Reviewing Books You Didn't Finish?

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[Kalanadi]

This sounds stupid of me, but up until I was 23 I finished everything I started because I didn't realize DNFing was a thing. I didn't necessarily feel obligated; I had just never heard of the concept.

I don't rate DNFs, but "reviewing", maybe. I have many reasons for DNFing, and most of them are not "it was terrible". They aren't automatic 0 or 1 stars. And I often DNF very early on, before I know what the story really is. Can I review that? or only point out an element that turned me off?

But now I'm curious about whether a DNF review is helpful to me. Maybe? I've never been intrigued by that type of review before. With the exception of the funny rants for the egregious fails, I tune them out because DNFing almost seems like a super personal experience, often very in the moment, and sometimes hard to articulate. I just filmed a video about some books I DNFd and it was very strange to talk about! Halfway through I considered dropping the video idea because it struck me as not interesting for anybody who wasn't me!

[NicoleBookAdventures]

I DNF a book whenever I decide I don't feel the need to finish it. Usually, this happens within the first third of the book. I typically post a short one paragraph note on my Goodreads about why I dropped the book. I find people's reasons for DNFing books are often helpful for me in deciding to read a book or not, and I want to provide that information to other readers. I'm not too worried about author's finding my DNF reviews. No book is for everyone, and it's unreasonable to expect a book to have only positive reviews.

[jonathansears]

You get much farther than I do. I can usually tell in the first chapter if I won't like a book. If I still feel that way by the second or third I put it down. Like you said there are just too many books in the world to waste your time on one you don't enjoy. I enjoy watching/reading DNF reviews. When I am researching a specific book I try to find both positive, and negative reviews to get true idea of if I'll like it.

[PTHylton]

Interesting topic! I remember a character in Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King saying, If you're not enjoying a book 10% of the way in, that's the time to drop it. That's always stuck with me and I loosely follow that rule. I don't mind people reviewing books they didn't finish. Giving it a star rating feels a little weird though.

[MusicalTati]

I very rarely DNF a book. I know some people will give a book 20 or 50 pgs & I'm always the one who's thinking that the story hadn't even started yet. Having said that, I do like to hear why people DNF books. It doesn't mean I won't read it but I may borrow it from the library instead of spending money on it or push it further down on the book wishlist. I think I've DNF'd 1 book in the last 3 years & I had less than 100 pages to go until the end & that's when I relinquished the book to "this just isn't for me" & let it go.

[PaulWeymouth]

Over halfway through a book is when I'll usually dnf. I don't do it often but when I do it, I'll still review it. I feel reading half a book is a good indication on the variables that go into reviewing a book. If I dnf around page 40 or so, I just delete it from my currently reading without a big deal, maybe mentioning it in passing, or letting people know about the trigger warning of why I dnf'd if that was the reason.

To me, a DNF is a possible trigger warning for me to stay clear of a book. For example, I wanted to read A Little Life last year. When the reviews and DNFs started coming in I wanted to know the reason. I don't like books with child abuse, so I'll never read that book because of the few dnf reviews I read talking about it.

[LetsReadSFF]

DNF occurs when a book fills me with an exceeding amount of frustration or anger. On the opposite end of the spectrum...boredom. Usually the books are given up too early to warrant much of a review.

[FinalBlowJoe]

I think I've only DNF'd one book in the last ten years which was Infinite Jest. I rarely pick up books that I end up disliking and those few exceptions are not an issue due to my normal reading speed. I don't think I've watched many reviews of a DNF book, though could be wrong and just completely missed someone saying that :)

[yesmissjane]

I don't have any DNFing guidelines. I don't do it often (because most of my selections are well vetted before) but when I do I try and do it without guilt. A paper book will get abandoned sooner than an ebook. I must say I finished A Moveable Feast earlier this month with gritted teeth, but it's quite short, I knew I *could* get through it, and I knew if I finished I would feel more justified going the rant.

I have no problem with a DNF review which points out flaws, but I don't jive with star ratings for incomplete reads.

[tmobbomt]

Of Human Bondage is the reason I have very little experience with DNFing. I hated this book all the way up until he started school to be a doctor (over half way through the book) and after that it was great. So its like I am worried I will miss something amazing because I first have to go threw a bunch of rubbish.

[BookNookNoggin]

I just finished The Undying and honestly, I just should have DNFed it, because it was not good. I now feel I wasted my time reading it.

[TyrionLannister]

I DNF about 2/3 of all the books I try. I don't want to invest time in a book that's not perfect. I like long and epic series that keep me occupied for months. Like Kalanadi says dnf aren't all 0 or 1 stars. Most of them probably even are 3's. When i realize halfway through a 600 page book that I don't really care what happens to the characters, and I already know I won't buy the other nine 500-1000 page books of the series, I just quit.

As I mentionend a while ago when I find an author I like I tend to stick with him for a while and read every book he's written. The last 2-3 years I've spent almost entirely reading space opera by Alastair Reynolds, Stephen Baxter and Peter F. Hamilton and fantasy by Brandon Sanderson. At the same time I tried and abandoned authors like Ian Banks, Greg Egan, Gary Gibson, Stephen R. Donaldson, Robert Jordan, Terry Brooks, and China Mieville

[tarabyt]

I don't think there's any one way to feel about DNF reviews. I think it's VERY important if someone didn't finish because there were triggers or it was horrifically racist/genderist/etc. Because those are things that hurt other people and they're good to know. But if it was boring... obviously focusing an entire review on something like that is not what I'd want to read or see... in those cases a simple, "it was boring" or whatever reason is sufficient for me. But I agree with you that just because you don't finish something doesn't mean you can't review what you DID read and how it contributed to your deciding not to finish it.

[coleton]

I've been watching a lot of your reviews and you're really good, I subscribed. Since this is your newest video hopefully you will see this. Read The Name of the Wind!!! It's a masterpiece and I think you will love it. Please check it out, would love to see you do a review for it. Again....READ THE NAME OF THE WIND!!!