2015 Reading Challenge [Closed] discussion

So has anyone in this marvelous group tackled this monstrous novel yet? I've been thinking about reading it but am a little intimidated by the fact that it is just shy of 1100 pages...not to mention that the endnotes/footnotes have endnotes/footnotes of their own sometimes!

I read it earlier this year. Honestly, the endnotes and footnotes are hilarious, but I'm still a bit angry at the rest of the book. I didn't really like Wallace's style of writing. The narrative jumped all over the place, and sometimes I wasn't sure if I was reading in the present or past - it didn't feel like there was a defined distinction between the two; no differing voice or narrative shift.

In the end I kind of resented the book, and felt like I should like it just because it is so long, and everyone expects you to like it. It's like this weird pretentious thing that if you read it and finish it you should "give it praise" (Doctor Who reference).

I know I'm a minority on this book, the reviews glow for it, but I struggle with my acceptance of it. Wallace has a great sense of humor though, and it really showed in the footnotes. Honestly, they were my favorite part.

Well I can definitely give you praise for finishing it! I've read a lot of reviews where people say it is just lacking in many areas and they never finish more than half of it. I keep going back and forth on if I actually want to read it, but I think I'm going to.

Thank you for your honest review of the book! And I loved your Doctor Who reference btw, my roommate is a huge fan and has made me watch so much of the show I feel like I should just sit down and watch all of it.

This is on my list ... somewhere towards the middle (in my mind). I tried to read Brief Interviews with Hideous Men and didn't get past the first page as the writing style was impossible for me to wrap my head around.