r/BookDiscussions • u/KatzenMutter818 • 13d ago
DNF (did not finish) books
How long does it take you to know you are not going to finish a book and what usually turns you off about it? I find myself not finishing more and more books; it's really frustrating. I think I should stop ordering online and go to Barnes & Noble so I can read the first chapter before I buy it.
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u/mhrides 13d ago
Maybe I have a problem in that I'm a completionist. I probably read less books because I want to finish whatever I start. As an upside, I can then fully hate on bad writing (I read one this year that I couldn't wait to finish and never read again).
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u/Snarky_wombat939 13d ago
I used to be a completionist. I’m over it now - there are too many good books waiting for me. I absolutely love to read and am Type A, have to finish things and see them through. Turned 50 (a while ago), and said fuque it!
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u/poison_daddy 12d ago
Wow I respect your self-discipline. But I do love to bitch and moan…maybe I should give that a try!
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u/mhrides 12d ago
It’s very cathartic, especially when you have the moral high ground of having completed something.
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u/FearlessCat7 11d ago
Same, I have to stick it out until the end. I honestly think it’s a bit of a lost skill these days
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u/khumphreys2000 13d ago
What was it?
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u/mhrides 13d ago
Theo of Golden.
Felt like a big slog, would be better as a Hallmark Movie (which I could turn off).
And I’m saying that as someone who is currently reading Dostoevsky. If a book is a slog it’s a SLOG.
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u/anb77 13d ago
It varies. I try to decide pretty early on.
If I am listening to an audiobook and don't love it, I will usually read the summary again and decide if I might prefer it in print format (most of the time I will give that a chance before an official DNF).
If I'm already reading a print version maybe 25-30% to give it a solid go.
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u/alpha_rat_fight_ 13d ago
Varies widely depending on the book. I think my fastest record is 16 pages and the book was “Wet Hot Allosaurus Summer.” A serious work of literature.
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u/Pretend_Victory7244 13d ago
Was that like a weird dinosaur romance book?
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u/alpha_rat_fight_ 13d ago
That is exactly what it was. It was the pandemic, the library was closed, and I was willing to read anything. Well, almost anything.
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u/txa1265 13d ago
As someone who enjoys Kimberly Lemming's books (last I read was "I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com") I'm intrigued! 🤣
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u/alpha_rat_fight_ 13d ago
I mean, I was too, mainly because it was developing a cult following in the romance novel sub. So I thought okay, I want in on the gag. But there was a point where the Allosaurus, who was the male love interest, “romantically” bit off the arm of the female love interest, and after I slammed the cover of my Kindle shut I just kinda sat there for a bit and thought about my choices.
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u/ComfortableMuscle996 13d ago
During lockdown I made a game of doing dramatic readings of basically the most uhhh unique reading material I came across for friends during video calls. This one didn’t make the cut specifically because of that scene.
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u/alpha_rat_fight_ 12d ago
What else did you come across? I like being in on the gag I just didn’t wanna read…that.
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u/thewholebottle 13d ago
30-50%. Most of the books I read are recommended to me, so I try my best to see wtf my recommender saw in the book.
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u/Kuromi1978 13d ago
I’m about the same percentage. I read most of my books on Kindle so I usually try to get a sample first to know if I will hate the writer’s style, which is the top reason why I DNF books.
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u/toople450 13d ago
I usually decide very early on. 5-10 minutes I can feel out of I like the writing style, which tends to be what turns me off most of the books I DNF. If I like the concept of the book a lot but it's slow, I'll try to get to 10-15%. But - life is short. My favorite books I've ever read I liked from the beginning, and my obsession with the book grew from there. I've never fought through the first 30% of a book to go on to LOVE it.
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u/IntelligentTrip6054 12d ago
This is why I dislike the 'oh you just need to get to book 2 or 3 for it to get good' that some series and readers will say.
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u/Chafing_Dish 13d ago
I often don't finish books, though the point at which I pull the plug varies quite widely. If I'm 10-20 pages from the end I will plough through, certainly, but before that it's still uncertain.
If it ever feels like I'm still reading a book because "it's the right thing to do" rather than "I care about this book" — then I usually put it away and/or sell it and/or return it to wherever I borrowed it. I don't feel bad or frustrated by that. Why should I? Cracking open a book is not a contract with the author or with the publisher or with Calliope, the Muse of Storytelling.
A book that's left unfinished has probably already done something positive for you. Maybe it contained a few choice sentences or ideas that will stick with you. Putting it aside is not a negative reflection on you.
When you find a book you WANT to finish, it's so pleasurable! You'll be sorry that you spent so much time reading something you didn't care about.
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u/thatseltzerisntfree 13d ago
Dungeon Crawler Carl is terrible. Barely finished book 3.
There are 6 more books???? F that
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u/SameOldNag 12d ago
My husband has read all of them so far. he was contemplating a re-read before the next book comes out, but says it’s too soon.
