I think I'm going to quit my book club (1 Viewer)

[centen]

I know there are some people who are vibes readers, and that's fine. But this book club has changed over time from discussing themes and important reveals (which can be interesting even if the book isn't your thing) to literally just an hour of trash talking books, even if they are wrong.

They hate books where the MC meets characters who aren't immediately useful to them. They wanted the MC to travel from place to place and any troubles they encounter, to only then meet someone who would be relevant and help out the MC. (@RandAlThor - since we're both Sanderson fans, I know you'll appreciate my reaction being like "well... sometimes characters are supposed to live in a world, and it's called world building, and it makes the world not feel like a cardboard cutout where everyone is an NPC waiting for the MC to take action before they have thoughts or preferences..." I'm pretty sure Sanderson has gone WAY longer than 20 pages in between a character being introduced and their special talent being revealed.)

They called the author a bad person because the villagers in Town A outcast a female witch, but in Town B, there was a male wizard, and the villagers in Town A didn't know about the wizard, so obviously, the author hates women for not making the villagers travel across the countryside to also outcast this wizard in a completely separate town. I even pointed out "the villagers didn't know the wizard was over there, they obviously wouldn't have liked him either, given they already also outcast the main character (a man) for being 'unnatural.'" I was told that they didn't care, the author clearly just hates women.

I'm like... I don't mind trash talking an actually bad book but "I didn't pay attention to what I was reading and how dare this book make me think" is just... not fun for me. I've been in the book club for ~3 years, but the regulars have changed over time, so maybe it's not my kinda space anymore. I'm just having feelings about having to walk away from something that was really good for a long time and now kinda sucks.

 

[ChiaraStar169]

you don't need such a toxic environment anyway

 

[centen]

you don't need such a toxic environment anyway

Thank you friend. I think them taking it from "I don't like this" into "so the author is actually a bad human" is what's really made me think I need to walk away. It's fine to not like things without having to make one camp morally superior to the other camp. You can just... not like the thing.

 

[RandAlThor]

I know there are some people who are vibes readers, and that's fine. But this book club has changed over time from discussing themes and important reveals (which can be interesting even if the book isn't your thing) to literally just an hour of trash talking books, even if they are wrong.

They hate books where the MC meets characters who aren't immediately useful to them. They wanted the MC to travel from place to place and any troubles they encounter, to only then meet someone who would be relevant and help out the MC. (@RandAlThor - since we're both Sanderson fans, I know you'll appreciate my reaction being like "well... sometimes characters are supposed to live in a world, and it's called world building, and it makes the world not feel like a cardboard cutout where everyone is an NPC waiting for the MC to take action before they have thoughts or preferences..." I'm pretty sure Sanderson has gone WAY longer than 20 pages in between a character being introduced and their special talent being revealed.)

They called the author a bad person because the villagers in Town A outcast a female witch, but in Town B, there was a male wizard, and the villagers in Town A didn't know about the wizard, so obviously, the author hates women for not making the villagers travel across the countryside to also outcast this wizard in a completely separate town. I even pointed out "the villagers didn't know the wizard was over there, they obviously wouldn't have liked him either, given they already also outcast the main character (a man) for being 'unnatural.'" I was told that they didn't care, the author clearly just hates women.

I'm like... I don't mind trash talking an actually bad book but "I didn't pay attention to what I was reading and how dare this book make me think" is just... not fun for me. I've been in the book club for ~3 years, but the regulars have changed over time, so maybe it's not my kinda space anymore. I'm just having feelings about having to walk away from something that was really good for a long time and now kinda sucks.

Ack.
lets see, how long did it take for say Pippin or Merry to be 'useful'?
let em read Malazan Book of the Fallen, Dune or Wheel of Time welcome to 10,000 character's that eventually will matter.

 

[centen]

Ack.
lets see, how long did it take for say Pippin or Merry to be 'useful'?
let em read Malazan Book of the Fallen, Dune or Wheel of Time welcome to 10,000 character's that eventually will matter.

lol, right? But apparently it's "bad writing" that Frodo met Pippin and Merry before they were immediately useful! And multiple characters? In a world, doing their own thing that is not just about what the main character is up to? Who can keep track of that!

I actually did read a book once where the main character traveled around and there was immediately someone who could help with every problem in every location. New in town and trying to find the Rare Widget? Luckily, she bumped right into the person who knows exactly where it is! I thought it was boring. Like, you have no real problems, because the universe will adjust to solve all of them for you, don't worry.

The book that won for next month is a YA booktok influencer's choice so... I'm sure all of them will be very happy with that.

 

[Ahsoka]

It’s great when people share your hobbies, but that’s not the end all be all. If they like the hobby but in a much different way, there’s nothing wrong with not wanting to engage as much with them despite the shared interest. Do you have any other book club options in a reasonable area? Or even online? Just as a way that you can maybe continue book clubs, but with people who might have opinions slightly closer to yours.

 

[centen]

It’s great when people share your hobbies, but that’s not the end all be all. If they like the hobby but in a much different way, there’s nothing wrong with not wanting to engage as much with them despite the shared interest. Do you have any other book club options in a reasonable area? Or even online? Just as a way that you can maybe continue book clubs, but with people who might have opinions slightly closer to yours.

My gym has a book club, and even though they tend to read genres I'm not really into (romantasy is this month's pick), they're at least more likely to want to have a discussion, so better environment. Just need to refocus my efforts!

 

[MK3AM]

make a new 1 forget abt those ppl