I felt guilty about reading so many young adult books in a row so I decided to pick up The First Day of the Rest of My Life and I am so sorry that I did.
I didn’t really like the writing style in this book at all. And to top it all it had two of my least favorite topics (I won’t mention them because they will give away some of the plot but suffice it to say they are miserable things.) And I just felt sad and angry and depressed the whole time. Even with the flippant characters and the funny (not so) articles.
I completely understand that these are real issues and that life is often sad and terrible injustices are done all the time. But I don’t want to read about it. If that makes me ignorant or bad or whatever I am ok with it. I read for pleasure and joy and I like reading books that do not leave me deeply depressed. I do not need more of that in my life.
I completely agree. Days fly by too quickly to waste minutes and hours on sadness. Yes, sadness happens, but each of us are given our own realities, and real live people to support. We don’t need to support fictional or stranger stress in our leisure time!
I am EXACTLY the same. A few years ago I had a bad flu and pretty much all I had the energy to do was read. I was reading something miserable- depressing and sad and depraved and wrapped up and marketed as great book club material. I found myself tossing it across the room in anger and sadness. And then I realized- it’s a book! I can put it away! Instead, I picked up a beloved book that I have read a zillion times and instantly I felt better. Ever since that moment, I decided to be done with books that emotionally manipulate me. I’m all for an honestly written story of not-so-good things, but when authors use those themes to try and provoke their readers, or elicit an emotional response, I’m done.
I bought that book and couldn’t get past the second chapter. I read for an hour every night to calm my brain down before I go to sleep, who wants to read about “those” topics? Not me. I had read another Cathy Lamb book last fall and it was quasi-dark, and I had trouble going to sleep after it. (I have no idea what possessed me to try again) We are just not her target readers, and that is OK.
I’m with you too! I haven’t read the book you referred to but when I read a novel I want to be entertained (OK, maybe even escape). I do not want to be sad or depressed.