On Second Thought, I Was Wrong
Do you ever think a book comes to you at the wrong time? Where you either are not in the right headspace to enjoy it, or your experiences to that point aren’t where they need to be to fully appreciate it?
Four books meet that criteria for me.
I stand by the fact there are elements of each book that didn’t quite land for me, but I was wrong in writing them off so easily, because in the years or months since reading them, the characters or ideas still worm their way into my thoughts, which has made me revisit whether my criticism was justified.
I Am Legend and Other Stories by Richard Matheson
Dates read: June 17 – August 1, 2007
Initial thoughts: “Ho-hum.” That’s how one of my first-ever Goodreads reviews started, and it remains my most divisive one on the platform. My main gripe was that since “I Am Legend” was published in the mid-1950s, others had taken his ideas and made them better. By the end I was kind of bored.
Rating: 2/5 stars Format: Paperback (personal library)
Revised thoughts: Matheson was way ahead of his time, and “Legend” has influenced tons of sci-fi and horror beyond the vampire genre. He was a visionary, and I recognize now that sometimes celebrating originality over execution is more important.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Dates read: March 26 – April 1, 2018
Original review: Eh. The first two-thirds of this novel are PAINFUL. The narrator is annoying, the supporting characters are equally as annoying, and the plot stays at a simmer. Then it starts to boil, and I was totally onboard, until a complete fizzle at the end. Well-written and it kept me enthralled, but ultimately not that great. Probably would’ve quit it early if not an audiobook.
Rating: 2.5/5 stars Format: Audiobook (SIL’s library)
Revised thoughts: This novel is a whole mood. Many writers try to replicate the atmospheric tension that du Maurier embedded into each page, and few have done it successfully. The mystery is actually rather enthralling, and when you keep in mind the narrator is a teenager, thrust into a life she was completely unprepared for, you can cut her some slack.
Rating: 4/5 stars
I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
Dates read: September 28 – October 12, 2019
Initial review: The first half of this book almost made me want to give up. The writing was too kooky, Jude and Noah grated my nerves and the plot seemed meandering. Then, as the pieces slowly started to click into place, the entire novel shifted into a rather deep (especially for YA) and moving exploration of grief, regret, shame and redemption. I'm glad I stuck with it.
Rating: 4/5 stars Format: E-book (library loan)
Revised thoughts: I wasn’t in the right headspace for this book. I was less than a month away from moving to a new state and the stress of my to-do lists didn’t give me a lot of patience for the younger Jude and Noah sections. What sticks with me now is Guillermo and Jude, bound by guilt and grief for the same person yet neither knowing it. It’s a sad, poetic tragedy that explains so much about life and the burdens we all can carry. YA or not, this has affected me months after reading it.
Rating: 5/5 stars
All The Light You Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Dates read: October 25 – November 26, 2017
Initial review: I had a difficult time getting into this book, but when it picked up the pace in the last half, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Doerr's writing is gorgeous, but I think some of it is lost when you listen as an audiobook as you have to pay close attention to pick up all the details. For the children/teens coming of age in World War II genre, I would pick up The Book Thief before tackling ATLWCS, but if you have the time and attention, it's worth a read/listen.
Rating: 3/5 stars Format: Audiobook (SIL’s library)
Revised thoughts: I’m honestly surprised at how much I think about this novel, and not just a single section, but multiple characters and plot points. The final third with Marie-Laure navigating the destruction of Saint-Malo to Werner’s final act to the experiences of secondary characters, like Jutta and Frederick, and the post-script that allows us to see what happens to them all. It is gorgeous writing worthy of every award.
Rating: 5/5 stars
