Don’t Like It? DNF It! | How to Decide When to Stop Reading a Book
Honestly, I’ve seen so many conversations about whether we should DNF a book we don’t like and I just HAD to write this post. I’ve seen so many reasons people have for forcing themselves to finish a book, from feeling like they owe it to the book to finish it, that it might get better so it’s worth wading through, that they don’t want to have wasted the time they’ve invested so far…
I couldn’t disagree more.
Firstly, what does DNF mean? Did Not Finish. Basically when you’re reading a book and you’ve made the decision to not finish it, you’ve DNF’d it (grammatically this is a bit iffy but hey!)
Secondly,
IF YOU DON’T LIKE A BOOK THEN DNF IT
Done. Post over.
Hah, not quite.
Here’s my hot take.
When is it okay to DNF a book?
Anytime! 2 pages in, 200 pages in. Honestly, you owe nobody anything but yourself. Okay I hear you, you’ve been sent a book to review, you feel like you are obligated to finish it. Well let me drop some truth bombs on you. You’re not.
Here’s what’s likely to happen when you don’t like a book:
- You write a half hearted review where you pretend it wasn’t that bad or you just all out slate the book
- You get yourself into a slump because you just can’t bear reading another page
- You fall into a pit of despair and burn all your books because maybe you’ve been wrong after all these years and you actually hate reading?
None of these things are good, for you or for the author/publisher. Not only does it slowly destroy your soul and waste your time… it can make you damage your integrity.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve talked about writing negative reviews before, and if that’s your thing then go for it. Some people still get pleasure from reading a book they don’t like and then reviewing it. Great, you do you. But if you ever feel like you’d love to put it down and forget about it but you can’t, you can.
Life is too short
Whilst you’re struggling to read that book, there are another 50 in your TBR pile (cos I mean come on, we have no self restraint, 50 is being kind it’s probably more like 1000000000) that deserve your love and attention, that may be waiting to change your life forever.
The feeling of obligation can suffocate you.
Okay not literally but mentally and creatively. I know when I feel I HAVE to do something that I don’t want to do, it really affects my mood and my motivations.
So when you’re next struggling through a book and you’re unsure whether you should continue, just remember, there is no shame to leave a book unfinished. There’s actually been an uprising recently in articles that agree with this sentiment, they’ve even coined the movement #quitlit! Quit it if you’re not enjoying it!
There are so many amazing books out there so DNF that bore and get yourself a book that makes you excited!
Do you struggle to leave books unfinished? What are your thoughts on this?
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53 Comments
I think there’s too many books to read in the world to read a book you’re not enjoying!
Deffo!
I used to hate the idea of DNFing a book (unless I was reading it for school…) But now I’ve accepted that life is too freaking short, and I kind of wish someone had discussed this with me when I was younger! Great post Jenn 🙂
Thank you! Same! I just have far too many books to read to waste my time 🙈
Yes!!! I am always saying life is too short to read a book you’re not enjoying, but then I’ll still read some I’m not loving. I just read two books I didn’t love because I wanted to see them through to the end. Sometimes though I’ve struggled to get into a book and wanted to put it down but someone has advised me to stick with it, so I do and I end up loving it!
That is true! I think I tend to DNF books that I know I won’t like any more of. Like if the writing is terrible or the subject matter offends me!
I struggle much less since I’ve started blogging! Seeing the forgiving attitude of a lot of my friends towards not finishing a book and moving on, it’s much easier to just call it quits and pick up the next title on my shelf 🙂
It’s so nice to have support in the decision to quit it! I think as bloggers we have so many books to read it’s just logical that sometimes we’d have to not finish some
I definitely believe that life is too short to read books that you are not enjoying but it is harder for me to put that in to practice! I have such a hard time DNFing a book and haven’t done it in over a year even though there were times I probably should have. I need to work on that!
You’ll get there – it’s not the be all and end all. I think it’s just important for people to know that not finishing a book is okay 💕
I couldn’t agree with you more. I used to this you myself, especially with review copies and it was horrible. I learned, but not soon enough. Anyway, I just DNF’d Jo Nesbo’s retelling of Macbeth. I was so hoping to like this, but UGH. I got about 1/4 of the way through and called it quits. I did write my Netgalley review, which wasn’t glowing at all.
AH I always forget to write my netgalley reviews haha
I used to hate DNFing a book but this year I decided i just couldn’t read a book i hate and it’s made my reading experience so much better! Wish i had done it earlier!
I think a lot of people think the same once they start doing it!
I used to feel bad about DNFing books, especially ones I’d been given to review. I do try to give them as fair a chance as I can, but sometimes there’s just something about them that comes up that I can’t forgive or get past. I’ll do my best to review what I’ve read so far and move on.
Lovely post !
I always struggle to dnf .. I want to but eeerh, I cant shake the guilt. im getting there – LOVE the gif of the guy throwing the book by the way ! xD
Really great discussion post Jenn! I used to push myself to finish like every single book even if I didn’t like it and honestly not worth it at all especially because it would always put me into a reading slump. Now I DNF if I don’t like it, unless it’s a uni book in which case I have to push on.