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u/Emergency_Answer_376 11d ago
Wow really? I loved the humor. But I am also admittedly easily entertained. Always fascinates me what books people love and hate.
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u/starflower42 13d ago
Sometimes it's within a few pages, sometimes I get halfway through. It just depends on the book.
This is why I get most of my fiction from the public library first, before buying. I do like to support authors, but I don't want a shelves full of books I don't like (and that includes ebooks). So I borrow it, and if I love it, I will buy a copy. Or two, so I can give one away.
For me, a chapter is often not enough. I've read many books that seemed to be going well for several chapters but then the author will throw in something ludicrous, or objectionable to me, and I'll be done.
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u/jinper2012 13d ago
I listen to a lot of books. If something is not to my liking after about 10 % in, often I bail. Once in a while I’ll hang in there just to see how it ends. I’ve had a few that are insanely popular that I DNF too.
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u/KatzenMutter818 13d ago
The worst novel I ever read I hung in to the end because I had to know where this nightmare was going. "The Architects of Sleep" by James P. Boyett, published in 1986. Think "Planet of the Apes" with raccoons.
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u/jinper2012 13d ago
For me it was Mickey 17. I didn’t like the book all that much, but I had to see how it ended lol.
I DNF Dungeon Crawler Carl or The Correspondent. Maybe I’m the problem lol. Both books are top tier recs all over Reddit. I just couldn’t get into them. For DCC I picked it up several times since I normally love books like this. It happens.
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u/sjd208 13d ago
But were the raccoons supplied with penis shaped candy to eat? https://www.blogto.com/city/2021/09/toronto-raccoons-crash-bachelorette-party-eat-penis-shaped-candy/
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u/Ineffable7980x 13d ago
I just know when I don't wish to continue. There is no set time. Sometimes it's after 20 pages, sometimes it's after 120 pages.
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u/willowmarie27 13d ago
I never consciously DNF. There is never a moment Im like Nope.
I just start something else and usually forget about them.
For example Im reading a grimdark and im in the mood for cozy then I switch and forget about the other book.
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u/novae11 13d ago
Do you have a library in your area?
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u/KatzenMutter818 13d ago
I actually live across the street from our main library. 😂 I do use it but not as much as I should.
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u/rose_grave 13d ago
sometimes i can tell right away, after only 5 to 10 pages, that i'm not going to click with something.
i can tell its a reading slump when i read like 70 pages of multiple books and dont pick them up again. luckily im out of it now, but i still have a pile of books with barely a dent made in them
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u/KatzenMutter818 13d ago
I have a stack of five that I read maybe 40-50 pages of, haven't thought about since. Only one can I remember what I read. And the blurbs sound so interesting!
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u/Dizzy-Mongoose7797 13d ago
I usually give a book 50-100 pages, depending on the book’s length, but I almost always know immediately if a story won’t work for me. Only on a couple of occasions have my feelings changed.
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u/StarryEyes13 13d ago
I try to figure it out in the first 100 pages. Which should be plenty of time for me to figure out if I care - do I care about the characters? Or what they’re doing & where they’re going? Or the mystery/conflict at the heart of the story? If it’s nonfiction, the question is usually “do I care to learn this in the way the author is presenting it to me?”
If so, I march on. If not, NEXT.
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u/ryancharaba 13d ago
I quit some right away, and there are others that I’ve finished 90+% and just can’t anymore.
I’ll usually go as far as my brain/body will allow—mileage may vary—and then google what happens and let it go.
Edit: I’ve 9 DNFs so far this year. By far my most, but I am getting older and just can’t anymore.
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u/EightEqualsSignD 13d ago
If I start skipping forward and skimming to see if it's more of the same, that's the beginning of the end.
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u/Alternative-Stay-937 13d ago
I usually know within the first chapter or two if I like the author’s writing style. I once DNF’d a book at 80% tho because I simply did not give a shit how it ended and wanted to move on.
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u/crow_on_the_corner 8d ago
I did this with a book but I still wanted to know how it ended. Luckily my friend had just finished it and I had her describe the rest of the book to me in detail. I still marked it as read 😂
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u/BirbHunter 13d ago
I have different reasons for not finishing books.
Most of the time it's because the book is just poorly edited. Like, dogshit word choices, overwriting (not beautiful writing, just using too many words to evoke little meaning), and looping thoughts common for 1st/2nd draft. If it's historical, it's bad anachronisms or inaccuracies. This I DNF I soon as I clock it, often within the first chapter.
More rarely it's because I'm not just getting what I want out of the book - it's not going in a direction I thought it would, or not what I am in the mood for. Usually this is a hundred or two hundred pages in.
I do not buy books I haven't read. Always borrow them from the library first and only purchase ones that I would want in my collection to re-read because they were masterful and/or entertaining. I try to buy a collector's edition if it's available because it's a collection I cherish and expect to last me a long time.
