Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Defied My Expectations
How to Be a (Young) Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and Nic Stone ò
I'd heard wonderful things about How to Be An Antiracist by Kendi so I was really excited to read the YA version of the book co-written by Nic Stone. Here is what I said in my Goodreads review: The book tells Kendi's story through Stone's
mouth, but she is not exactly a interviewer. It is confusing. Then to
make points and add to the confusion, Kendi's story doesn't unfold in a chronological way. As an adult I can cope with jumping around narratives, but a lot of
younger readers have a hard enough time holding together facts if they
are presented in a very linear fashion let alone bouncing around. The emphasis on vocabulary is essential but it is also confusing. Terminology is important but couldn't it be shortened or consolidated to
make a few terms more memorable?
If I were still a high school librarian I'd have to think twice before purchasing this book for my library. My expected rating: 5. My actual rating: 3.5.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin ñ
At one point it seemed like everyone in the blogosphere was talking about this book then I started noticing that the reviews were very mixed. Several people mentioned they had abandoned the book midway. I entered my reading experience with trepidation. I agree with this reviewer: "Zevin’s delight in her characters, their qualities, and their projects sprinkles a layer of fairy dust over the whole enterprise" (Kirkus Reviews).
My expected rating: 3; my actual rating 4.5
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshirazu Kawaguchi ò
Another book it seemed like all book bloggers were reading. I checked it out with out any research on my own. I honestly was disappointed. I had high hopes
for a sweet time travel story and what I got was very little about time
travel and a lot of coffee. I kept wondering if it was the author or the
translator.
My expected rating: 4; my actual rating: 2.
Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds and Danica Novgorodoff ñ
I had fairly high hopes for this graphic adaptation of the original novel, Long Way Down. But even with high expectations the book exceeded them. Honestly I think the graphic novel surpasses the original because the illustrations are so impactful.
My expected rating: 4.5; my actual rating: 5+
Breakfast at Tiffany's (and other Stories) by Truman Capote ò
What happens when you think about reading a classic book or short story? I usually expect my experience to be positive, otherwise why would that piece of literature be a classic? In this case, the short story "Breakfast at Tiffany's" disappointed me. It felt dated and unimportant.
My expected rating: 4-4.5; my actual rating 3.25
Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality by
Eliot Schrefer ñ
Based on the title I didn't have the best expectations of this award-winning YA nonfiction title. Here is what I said about it on Goodreads: "This book is not only excellent and must-read
material, it is also eye-opening and important. I can't tell you how
valuable of a resource this is. Get this for every library who services
teenagers!"
My expected rating 3.5-4; my actual rating: 5.
I knew this book must be good because it was a co-winner for the Pulitzer Prize this year, but the description or summary didn't sound very good and it was so long. I was pleasantly surprised and found it a very enjoyable book.
My expected rating: 3.5; my actual rating: 4.25
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann ò
I had super high expectations after loving Grann's previous books. To say I was disappointed is to say it mildly.
Let me say this, three of us, my husband, daughter, and myself, listened
to the audiobook together in the car coming and going to a family
reunion 6 hours away. Day one we finished about 3/5th of the book. I
thought it was pretty boring but was determined to finish the book. When
we got in the car, several days later, we all dutifully listened to the
rest of it. The whole time I was thinking, I can only give this book a
rating of 3. The writing is strong but I didn't feel any connection with
any of the persons involved in the real-life drama. I thought for sure
that my husband would like the book better than me, so I didn't say
anything out loud until we were finished. When I asked for his
evaluation he told me that he thought the very most he could give the
book was a 2.5 but felt it was more a 2. My daughter said her evaluation
was a 1.5. When asked why, she answered with a one word reply:
"boring."
My expected rating: 5; my actual rating: 3
The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler ò
I've wanted to read this book since it was published in the 1980s. I should have read it earlier, since I found it dated.
My expected rating: 4+; my actual rating: 3.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
Actually this book was almost exactly what I expected. That one exception was the blatant racism. I hadn't even thought of it being an issue but the book was written and published in the early 1960s so it shouldn't have surprised me, but it did. ò
-Anne
