Authors I’m Breaking Up With | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Booktuber April shares her reasons for breaking up with six beloved authors and why she won't be reading their books anymore.

Key Insights

• 🏃 Readers have different preferences, and what works for one person may not work for another.
• 🖐️ Writing style and character depth play significant roles in the enjoyment of a book.
• ❤️‍🩹 Unpredictable endings without any clues can leave readers feeling unsatisfied.
• 🤱 Symbolism in novels should be incorporated naturally rather than force-fed to readers.
• 🪘 Long, repetitive books can become tedious and hinder character development.
• 🍳 The decision to break up with an author can be liberating and a positive experience for readers.
• 🥺 Recommendations from other readers can lead to finding new authors to enjoy.

Transcript

Read and summarize the transcript of this video on Glasp Reader (beta).

Questions & Answers

Q: What was it about Kate Quinn's books that annoyed April?

April found the main character's repeated references to her unborn baby as "the little problem" in "The Alice Network" to be annoying and felt that all the characters lacked depth and were flat.

Q: Why did April decide not to continue reading Jodi Picoult's books?

April found Picoult's writing style in "The Storyteller" to be poorly written and filled with cliche moments, causing her to roll her eyes and decide she didn't want to read any more of her books.

Q: What was April's issue with Ernest Cline's "Ready Player One"?

April didn't enjoy "Ready Player One" due to its male-dominated storyline, which made her feel uncomfortable and thought it lacked feminism.

Q: Why did Ruta Sepetys' writing not resonate with April?

April found Sepetys' writing style in "Between Shades of Gray" to be too simplistic, with characters lacking names and instead being titled based on symbolism. She believed this approach was force-feeding symbolism to readers and didn't appreciate it.

Q: What was April's problem with Sarah Pinborough's thriller "Behind Her Eyes"?

April felt deceived by the ending of "Behind Her Eyes," feeling that the twist was impossible to guess and, therefore, the book didn't fulfill the expectations of a thriller genre.

Q: Why did Philippa Gregory's book frustrate April?

April found Gregory's "Three Sisters, Three Queens" to be repetitive and filled with unnecessary fluff and circumstance, leading her to believe that the book could have been much shorter without sacrificing any character development.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• April expresses her frustration with Kate Quinn's books, finding the characters flat and lacking depth.

• She shares her disappointment with Jodi Picoult's writing style and cliche moments in "The Storyteller."

• April discusses her discomfort with Ernest Cline's male-dominated and non-feminist writing in "Ready Player One."

• She criticizes Ruta Sepetys for her simplistic writing style and forced symbolism in "Between Shades of Gray."

• April expresses her anger and sense of betrayal towards Sarah Pinborough's thriller "Behind Her Eyes," finding the ending unpredictable and unsatisfying.

• Finally, she shares her experience with Philippa Gregory's repetitive storytelling in "Three Sisters, Three Queens" and her decision to not continue with the series.