I absolutely hated it the first time I read it. I thought the characters were vapid and unrealistic. I didn't care about them. Especially the description of Marianne's home, her brother etc, really annoyed me because it seemed so childish almost.
However, my second read went much better. I don't know what happened. Maybe I have changed because I went to therapy and had some mental health challenges myself. Suddenly I could appreciate the story. I guess this time I didn't really try to relate to the characters, and instead of being annoyed by their decisions I tried to see their motivations more and tried to understand their (often corrupted) perception of their surroundings.
Even though some small things still really bothered me, like some little university stereotypes and simulacra of "cool college life", I would actually give it three or four stars now instead of zero. Maybe I just had to be older? When I first read it, I thought I was too old for it. Now I realise I might've been too young. I don't even know; I've never had this experience with any book.
What about you? Did you have a similar experience with this book? Or maybe with another book?
by -ajrojrojro-
1 Comment
I;m curious, what made you try to re-read a book you disliked?
I have re-read classics that I found boring in high school, e.g., Three Musketeers, Tale of Two Cities. But if I give up on contemporary fiction, it’s done for me.