Fruit | Litsy

#MayBookFlowers #Fruit

I hesitate to post about this novel because I really really hated it—one of those books that needed years of redrafting and editing before it ever got published—but it fits the prompt perfectly.

RealLifeReading

Lindy I thought this story was charming. Only book I've ever read set in Sarnia. Francis said the American publishers removed the setting references. 7y

shawnmooney @Lindy Glad you enjoyed it but TBH as a gay Canadian male who cares about good writing I was embarrassed that something so shoddy ever made it into print. Every time I think of this book I wince. 7y

Lindy @shawnmooney My YA book club discussed this when it came out. Half of the members are university profs & always criticize writing style. I don't remember anyone having qualms about the writing on this one. There was approval all around. It wasn't the case for a recent read, where I was in the minority defending

Juliet Takes a Breath

(edited) 7y

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Lindy @shawnmooney I learned as a reader's advisor that what a reader describes as "shoddy writing" often means "a style of writing that I don't like." Do you think this might be the case for you and this book? 7y

shawnmooney @Lindy If you promise not to tell anyone, yes, of course I agree that it always does boil down to a matter of personal taste. But there are a handful of books that I hated that, however tongue in cheek I might be, I cannot back down about: so with tongue lovingly in cheek I'd say those Edmonton profs needs some more schooling cuz Fruit was just simply a piece of you know what! 😘 7y

Lindy @shawnmooney Is it possible that the farcical tone, combined with the humiliations of puberty that the protagonist experiences, contributed to your cringe reaction to this novel? That maybe there was some degree of emotional reaction not strictly related to writing style? 7y

shawnmooney @Lindy Keep this under your hat, but of course any of those might have contributed. Just like it could have been something or other going on in my world at that time that played a role. But mostly I just felt—and felt (as if I need to reiterate this) passionately—that it read like an unpublishable, really shitty first draft. 7y

Lindy @shawnmooney Thanks for helping me to understand a little more about your interior reading life. Books we hate can say as much about ourselves as those we love. 😘😘😘 7y

shawnmooney @Lindy Isn't it fascinating? I guess I am less easygoing about the books I loathe than about the ones I love. I don't take it so personally when folks don't like/love Do Not Say We Have Nothing. Can you relate? 7y

shawnmooney ...less easygoing about SOME OF the books I loathe, that is 7y

TobeyTheScavengerMonk @Lindy @shawnmooney Sorry to intrude, but I just wanted to say that I very much enjoyed this thoughtful conversation. I know for me when someone doesn't like a book that matters to me, it is like they are rejecting an aspect of myself. You both explained yourselves well, in calm reasonable terms. Thanks for letting me eavesdrop. 7y

shawnmooney @TobeyTheScavengerMonk Not intruding at all - of course this is a public forum, so the more the merrier! Did you read and enjoy Fruit? 7y

Lindy @TobeyTheScavengerMonk As @shawnmooney says, the more the merrier. I'm more circumspect about books that I loathe than Shawn is. The reasons for that include reluctance to reveal too much of myself, and not wanting to rain on the parade of a book's fans. An example is my distaste for a much-loved poetry collection that I find derivative and immature:

Milk and Honey

TobeyTheScavengerMonk @shawnmooney I have not read Fruit and most likely will not, valuing your judgement. @lindy I know what you mean. I didn't like the much beloved Ready Player One which seems tailored to my interests, but I don't want to step on toes. 7y

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