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breakonthru111 t1_j5ucs40 wrote

Hmm, that's a tough situation.. keep going or quit it at pg 200.. pros and cons either way..

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mg_ridgeview t1_j5udvdc wrote

The plotlessness is kind of the point of it. It might not be for you if you need your stories written in a conventional, linear fashion. Catch-22 was written in a kind of out of order way that's kind of like a Tarantino movie.

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muadibsburner t1_j5ueda7 wrote

Would you force yourself to finish a meal that you’re half finished with that you aren’t enjoying?

There’s nothing wrong with not liking a book.

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OhioBricker t1_j5uevi0 wrote

I stopped reading about halfway through because I felt like I needed a chart to keep all the characters straight. It was funny, but also made my head hurt.

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MoochoMaas t1_j5ufm42 wrote

Keep the timeline in your head by number of missions needed to fly.Story is told in flashbacks with more revealed each time. The plot comes toghether in the end.
One of my favs that I used to re-read yearly.

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mountuhuru t1_j5uha8w wrote

I got off to a slow start with this book too, but it got better as I went along.

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ME24601 t1_j5uhhr3 wrote

If you're not enjoying it then there is no shame in dropping it and picking up something else.

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quesopa_mifren t1_j5uhhrz wrote

I LOVED the book, but I definitely had some trouble getting into the first 100 or so pages.

If you don’t enjoy it, don’t force yourself to finish it.

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xmaspruden t1_j5ui029 wrote

I didn’t finish it. If you’re that far into a book and don’t like it there’s nothing compelling you to go on. I found the book somewhat amusing for a while until… I didn’t. It did feel like nothing was really happening story wise. The film adaptation starring Alan Arkin is pretty good, would recommend.

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zu16384 t1_j5uirtp wrote

I spent way too much fucken time on this novel and at the end it was not worth it. Its so fucken weird like theres no sensible story to it. Maybe i dont understand satire but fuck this novel was a waste of time

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EasyBOven t1_j5ujtg4 wrote

Unfortunately, the only way to know whether you should stop reading is to finish the book

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left4ched t1_j5um48f wrote

It's kinda intended to mirror an individual's experience of war: like nothing really happens, but stuff is kinda happening and then nothing happens, but some people aren't there anymore and nothing happens and nothing is happening and then all of a sudden everything happens.

Not everything is for everyone, if you don't like it don't force it.

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Largeperson t1_j5umm0j wrote

I had the same problem but persevered and I'm glad I did as it is one of the best books I've ever read. I think my problem was that I grew frustrated trying to follow a linear plot that wasn't there. Once I accepted that and stopped worrying about it I really began to enjoy the book.

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albertnormandy t1_j5unlpr wrote

The pointlessness is the point. It’s an absurd novel. If you’re not enjoying it though then there isn’t much point in finishing.

For what it’s worth, the last half of the book brings it all home and is much darker than the first half. Just don’t beat yourself up if you can’t closely follow the timeline. I am not sure anyone can.

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llama_raptor89 t1_j5uo6is wrote

Oh man, Catch-22 is one of my all time favorite books but I enjoyed it from the start.

I think if you’re really struggling to get through a book it is completely fine to stop reading the book.

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Markj565 t1_j5updfk wrote

I read it in high school and had no problems with it and enjoyed it immensely. However if you’re not getting anything out of it by all means put it down.

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DoubleNaught_Spy t1_j5uz97r wrote

I hear you. Catch-22 is one of the few novels I've ever just quit reading. I just couldn't get into it. Life is too short to waste time reading something you don't enjoy.

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jezra t1_j5uzn2h wrote

it's a book.

It isn't a meal your mom cooked for you. It isn't a trip to the dentist.

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CrazyCatLady108 t1_j5vqpx1 wrote

Please post 'Should I keep reading' questions, in our Weekly Recommendation Thread.

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