I read non-fiction it has to be seriously well written, otherwise I am daunted. I don't do chick-lit because (well, let's just say it's an age thing, and there are plenty of cracking tales out there elsewhere  ). |
|
|
|
Post by elliej84 on Jun 11, 2017 12:15:59 GMT
I do cringe a little, but I've not come across one for some time .. usually it's Sue, or Suzie etc, so I can distance myself ..
However, you have picked the Q3 read with one of the main characters having the same name as me .. I noted this cryptically in my comment to the reveal, but I don't think that you got it !! .. so I will have to see what I think .. Oops sorry on both counts. Maybe I could go though your copy and tipex the name out hahah |
|
|
|
Post by jen on Jun 11, 2017 15:42:25 GMT
The only thing I can't stand is stilted books or some novels usually American that are written in the 1st person and the best way I can describe is using slang because it's in the first person. I can't really explain but written how they speak and they're grating. On the subject of 1st person I hate those I did this and I did that books.... I end up counting all the "I"s and that distracts me from the story.
|
|
|
|
Post by rosemary3 on Jun 11, 2017 17:45:06 GMT
The only one I can think of off-hand with my name is Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie, where the murder victim is called Rosemary. She's nothing like me, and I rather liked it. I probably wouldn't if the character was more like me!
|
|
|
|
Post by shanzi on Jun 11, 2017 18:25:37 GMT
The only one I can think of off-hand with my name is Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie, where the murder victim is called Rosemary. She's nothing like me, and I rather liked it. I probably wouldn't if the character was more like me! There is Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin - I saw the film, but never read the book. |
|
|
|
Post by windysisters on Jun 12, 2017 9:33:37 GMT
Like Nat, my name doesn't seem to pop up that often so I've never really been bothered by it.
My bugbear is often when the book is written in the first-person combined with little dialogue because it makes the story very one-dimensional and you never get a handle on the other characters.
I also hate it when dialogue isn't put in inverted commas but just part of the prose.
Also I'm not keen on books written entirely in the present tense - it's difficult to pull this off without being clunky. The only time I find it acceptable is when the book time-slips and the author uses past and present tense to distinguish between the times.
|
|
peppercricket
Book Assistant
Batley Townswoman's Guild presents the Battle of Pearl Harbour
Posts: 7,075 
|
Post by peppercricket on Jun 12, 2017 10:17:41 GMT
I read the other day that my name is on the "endangered" list for babies! Doesn't worry me if one of the characters has the name though. One thing that does put me right off, is a book with no blurb on the back telling you what it's about. They get picked up, looked at and put back again. Like Aileen, if there's something that piques my interest, I'll look it up. Words, places, people history, events, etc. |
|
|
|
Post by bookmadkirstie on Jun 16, 2017 7:11:23 GMT
Don't think i can recall Kirstie ever coming up in a book I've read so I wouldn't know whether it bothers me until it was to come up.
I also cant really think of any bugbears I have with books unless they're poorly written which ends up distracting me and have to stop reading
|
|
peppercricket
Book Assistant
Batley Townswoman's Guild presents the Battle of Pearl Harbour
Posts: 7,075
|
Post by peppercricket on Jun 16, 2017 7:54:04 GMT
Oo! I've got another one. When it's an American author writing a story set in Britain, but the "Americanisms" are still used - sidewalk for pavement, faucet for tap, trunk for boot, and my particular favourite... "gotten".
*Screams*
|
|
|
|
Post by elliej84 on Jun 17, 2017 6:40:32 GMT
I have not noticed that before peppercricket but obviously now I will I'm not the best at grammar so I do not tend to spot errors but I spot spelling mistakes and I find this quite frustrating |
|
|
|
Post by belletinker on Jun 17, 2017 7:05:33 GMT
Oo! I've got another one. When it's an American author writing a story set in Britain, but the "Americanisms" are still used - sidewalk for pavement, faucet for tap, trunk for boot, and my particular favourite... "gotten". *Screams* and another americanism I've never worked out is "pocketbook" |
|
).
