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What author did you give a second chance and you’re glad you did? (alien.top)

submitted 11 months ago by Hellcatcomputer@alien.top to c/books@metacritics.zone

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What author did you read a book by and didn’t like, but gave them another chance and loved it?

I’m so glad I gave Edith Wharton another chance. I read Ethan Frome and thought it was fine. On a whim I picked up The Age of Innocence and fell in love. Now I’m buying anything I can by her. I recently read The House of Mirth, and can confirm she is one of my favorite authors now. Anybody have a similar experience with an author?

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[–] Relayer_74@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (17 children)

William Faulkner. Read The Sound and the Fury and did not care for it much. Later on someone who really enjoyed Faulkner encouraged me to try Light in August. I ended up reading and loving that novel, as well as As I Lay Dying.

[–] Soggy_Cup1314@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (5 children)

If you like Faulkner you’ll like McCarthy.

[–] SeatPaste7@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The only McCarthy I have read -- and it was a horrible slog -- was THE ROAD. I was continually being dragged up out of the story to examine the writing and there's NOTHING I hate more as a reader. Why is this sentence capitalized, when most aren't? Is there significance to this bit of dialogue actually being attributed? Does McCarthy just not bother with editors at all?

Never had that experience with Faulkner.

[–] Soggy_Cup1314@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Ah you just aren’t a fan of McCarthy writing style and that’s ok it’s not for everyone. Best way I can describe it is Cormac McCarthy novels don’t have any bloat, what you see on the page is exactly what he wants you to see and read. It can blend from him describing something to someone talking and if you aren’t used to it than you’ll hate it. You also did kinda jump into the deep end of the pool with The Road. It’s renowned but it’s also a difficult read especially if you haven’t read any of his other works. Try Blood Meridian (it’s extremely violent so be careful) or No Country For Old Men (Book is better than the movie) or even his early works like All The Pretty Horses. As for the Faulkner comparisons it’s more the similarities of southern poetry and southern gothic styles. Similar but also very different.

[–] ass128@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I found The Road to be relatively straightforward for McCarthy. Blood Meridian was much tougher for me.

[–] Soggy_Cup1314@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Why was tough for you? The violence or the writing style ?

[–] Relayer_74@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

I do! Blood Meridian is one of my favorite novels.

[–] Rizo1981@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Read and loved a bunch of McCarthy so I tried Sound and the Fury but had to give it up pretty early. Might be time to give Faulkner another shot.

[–] Soggy_Cup1314@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Try As I Lay Dying.

[–] cyclingnick@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Ya that’s a solid prediction

[–] hazelparadise@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Blood Meridian is on the top!

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