Thank you lovely! Yeah I used to too, and I totally get that. I think it’s especially true when you have things like uni books to read, the obligation can really mar the enjoyment!
I’m so grateful for this post! It’s so nice to see someone else who agrees with me.
Yey! Thank you. I’m glad it’s not just me!
I really hate to DNF a book but I’ve had 5 this year already. 😶
Oh gosh that’s unlucky!
It so was….but I’m being tougher!!!
I actually find it really hard to DNF books. I think I can probably count the times I have done so on one hand. But then again, it’s also rare that I dislike a book so much. Sometimes I secretly enjoy disliking a book >.> I know, what kind of reader am I?
But you have a point. Life is too short to be wasting time on mediocre or terrible books! This was a good reminder for me, so thank you.
My recent post: http://oliviascatastrophe.com/2018/05/the-girl-in-the-broken-mirror-review-guest-post/
I think it’s more for books that are really badly written (I can’t bear it!) or material that’s hurtful. I often read out of my genres and finish a book that I don’t love, but if something bores me I just can’t 🙈 I recently was in a slump for a few months because the ebook I was reading was so dull 😞
That’s true. Books written badly just don’t work well for me. I’m so glad I read reviews though, because I think a lot of the time they steer me clear of books that would make me DNF. But every now and again I have stumbled into a few of those.
Oh man :/ I’m sorry that the ebook did that to you!
I hate the idea of DNFing (I don’t think that’s right) a book. I don’t mind writing negative reviews, but I can’t write a review at all if I don’t finish the book. It feels wrong. However, I’ve only read a few books that I totally hated and have never DNF’d a book. That can change though as I’m reading a lot more now. Life is too short to read something you’re not enjoying though, so I’m going to take that into consideration the next time I’m not enjoying a book.
I may be a quitter, but at least I don’t feel like I have wasted my time reading a book that wasn’t entertaining me. If I was not enjoying a TV, I would switch the channel. Why then, should I feel any guilt for DNFing a book I have no interest in.
Couldn’t have put it better myself!
i cant believe no one else has commented on it but hey that gif of stoya is whilst she’s having a vibrator used on her under a table whilst reading a book called Necrophilia Variations
I know I’m almost a year late on this but I’m just really pleased that someone else caught that 👀
I find it so amusing 😂
It’s honestly hilarious 😂
I’m guilty of DNFing a book! I think it’s because I’m too nosy, and worry that if I stop reading I might miss the section where it becomes really good! Sometimes I think I need to be more decisive, but thankfully there are only 2 or 3 books I’ve read in the last year or two that were DNF contenders 😛 Lovely post though!!
I hate leaving things unfinished, so I’m guilty of trying to finish the book out. However, now that I’m blogging & writing reviews, I’ve had to make myself stop reading the book & move on. It’s hard to do when it’s been a habit for so long, but I definitely don’t have time to finish books “just because “ anymore. Great post!
Yes I think before I started blogging I didn’t used to DNF to be honest!
[…] ~ Jenn @ Jenniely, guide us onto when to dnf a book we don’t appreciate […]
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Yes! I definitely DNF books I am not enjoying! There are some I am open to going back to, but I’m not going to force myself to read them RIGHT AT THIS VERY MOMENT if I don’t feel like I’m enjoying it. Thank you for this post!
I guess I mostly hate DNFing book ‘assigned’ to me for book club – but, a couple that are selected for this month – zzzzzzzzzzzzz… I am going to have to give up 🙁
Oh noooo I hope the next one is better!
Just the words I needed to hear! I was so torn up about potentially DNF-ing a book I googled the problem 🙈 But you are so right, life is TOO SHORT and there are too many books to get through to waste my time on one I don’t enjoy! Thank you 😘
You’re very welcome, glad I could help!
I really don’t want to dnf books but your points are right. There are more books out there to read and if that particular book is holding you back from reading them, better just drop it and move on. I recently dnfed book that took me a month to get through and I felt better now.
It’s something that takes a while to be able to do. You don’t have to – but I think it’s so freeing knowing you can
I remember the first time I DNF’d a book and I still feel the itch of guilt. But I totally felt better, knowing that maybe the book wasn’t right for me or maybe just not right at the time. I do not write negative reviews so with each time I put a book down unfinished, it does get easier. Thanks for this awesome post which affirms I’m not the only one. Too many awesome books out there to waste what precious reading time we have.
yes exactly! It does take a long time to get used to the idea I feel!
I have such a hard time DNFing review books. I have one right now thay every time I pick it up I’m just not in the mood. Look it’s not bad but I’m just not interested in it.
That’s how slumps happen!
I feel the same way. I feel bad about it but I like to be truthful. Honestly, no one is expected to enjoy every book out there. On Goodreads I’ll not star rate but put it in my “not for me” folder with a reason why.
Yeah same! It’s impossible for us all to like all books
I used to hate DNFing books, but over the last year or so, I’ve learned to loosen up on my expectations of myself. If I think a book isn’t good for *right now*, I’ll put it on a “finish-me-later” shelf; otherwise, byyyye~
(The Stoya GIF. Jebus. 😂)
Haha same! I have so many books to read I just can’t justify reading something I don’t enjoy