Works you liked long after you read them

[devilishlybookish]

Jun 5, 2011 12:15:12 GMT -5 Marina said:

Jun 5, 2011 3:21:20 GMT -5 devilishlybookish said:

When I first tried to pick up Anne Rice's Interview With A Vampire I was still in middle school. Needless to say, it kind of went over my head at the time. I picked up the series again recently and adored it.

Really? Maybe I should give it a second go too then. The first time I read it I was so Extremely disappointed because so many people build up Ann Rice to like a vampire goddess writer. I was bored to death with it, I don't even know how I finished it. Too bad the girl I gave it to never returned it.

I'd say give it a second shot. I only knew Anne Rice from my Aunt's books laying around. I didn't have any expectations aside from thinking it was a "grown up" book, definitely a step up from the other vampire books I had been reading at the time (Bunnicula and The Silver Kiss). Hype only builds disappointment, if you ask me.

[Marina]

That's true enough! I hate it when that happens. And I remember reading Silver Kiss in 7th grade!

[Alis]

Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. I hated that book in high school. I hated it so much. I thought it was stupid. I thought she was a terrible writer. I thought Viktor was a piece of shit.

Last year I read it again. It was like reading a completely different book. I loved it. The issue, it turns out, is that I over-identify with Frankenstein (Viktor, not the monster) and my poor sixteen year old self couldn't deal with those particular personality flaws.

I actually think reading Ian McEwan's Atonement was a key to me learning to not hate characters that showcase the worst parts of my personality. Thanks, Briony. You gave me Frankenstein and it was amazing.