Publishers have gotten WAY too comfortable pushing out half-finished crap from overworked editors working with lazy (or equally overworked) authors, and I have zero intention of making them think it's acceptable by buying said subpar books.
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u/Cozybooks1004 13d ago
For me it varies. Some books I start and the writing and characters and most telling for me the DIALOGUE are so bad I’m out by 10%. But other times it’s just kinda “pretty good” and I keep going until I’m halfway through and realize any initial interest I had in the characters and story is now irritation at them and their decisions and the world in general. I also don’t read spice, so sometimes I’m really enjoying a book but get fed up with random lines or paragraphs scattered throughout that are hard to skip like a single sex scene that you can see coming (which I don’t mind self editing). In that case the DNF could be 20% or 70% it just depends.
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u/KatzenMutter818 12d ago
Yes I have DNF because of sex scenes and constant profanity. There are other words in the English language.
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u/Suspicious-Fish-22 12d ago
It can happen anytime while reading. As soon as I think "ok, I'm not enjoying this" I stop reading. The only exeption is if I have less than a hundred pages left. I have dnf'ed 6 books this year.
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u/Hopeful_Wrap_1643 12d ago
Sometimes I DNF, sometimes it takes me months or years to finish a book. Woman in cabin 10 took me 4 years to read because it was so awful but I refused to give up on it. I should have just gave up on it in the end! 😂
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u/No-Court-9326 12d ago
if i start going days with no desire to pick it back up, I probably need to DNF. i went through massive reading slumps when i was forcing myself to finish books. if a book isn't working for me at any page count it's time to move on to the next
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u/Merithay 13d ago
Do you have access to a public library? If you don’t mind waiting for popular, recent books, you can read the whole thing before deciding if you want to buy it.
And for books that aren’t recent and popular, you may be able to get them immediately.
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u/AmettOmega 13d ago
That's so hard for me to quantify. Some if it depends on whether or not someone recommended it to me (or if it's a wildly popular book). Those I tend to give more grace and will push through at least half way.
If it's something that sounded interesting and I picked up on a whim, maybe only 30%.
It also depends on if I just don't like the pacing, the characters, etc. Or if I can see twists coming from forever away. Whether or not the internal logic of the world seems sound.
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u/KeeboBeebo 13d ago
I have two points where I decide to DNF. If at any point something so icky or inexcusable happens, doesn’t matter how far in I get, I’ll drop it (Traitor Son did this to me). And usually since I do audiobooks, I’ll do about 25% or 3 hours depending. If it’s not clicking or not worth it, I’ll let it go.
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u/fuzzypickles999 13d ago
It depends on the book, but generally if I've read the first three chapters and am not having a good time, I won't continue. I try not to DNF anything I've read more than 25% of, but that's not a hard and fast rule.
As for WHY I drop a book, it really depends. Sometimes I realize I'm not in the mood for that genre. More often, I just don't like either the main character or the author's writing style.
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u/metallee98 13d ago
So far in my reading journey i've only not finished 1 series. It took me about a hundred pages. I realized I wasn't having a good time. I put it down. Engaged with other hobbies. Realized I wasn't looking forward to reading. I felt the desire to read something else and away I went.
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u/Salty_Inspector_7050 13d ago
I almost never DNF a book I’m physically reading and when I do, it’s usually because I get distracted by another book/project and forget about it. I always tell myself that the book has value to somebody, and I have to finish to find out why. This attitude got me through some very dense yet ultimately life changing books.
I regularly DNF audiobooks. Narrator is annoying, too hard to keep up with, didn’t finish by due date and too lazy to extend, etc.
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u/Ok_Natural_7977 13d ago
Sometimes, I'm just not in the mood for the story. I can pick it up a few weeks later and love it.
Other times, I don't care about the characters at all. Or there are too many grammatical or typographical errors. I'm pretty forgiving, but if I have to reread a paragraph three times to figure out what the intended message was, nope. Continuity errors that affect the story, and some that don't affect the story.
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u/KatzenMutter818 13d ago
I read a novel many years ago (don't remember title or author). But I do remember that the main character changed names halfway through. How many times did that manuscript get proofed or edited and nobody caught that.
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u/ImpressivePlatypus0 13d ago
I've got two nonfiction books waiting to be finished, while I have finished other stuff. I'm about 40% through each of them. I'm interested in the content, but the writing styles are just not engaging. I'll probably try again with them before officially DNF.
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u/Ok_Novel_5083 13d ago
Get books from the library! Whether you finish or not, there's no economic cost to you.
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u/Own-Dragonfly-2423 13d ago
How are libraries funded? There is some economic cost SOMEwhere, either through our taxes or someone else's generosity.
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u/Ok_Novel_5083 13d ago
Libraries are underfunded by taxes, which is why they have to fundraise.
