This is a really horribly written book. Good theme and everything, but the author did a horrible job when writing it. Do you agree?
Posted by chemo_man (Member # 3150) on :
i disagree, i felt it was a wonderfully written book. But if you felt it was sub-standard, always remember, S.E Hinton was 16 when she wrote it.
Posted by Elan (Member # 2442) on :
The forum "Published Hooks and Books" is the proper place to post a query like this. We regularly trash published works there. This forum is for Open Discussions About Writing.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I remember seeing the book when I was a teenager and just beyond, before the movie came out...for a time it seemed like it was everywhere...but I never particularly wanted to read it. Why, I can't say for sure. Most of my reading at the time was science fiction, and it certainly was not science fiction. (My reading interests have shifted some since then.) But that can't be all. Sometimes a book seems like it's being shoved down your throat, and that's kind of off-putting in itself.
Posted by wetwilly (Member # 1818) on :
Eh, the story was kind of sappy and melodramatic (melodram which was magnified to unbelievable proportions in the movie), but it's young adult lit. When you're 16, LIFE is melodramatic. I think it's a fine book for what it is.
Why do you think it was horribly written? What was horrible about it?
[This message has been edited by wetwilly (edited March 15, 2006).]
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
I know I read it...something about angst-filled teenagers...but I can't for the life of me remember it. Can you be more specific about why you thought it was a bad book?
Posted by Isaiah13 (Member # 2283) on :
I absolutely loved this book when I was fourteen. Haven't read it since for fear of killing the magic.
Posted by x__sockeh__x (Member # 3069) on :
I have to agree, to a degree. The end of the book was good, but opening to mid-book was quite badly written. The author tells us everything. I long to be showed. When 'told' details, I never remember half of them.
Posted by plumeh (Member # 3160) on :
It twas a bad book because the author (like x__sockeh__x said) It told you what happened instead of showing it to you. In my opinion, a book that does that is not a very good book. Like I said earlier, It was a good storyline, and a good message, it just wasnt very well written in the sense that she didnt use much detail in parts and overloaded them in others. It was very annoying!
Posted by Shendülféa (Member # 2964) on :
I remember reading that book way back in middle school. All I can remember is that I didn't like it because I thought it was just so darn boring. It just wasn't really my thing. I don't remember the writing well enough to comment on that, I just remember the plot well enough to know that I didn't (and still don't) find it very interesting.
Posted by CoriSCapnSkip (Member # 3228) on :
When I read it at 17 and remarked on how good it was, my classmates looked down on me as they'd all read it 4 or 5 years earlier. Sometimes ya just can't win.
Posted by Hot Chocolate (Member # 3301) on :
I didn't enjoy it. It was way to melodramatic for my tastes, and nothing in it seemed realistic. To write a good book, your audience has to believe it. Truly good books are the ones that inspire the readers, and make them believe what was written could really happen, even if it's about fairies and elves. Hinton just couldn't do that for me.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
I read it as an adult, after having finally seen the movie, and I liked the movie better.
Posted by CoriSCapnSkip (Member # 3228) on :
The movie had a wonderful cast, an acclaimed director, and a great story to work from. I was very disappointed that it didn't come out better.
When 'told' details, I never remember half of them.