tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453643548383938123.post5999206587949290206..comments2024-03-21T16:50:09.350-04:00Comments on So Obsessed With: There's No Such Thing As PerfectHannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05058757489545239601noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453643548383938123.post-84342185766168249332014-10-09T17:44:23.043-04:002014-10-09T17:44:23.043-04:00Honestly, you've hit the nail on the head: it&...Honestly, you've hit the nail on the head: it's not impossible to love a book and acknowledge it's flawed at the same time! While I have "loved" a ton of books, I'm always honest when I feel like there are things that aren't entirely perfect. The honesty is not a mark against a book; it's just a great way to identify what did/didn't work for you, and how that might affect potential readers in the future.<br /><br />As for reading critical reviews, I do that too! Some of my favorite bloggers and I have disagreed on books, but that doesn't mean I don't respect their views. It's interesting to see how they felt about certain elements and characters, and compare that to how I felt. When done right, a critical review is not an attack, but rather a thoughtful assessment of why this book didn't work for a particular reader... and I can get down with that.<br /><br />As always, I love your post, Hannah. Your discussions are always so thoughtful! You should teach me your ways ;)Alexa S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13185723439360170259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453643548383938123.post-8944236653806878122014-10-02T13:21:52.102-04:002014-10-02T13:21:52.102-04:00I like this - you *can* love a book and still ackn...I like this - you *can* love a book and still acknowledge that it has flaws. I completely agree that no book is perfect and sometimes critical reviews really can contribute to your enjoyment of the book.Julie Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06462386948229063576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453643548383938123.post-75894940445301578402014-09-27T10:48:09.682-04:002014-09-27T10:48:09.682-04:00I think you raise some really important points her...I think you raise some really important points here. I think reading criticism is a good thing and can certainly teach us more about our own thoughts and lead us to a fuller understanding of the novel as a whole. <br />I guess the main reason I don't like reading too many critical reviews is that I've come across one too many that isn't constructive and provides no basis for negative opinions. Those sorts of reviews just leave me with a bad taste in my mouth. Rather than looking for alternate opinions of books I've recently read, I tend to seek out specific reviewers who can give fair, honest reviews of positive and negative book experiences.<br />And that's such an important final message you make. Loving a book and recognizing its flaws is not only possible, but I think it makes you a stronger reader when you can do that.Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03052456915027241479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453643548383938123.post-6719167468440535732014-09-25T18:28:22.536-04:002014-09-25T18:28:22.536-04:00OK, first off, I think I'm coming from a bit o...OK, first off, I think I'm coming from a bit of a different angle here. As someone who did a B.A. in English Lit and is now in the midst of a Master's in the same subject, criticizing literature is NOT new to me and is, in fact, COMPLETELY enjoyable. I love it. And I love doing it with both books I hated, <i>and</i> books I loved. And as you say, critiquing favourite books is not enjoyable because it's an exercise in goading someone else. Like you say, I like it because it introduces me to ideas I couldn't conceive of on my own; that adds to my understanding of the book, whether or not I agree with the critique. All that to say... I also don't really understand how some people are SO resistant to criticism of their favourite books. It seems very shortsighted to me, but again, maybe that's just because I've been trained out of it after 5 years of education.<br /><br />You would have made a good English major. :)<br /><br />P.S. It kind of breaks my heart a little bit each time I come across racism in Montgomery's work. :(Kaitlyn (Bookish Comforts)https://www.blogger.com/profile/14872895217529690003noreply@blogger.com