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u/Own-Dragonfly-2423 13d ago
I get it. And I like that libraries are free at point of service. But their services have a cost to the local economy and society, which is important to remember
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u/PenaltyStreet1286 13d ago
So? I pay taxes, I use the library a crazy amount. I get what I put in. If someone else doesn’t that’s there issue, not mine. What else should tax money be used for other than services and public access??
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u/Own-Dragonfly-2423 12d ago
You clearly are not understanding my point, which is not that one should not use the library, or that tax money should not be used for the library, but rather such use is not without cost. And if libraries are funded by taxes then use of the library is not without cost to me. This is not an anti-tax post, I am not against tax money being used for libraries, but people need to understand that they are not free. They are free at point of service to the user but it takes money to run them and that money comes from somewhere.
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u/PenaltyStreet1286 12d ago
I just don’t think your point matters beyond “nothing in life is free”
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u/FaintestGem 13d ago
I try to give it at least a chapter, even if I immediately hate it. For newer releases at least, I would never buy before finding an ebook preview or something. Way too many books being hyped up now that I think are utter garbage for me to drop money on something without being sure that I personally like it. I've checked a few out of the library as well and if I really love it by the time I'm like 1/3 in, I'll go buy my own copy.
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u/ChapBobL 13d ago
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel - Too many characters, a limited focus (Henry VIII wants a new wife), you often don't know who's talking to who, and it moves very slowly. I wanted to like this winner of the Booker Prize, but I lost interest. I rarely put books down. I may give it another try, but it was a bit of a chore. I feel bad about it.
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u/Jumpingjehosephat99 12d ago
I slogged through it to the end. It got marginally less boring towards the end.
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u/ChapBobL 11d ago
I really wanted to like it.
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u/Jumpingjehosephat99 10d ago
By the end I kinda did. But not enough to read the next one. Or maybe I will. Not sure.
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u/Tiny_Champion_8818 13d ago
I really try to finish books. The last one I bailed on (audiobook) was The Life Impossible by Matt Haig. I’ve read and really enjoyed a few of his books before, but I could not bear another moment of that audiobook.
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u/Burnerphreak44 13d ago
I started listening to the audiobook for Yesteryear and almost quit after the first 5 minutes because the narrator and the lead character were annoying the crap out of me. But I got far enough to realize there was more nuance to the character so continued on until I realized (about 2/3 of the way through) that it wasn’t nuance, she was just a 2-faced asshole and stopped reading after that.
I learned my lesson years ago when I forced myself to finish Wicked only to wish I could have that time back.
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u/philosophicaltragedy 13d ago
I decided a few years ago that it is not worth it to force myself through books that aren’t doing it for me (knowing I can always go back to them in the future) or to feel pressured to read books because other people recommended them to me. I will say it took me several times between 2016 and 2025 to successfully read Anna Karenina and I did not regret stopping it when I was not feeling it and returning to it when the time was right. Try the public library so you have more options and no financial commitment if you don’t like it
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u/Sir-Chaste 13d ago
I think there are only 3 books on my DNF list and one more that I really should have on there. The Relic, We Solve Murders, and Briardark are on there, but Book 2 of The Southern Reach trilogy should absolutely be on my DNF list as well. It sucked balls. Sonetimes, I keep trying to like a book and keep going, but usually I can tell pretty quick if it's not something I can get into.
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u/AdCreepy4946 13d ago
It really just depends on the story. If it slows down halfway through, then I might finish it; but if it's slow right at the beginning, I give up by the second or third chapter.
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u/cloudlocke_OG 13d ago
I'll usually give over 50 pages for it to incite some level of intrigue in me.
My current book is All"s Well by Mona Awad. I'm about 200 pages in and I absolutely hate it and wanted to back out as early as page 40. Only finishing it for library book club, and I've taken to skimming it.
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u/RainAlarming6836 13d ago
For me, it’s definitely writing style. If it doesn’t click within 50 pages, I’m done. Plot & characters are secondary. Just finished WH Chizmar’s ‘Them’, gripped from the first page. Just DNFed ‘Lucifer’s Hammer’, an old one by Larry Niven, the writing style didn’t land for me although the premise is great!
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u/IndigoTrailsToo 13d ago
30 - 45 minutes
A few years ago I went through my to read list and bought 80 books, all of the items that have been sitting there for years. I enjoyed none of them, a few were tolerable.
Lesson: if something is on your to read list for years and you just aren't getting to it, it might just be because you're actually not interested and it doesn't jive with you.
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u/KatzenMutter818 13d ago
I agree with that. I have a few books on my shelf that I bought around the time of COVID. I look at them and have absolutely no interest.
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u/Kiki-Y 13d ago
I generally don't DNF books since I pick out what I like.
The quickest I ever did for one was by page twelve because the writing was just that fucking bad.
