Post Avbc2qV5eTDvlfpCCG by buffyleigh@mas.to
 (DIR) More posts by buffyleigh@mas.to
 (DIR) Post #Avbc2puDrXjVvKZkjQ by buffyleigh@mas.to
       2025-06-28T23:05:55Z
       
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       It's weird how much it bothers me when I don't like a novel that is otherwise highly regarded. I don't care at all when my tastes differ for music, TV/movies, art, even if not a single person shares my opinions on those. But when it happens for books that are considered great by people whose tastes I would otherwise agree with, I can't help but assume there's something wrong with me and I'm not intelligent enough to get it. :blobugh:
       
 (DIR) Post #Avbc2qV5eTDvlfpCCG by buffyleigh@mas.to
       2025-06-28T23:28:11Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       And, on that note, next up is R.F. Kuang's Babel, sure hope I don't hate it. :catroll:
       
 (DIR) Post #Avbc2r7NM7qfgPjls8 by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2025-06-29T00:23:01Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       @buffyleigh I loved what R.F. Kuang's Babel was doing, and many aspects of the world but it was also very heavy and I didn't read the whole thing because in some ways it was "too realistic" ... which almost makes no sense, but I'm always looking for sparks of hope and wonder in fiction and it felt a bit more like a parable than experiencing something out of context and new. I think it's a good book, but maybe not for me in this moment. I will come back to it.
       
 (DIR) Post #AvbcAlitIX0TGf3eNM by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2025-06-29T00:24:30Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       @buffyleigh And this mixed response relates to your first point. Stories aren't just "good" or "bad" ... they are also "good for you right now" or... maybe not. A book can be basically perfectly written and still unreadable for some people in some moments. Does that make any sense?
       
 (DIR) Post #AvbcwOXIoFMFFrLanA by buffyleigh@mas.to
       2025-06-29T00:33:06Z
       
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       @futurebird Absolutely! It's magic when you find a book at the exact right time. But when the opposite happens, that makes me get all up in my own head...
       
 (DIR) Post #AvbqQ4lcAqae28WcPQ by redshift@techhub.social
       2025-06-29T03:04:06Z
       
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       @futurebird @buffyleigh our lives are seasons and sometimes things can hit better than others. I've started to say 'that [culture thing] just wasn't right for where I'm at.' unless it's completely awful or actively hateful