Last week I read a book that I had been looking forward to for what seemed like forever. But when I picked the book up it seemed like it wasn’t as good as I expected and it was falling a little flat for me. Was it the book? Was it me? I started to think that my anticipation of the book was getting in the way and my expectations were probably a little high. Now with this particular book I found that once I got to the middle of the story it began to meet those high expectations I had put on it and ended on a good note. But how often do I do this? How often do I look forward to a book so much that I find that it doesn’t live up in the end?
I think this happened to me for the first time with JR Ward’s book Lover Revealed. I was loving the series and the first three books in the BDB are my favorites. I was so looking forward to reading LR I couldn’t see straight. But when LR came out and I picked it up it fell flat. Ok, it didn’t just fall flat for me it was like at the bottom of the ocean. It’s still, to this day, my least favorite book in the series (wait, I forgot about Phury’s book. Um, ok, they run a close race on the least fav award). But was it the book or was it that I expected too much based on previous books? IDK.
Not long after I started thinking of it, I saw that Jenre had a very similar question put out into the ether on her blog about expectations clouding your judgment of a book. Great minds think alike and all that. lol But her question was more to the point of you looking at other peoples thoughts or ratings and getting your expectations up that way. I think for me this was more a personal anticipation of books in a series or even a new series/book by a much loved author that I’m looking forward to.
So what are your thoughts? Do you think that the your anticipation might ruin your enjoyment of the book?
Well, I think that LR was disappointing in that many of us were hoping that Butch and V would end up together. 🙂
But I do agree that sometimes it would be hard for a book to live up to my expectations of it. Often I acquire such books, then leave them to marinate in the TBR stack for a bit until my expectations aren't quite so fresh in my mind.
Hey Tracy – its no secret that LR is when Ward lost me as a customer..
I stopped reading after Phury's book… and alot of that was down to anticipation and she did not deliver…
I have to admit though – that in the right mood, even if the book is less than I had expected I will accept it flaws and all…
You all know my experience with LB Gregg's latest… some of that was anticipation (her previous three were stellar), the humour just did not grab me..
And lastly – I read a really emotional brainwaker prior to that book – so it fell flat all round for me…
But I am in that too much anticipation boat with you my dear – I don't expect I will change and I will have flukes and treasures in my TBR pile I am sure… because of this.
E.H>
I try not to get to hyped up as authors like Ward and LK Hamilton have proved to be huge disappointments in the past. 🙁 There is nothing worse as a reader, especially if they've become al favorite author.
I think I'm a little like Chris in that I leave some stuff on the back burner until I'm in the right frame of mind to tackle them.
Chris – Too true. I did want to see V and Butch together but that might not explain why I wanted to throw Marissa under a bus. lol
Maybe I'll try the marination technique – see how that works for me.
EH – I think a lot of JRW fans lost faith after that one.
In this case it was the latest Kresley Cole book. I had waited for 8 books after the couples first introduction to finally read about them. It was my own anticipation though since I don't believe the couple was acknowledged that much in past books.
Sarah – Sounds like you and Chris have a good idea. Next time I will try to let things set and not rush in. 🙂
I've had books live up to my expectations and not. There's really no logic. I'm not sure in some cases the book can because you love it so and the last book was so long ago you've romanticized it a bit in your brain. I find it quite different if I read a series one after the other. You don't get that build-up.
It's human nature though, and probably waiting a bit would help but sometimes you just need to read it NOW!!!!
think this has happened to us all Tracy and yeah, after Lover Enshrined that was it for me with respect to Ward.
I'm a terrible glommer and I go and buy tons of books based on blogger reviews etc. and so look forward to the read because of the hype and sometimes it just doesn't work for me. But as my blogger friend Donna would say, "what floats one person's boat sinks another". lol
So yeah, I hear you!
Do you think that the your anticipation might ruin your enjoyment of the book?
In one word – yes! I think it's a combination between what I expect from the book, in terms of what I've read online, and the baggage that I bring with me. I wrote a post (IIRC entitled Baggage) recently in which I tried to explainthis theory. I think if you expect something from a book, particularly if it touches on something you've experienced, then you anticipate the direction the author might take. And the fall is thus so much greater.
I like Chris' suggestion – leaving a book to marinate/stew before picking it up. Or reading a number of alternate genres before it so that you aren't soaked in one particular genre. (I often get struck by 'genre fatigue 🙂 And as Janna said, never read an anticipated book after an emotional wringer book, because it doesn't matter what it is, if a book has touched you deeply then nothing that follows it will stand up.
I've been disappointed before and it's always worse the more you've waited for the book.
It would have been awesome if Lover Revealed brought V&B together. Hopefully whenever I read Rehvenge and John Matthew's stories I won't be disappointed.
A lot of times I'll do like Chris and keep books on my TBR for a while before reading them. In fact I usually don't read a book right away unless it's for a requested review.
I am just stopping in for my daily does of T! I have nothing to add to this cuz I have not jumped on the Ward train yet… I have them in my closet **watches over my shoulder** just have not read them yet… I will be getting there though….
Hope all is well!
I think anticipation can take out a lot of the book when you read it! I have only read one on Ward's books which is Lover Enshrined- which I enjoyed and I am eager to read the rest of the books before to fill in some of the blank spots; but I agree with you that sometimes Anticipation(especially if its awhile you are antcipating a read) can find out that your disappointed.
Tam – Oh too true. I think you're right – the past books are romanticized and then we HAVE to read the next book in the series NOW. lol Ok, at least that's how it is for me. 🙂
Lea – Your friend Donna is a smart woman. 🙂
I've found that I can't glom like others do. I can read 1 or 2 in a series if they're out but I can't read a whole bunch of books from one author at a time like I used to. I need more variety! lol
Orannia – All good points. I understand not reading a book after an emotional ringer but that goes for any book, I think, that you've loved…whether you read it directly after or even 6 months down the road.
Lily – I've been known to get a book I've SO been looking forward to and waiting a couple of weeks but I seem to still anticipate it greatly! lol I just can't seem to stop myself.
Cecile – HI! The Ward books were just an example – believe me it's happened with many other series for me as well. 🙂
QoR – Yep – I think it can go either way myself. I guess it just depends on the author, my mood, the story, etc. So many differentials.
Oh – and if you haven't read the first 3 books in the BDB you SHOULD. As I said they are my favs and much more romantic than the rest, imho. 🙂
I think it is really, really difficult to maintain the intensity of a story as well as do well at developing a character that is a part of a series. There are a few authors who seem to really "rock" at this, while others are inconsistent. It's takes a lot of skill, imagination and I also think it is hard to "hit" everyone's mental image of what that next character is going to turn out to be like. "You can please some of the people some of the time . . ." and so on and so forth.
I think that too much anticipating can really ruin a book for you 🙁 But it's hard not to!!
Hmmm, books I can think of right now… Demon Forged by Meljean Brook. Anticipating didn't kill the book for me, but the will to read it ^_^; Everyone seems to have enjoyed it, yet I'm afraid. The most recent trilogy by Elizabeth Vaughan… and others. So I'm trying to not get excited… but it's hard.
Dr J – I totally agree! It's definitely hard to hit everyones mental image and of course you can't please all readers all the time.
Nath – I HIGHLY anticipated Demon Forged and it definitely came through for me. As well as Mind Games by Carolyn Crane. Loved them both.