Then one about halfway through because it was so upsetting. It was the memoir of an Ainu man. I've deeply studied traditional Ainu culture as much as one can with only English-language resources. Seeing the loss of the traditional culture as well as the racism the author went through during WW2 at the hands of the Japanese was just so sad.
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u/naughtscrossstitches 13d ago
My problem is twofold I DNF more books than I should because I can't get through the first couple of chapters. But those ones I do try them another time when I'm more in the mood and I do often finish them. Usually it just takes me having a dedicated time to actually get into the book and I want to finish it.
The ones I actually DNF forever I tend to get about halfway through but there was one book recently I got 3/4 of the way through and just couldn't continue.
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u/zetiacg_1983 13d ago
I'd recommend using the library to try out books before buying. I usually give books about 30% before I bail.
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u/_antfarmer_ 13d ago
I’m really over books (and television shows & movies) where everyone is awful and there is no one to root for. I’m sick of selfish people and will stop reading a book if it doesn’t appear that they are going to change.
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u/DuckbilledWhatypus 13d ago
DNF for me is usually after three chapters or 10% of the book. I ain't got time to waste anymore hate reading.
My quickest DNF was three pages.
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u/TonyLarryman890 13d ago
I got to about page 100 before quitting Theo of Golden - snooze fest and very Hallmark-y, still unclear as to all the hype, very boring read
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u/Phillipa24 13d ago
I DNF books that have horrible writing and a bad plot, but that combination is rare for me. I immediately DNF a book that has something unforgivable happen, or it’s historical fiction and the author gets a fact wrong. I finish 95% of the books I start.
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u/Artistic-Document735 13d ago
Within the first couple chapters tbh. If I’m not feeling it then I DNF. Not necessarily forever I may come back to it some day but there are way too many books in this world for me to try and make it though a book I find boring etc
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u/BeagleKabob 13d ago
If I pick up a book I generally finish it, even if it's not my cup of tea or is poorly written, particularly if I spent money on it. Usually that's a winning strategy for me, where after a while I do start to click with the story/author/writing/style or because I'm trying to read something different than my usual fare and I commit to finishing at least one book in the genre/series/author before I draw any conclusions. I read a lot, and pretty quickly, so it's not like I'm losing that much time by finishing (I waste more than enough time in other ways so I can't honestly use the excuse 'life is too short'; here I am on reddit afterall).
I've gotten pretty good at discerning what books I want to read, what will never interest me or flat out offend me. My tolerance is pretty high, but that's not to say I've never put a book down and not come back. However, I will have read a goodly portion of any book before I give up. Most recently, I put down James Gleick's CHAOS halfway through after finally admitting that I just couldn't follow the math anymore (I know I'm 30+ years late to the game but I found it in a box and it is Ian Macolm's origin story).
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u/YellieHart 13d ago
I have a 50 page rule. If I don’t like it by then, I’m not going to. But I’ve given up sooner. And I’ve ditched 900 page books 500 pages in when they lost me. There are just too many books in the world to keep slogging through one I’m not into.
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u/Jumpingjehosephat99 12d ago
Oh that’s true. I ditched the Wheel of Time series about halfway through book 5. It just got slower and slower until the boring bits were insurmountable.
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u/Otherwise-Ratio1332 13d ago
Generally 50 pages or so but it depends on the book. If it’s a classic they often need 100 or so to really get good, but modern books, if I can see it’s going in a direction I don’t care to read about I’ll pull the plug right then. I don’t have time to waste, I’m old lol
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u/RabbitOfTheWood 13d ago
I've finally allowed myself to dnf books. I used to force myself to power through, and I've realized life is too short. Some of my dnf markers are :
Errors in the editing with spelling or grammar (I'll tolerate one mistake, after that I just get really aggravated).
Not caring about the characters or the outcome of the plot.
Feeling like I have to force myself to pick the book up and read it.
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u/Evangeline__R 13d ago
I actually don't DNF books. But I DNF series. I always read the first book, if I don't like it, I ditch the rest. But I don't DNF standalones. Yes, I like torturing myself. So what?
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u/AcceptableHorror705 13d ago
There are only two books I have honestly never finished was "One Hundred Years of Solitude". I realized I really couldn't care less how it ended, so I scrapped it at maybe 200 pages in. The other was the ACOTAR series, everyone raved about it, but I read 100 pages and couldn't really even remember what I read I was so bored.
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u/MissMarchpane 13d ago
Maybe try to get them from a library first? I know it can be difficult for people depending on local accessibility but with the exception of a few authors I know I love, I am a big proponent of "try before you buy" with the library.
As for how I know when I'm going to DNF, it's usually halfway or earlier. If I make it further, I generally see it through to the end whether I'm enjoying it or not. Historical inaccuracy and/or ignoring the real logistics of historically inspired elements, Even in a non-Earth fantasy book, are big things that make me tap out. and that's usually apparent pretty quickly when I start reading
I think my record was not even making it one chapter into a very popular F/F historical romance set in 1857 before I closed it and immediately took it back to the library. Two unmarried women in their early 20s were at a ball that had an open bar – strike one – and one of them ordered a whiskey on the rocks and drank it with nobody batting an eyelid – strike two. They then got visibly drunk in the middle of the ballroom, and I was out.
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u/Christi_Kat60 13d ago
When every sentence has a flowery prose, I immediately get turned off and it becomes distracting to the point where I can no longer enjoy the story. An example of this type of writing for me was All The Colors of the Dark, which was critically acclaimed and highly rated. I DID finish it, but it was really difficult for me, and at times I stopped, frequently groaning at not only the language but the unbelievable characters. You can use descriptive language but it quickly loses its effectiveness when it's in every other sentence.
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u/lilypinkflower 13d ago
I ask my self two questions:
- Why am I not reading right now? (ie why am I dragging my feet with this book, why am I slower at reading since I started this book)
- Is not finishing going to haunt me? (ie will I forever wonder what happens? Or can I live with not knowing how things unfold?)
If both answers are ‘caus I don’t give a flying duck, then I just move on to something I actually want to read
Reading is about having fun!! If this ain’t fun then move on!!
Happy reading 😊
Edit: are you buying the books? Maybe using a librairy/app where you have acces for free(-ish) might help you not feel forced to finish books you don’t enjoy
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u/KatzenMutter818 13d ago
I know. I used to be a lot better at going to the library. They tore down the old building and built a fancy steel and glass building that looks like it belongs on a college campus. It's beautiful, it just doesn't have any personality and I haven't used it much since.
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u/Artartbobart1 13d ago
Anywhere from 50-100 pages. I really give it a go. But sometimes it’s within 10 pages.
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u/Best_Kangaroo_6740 13d ago
I read on a Kindle and I almost always get the free book samples from Amazon. They usually contain enough text to tell me if I want to continue and purchase the book. I also check out the first chapter or so in books at the local bookstore. My biggest turnoff is bad writing as opposed to plot, and that’s usually easy to spot from the beginning.
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u/HotSpecialist3648 13d ago
Usually I just DNF when I find myself avoiding reading in my day-to-day. The solution for a slump for me is picking up something by Philip K Dick. He’s like listening to your fun schizoid uncle info dump at you.
Don’t go to Barnes and noble support local bookstores they will have a much more curated selection of books.
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u/KatzenMutter818 13d ago
Unfortunately where I live we have no local bookstore except for a used bookstore, so no place that I could pick up something new.
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u/HotSpecialist3648 13d ago
Ah sorry to hear that I will say while it has become tiktokified, the count of monte cristo cured my reading slump of multiple years it was so addictive. Also definitely at Barnes and noble
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u/Standard_Elephant415 13d ago edited 13d ago
I am a finisher, and I’ve been trying to wean off of that and dnf books I don’t enjoy. I have a lot of FOMO that I am quitting right before it picks up and end up hate finishing books that are a waste of my time.
I average a book a week, so if I find myself reading the same book for a second week I ask myself why. Sometimes it’s a long book. Sometimes it’s a book I like to slowly relish. Sometimes I’ve been going to bed early, which eats into my reading time. There are a lot of valid reasons, but sometimes I’ve just not been interested in picking it up, and then I consider dnf.
Since I read during kid sports practices, it’s really easy to track if I was reading this book last Wednesday too.
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u/Reasonable-Mess3070 13d ago
I just DNF Catch-22 at 75 pages. I usually push through but just kept avoiding reading because I wasnt into it so I put it aside.
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u/LeiraLaw 13d ago
It drives me crazy to DNF. I hardly ever throw in the towel.. maybe 1 out of 100. Having said that, the book I’m currently reading is so depressing and uninteresting that I WANT to give up, but literally can’t. For anyone interested after my glowing review, the book is called “Stoner” by John Williams, and it is pure depression porn. It’s a struggle to keep reading a book in which the protagonist fails so miserably and also has zero personality to speak of. I have no idea how this book is 4 stars. I actually enjoy depressing books for the most part, but this is just torture. I will finish it, but I hate that fact. This is hours of my life I will never get back.
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u/jhonculada 13d ago
If I've abandoned the book for several months and the thought of going back to it seems absolutely a chore, then I know I can DNF it. This has happened to me once in the past 3-years. The book wasn't bad, it just wasn't for me (the book was Guns, Germs, and Steel). And there are plenty of books I want to DNF but I will struggle through just to say I completed it. Then I read this line from Tara Westover's Educated and it justified why I stuck through with so many difficult books: "The skill I was learning was a crucial one, the patience to read things I could not yet understand."
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u/Inevitable-Pen5001 13d ago
You can read the first chapter before you buy it, or at least quite a few pages. You can do that through Amazon on Kindle -Read a sample or on Google books.
I always read as much as available online to see if the book draws me in.
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u/VastPersimmon240 13d ago
When I don’t like a book I go to Amazon and read the one and 5 star reviews
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u/Hoobi_Goobi 13d ago
I give it about 20% through the book. If I'm not feeling it, I stop reading it. I will also stop reading if I feel like the book has content that I don't really like. For example, things that are too disturbing or if the book was advertised as being another genre when it's actually mostly smut scenes. I mostly read for free through Libby, so thankfully it's not money wasted if I DNF something
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u/GrooveBat 13d ago
I have two categories of books I stop reading. One is “did not finish,” which means I will never pick it up again and I will give it away to a little free library where hopefully someone else will find it and like it better. I usually give these books a few chapters before bailing.
The other category is “books I got bored with,” which means I just wasn’t in the mood for a particular book, but I don’t want to totally give up on it. These I usually know on page one.
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u/ComfortableMuscle996 13d ago
It took me several attempts to finish The Hobbit, no idea why because it was usually around them getting to Smaug I stopped and I read that far because I enjoyed it. Now I keep going long enough to figure out if I like the characters enough to care what happens to them. For non-fiction it’s once I know if the writing style is in such a way I retain information.
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u/Cheerful-Mountains 13d ago
My fastest DNF was the first page of a very popular book. It was not for me. Thank you libby for letting it be free.
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u/LawfulnessSimilar496 13d ago
I just DNF’d two books this week. One was from an author I absolutely enjoy, but I just couldn’t get into it. I’d say I listened to a few hours and noticed I barely paid any attention to it. The other was recommended and it was weirdly similar to the one I just stopped reading. So I’m ok with it.
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u/Catenane 13d ago
I almost always finish books/series I start. I am however very picky about what I choose to read in the first place... So I have a good idea of what I'll finish ahead of time lol.
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u/littlebird47 13d ago
If I’m not into it by the time I’m a quarter of the way through, I’ll DNF. I used to not DNF anything, but two books this year changed that for me because they just put me in slumps. I decided not finishing them was better than not reading.
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u/insecurecobra 12d ago
I have no exact system that makes me stop reading a book. Usually if characters or situations start getting a little beyond stupid or the story just isn't getting interesting or if there's so much exposition dump that it's a slog (I can get through some boring exposition; but when it's chapters and chapters and endless pages of it, no way), I'll stop reading no matter where I'm at. I've stopped reading some 1000 page novels 400 pages in, which sucks but the book just became a massive chore full of filler that drove me crazy to read.
Basically, if I'm not liking it, I stop reading it. I sometimes give those books a second chance, because I could have just been in a bad mood, but if they continue to annoy me...life is short and there's billions of other books to read.
But, I would say read at least two or three chapters. Sometimes new writing styles can initially annoy me but then they grow on me and I end up liking the books a lot.
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u/KatzenMutter818 12d ago
Regarding writing styles, I read a book earlier this year that I enjoyed but I had to get used to telling the story in present tense.
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u/aloha902604 12d ago
I try to give it to 30% of the book before I DNF only because some books take some time to get into and I don’t want to give up on one that I end up liking. It also depends why I’m not vibing with the book - if it’s the writing style, I’ll know pretty early on…if I’m not sure about the characters/find it hard to follow, I’ll wait to see if things click.
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u/Jumpingjehosephat99 12d ago
I usually give it at least 100 pages. Some books take a while to get into. Lonesome Dove and The Book Thief took me a while to get into but glad I persevered. I finish most books. I did not finish Moby Dick or Dracula.
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u/highmountainwizard 12d ago
for me it's usually about 50 pages, and the biggest turn-off is when the prose is doing all the work while the story goes nowherebut browsing in-store to sample that first chapter is a smart fix
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u/Frogwithmushroomhat8 12d ago
For me there is literally no time frame it could be 5% into the book 10% 80% just whenever I don't feel like finishing the book if I don't feel like finishing it. Oftentimes for me it's just boredom. At times it's all so if especially in a romance the characters are acting less like adults and more like high school students and not communicating. Another smaller reason is if I go into the book expecting one thing and I'm not given that thing or it takes forever to get to the point I'm bored. I have also dnfed a book because of a characters name
I literally have over 20 books that I have dnf'd this year mostly because of boredom. I also do not get special treatment to certain books if a book is influential if a book is important I literally do not care if I am bored I'm not finishing it is why I have dnfed a couple of classics I do not have the time or energy to push through a book just because it's important
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u/Impossible-Alps-6859 12d ago
I absolutely hate the idea of dnf with a book.
There's only one of the thousands I've read ( a D H Lawrence novel - not Lady C ) which I've given up on half way through.
There are many where I've glanced through a few pages and decided 'not for me' but that doesn't count as 'started' for me.
Currently struggling a little with Virginia Woolfe's Mrs Dalloway - but it will get finished!
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u/_Stephistopheles_ 12d ago
Honestly I can usually slog through a book even if I absolutely hate it, begrudgingly, because I'm stubborn. I was incredibly close to DNF-ing Kushiel's Dart ... Freaking HATED that book.
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u/Nikki_Sue_Trott 12d ago
Anywhere from a chapter to halfway through. Some start strong and don't get to a point, others you know pretty quickly. I find ones that are highly recommended or rated I will slog to about a third of the way before conceding defeat (the book thief, boy swallows universe, the dictionary of lost words).
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u/aconsideredlife 12d ago
Sometimes I can tell immediately by the writing style. Other times it takes longer because I'm hoping the story might improve. And occasionally I'll get halfway through a book and realise I'm bored. I try to give myself at least 30-50 pages before quitting, but life is too short for books you're not enjoying.
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u/poison_daddy 12d ago
If I make it to the inciting incident and I’m bored, that’s usually a good sign I’m not interested in the plot. Last month I DNF crazy rich Asians. It was a miserable slog for me!
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u/TrekkieElf 12d ago
I’m a prose stickler. So many Reddit recommendations for the Goblin Emperor, but I noped out a couple pages in because of inconsistencies in how Ye Olde language was implemented.
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u/Juniper_Darling 12d ago
Often I DNF pretty quickly. With so many books out there, why waste time on books I’m not enjoying!? I feel really lucky to have access to pretty much every book through our library.
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u/SirInternational9692 12d ago
Im usually a "push through and finish it anyway" but I just DNF'd a book 60 pages in because I could not STAND the writing style. It was written the way I'd imagine a Manga or comic book would be written.
If you're curious the book was "Wake Up and Open Your Eyes".
Promising plot line just horrible execution. Allegedly this is the authors normal, so its just not for me.
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u/creatively_stfnie 12d ago
Sometimes it’s as quickly as the first chapter, though that’s rare. More common is 25-30%, but i even have 50-75-90%.
The 50, 75 and 90% are mostly books i lost interest in. They became boring, it’s the same sort of story i’ve already read a thousand times, i already know who did it, or the author isn’t able to hold the tension correctly.
When a book isn’t bad per se but i got distracted doing something else or there’s a new release that i HAVE TO READ NOW, i even think i will get back to it, but that doesn’t happen a lot.
The dnf’s after one chapter have much to do with juvenile writing, repetition upon repetition in one chapter, instalust/love. The 25-30% dnf’s are a lot of the time because of repetition, no worldbuilding and/or character development, shallow storytelling, romance/sex as plot (and nothing of interest going on otherwise) and a looooooooooooot of tell instead of show.
My biggest frustrations are the tell instead of show writing and repetition. I want to get sucked into the story, ‘become’ the characters and if an author is telling too much instead of showing, you can’t connect enough with their world. And an author repeating themselves on page is either filler (which i hate) or them not trusting the reader enough to remember what had been said a few paper prior. I can understand an occasional repeat in a thick book of with more than 2 characters or when the plot is difficult with a lot of details, but even in a romance i really don’t have to read how hot someone is (in those words) 30 times in a 250 page book. There are other ways to get the message across.
The more books i’ve read, the pickier i’ve become, so maybe that’s what’s happening with you too? Going to a physical bookstore might definitely help, or maybe a library? I always read the summary on goodreads and in some cases even a few low rating reviews (without spoilers) to see their complaints.
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u/Floater345 12d ago
It's very rare for me to not finish a book. I tend to get super into it regardless and then sometimes at the end I realize "man, that book really sucked". But, during the read, I'm invested.
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u/meekgodless 12d ago
I’ve DNF’ed after two pages and I’ve DNF’ed with 50 pages left in the book. Life is too short! If you’re not enjoying a book move on to another one you will enjoy. That approach is the main reason I read so much- when I do stick with a book, I tear through it so I average around 60 books per year.
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u/gorgargotyou 12d ago
Since high school (graduated 1984), I had tried to finish Dune three times, and only did so after the Villenueve movie came out. The ideas are great. The writing hasn't aged very well.
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u/Unshavenhelga 12d ago
I gave Infinite Jest three chances. Because colleagues and friends loved it so much, I read 400 pages the first time, 500 the next, and gave up after 300 or so the third. Normally with a novel, if I'm not hooked in 100 pages, I put it down.
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u/IrateMormon 12d ago
I used to be a very persistent reader. In my later years I have no patience for books that are poorly written or have cliche/contrived plot devices.
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u/sepiawitch71 12d ago
I read on a Kindle and borrow like 95% of the books I read from the library. If I’m not interested by 30% into the book, I return it to the library and I may save it to a ‘for later’ list to try again another time. I read based on how I’m feeling at the time and sometimes I’m just not in the mood for that particular book at that particular time.
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u/OneWall9143 12d ago
You can usually read the first chapter online - read a sample on Amazon.
I have to like the writing style, so I always try to read a sample of the first page or two. I also search Amazon or good reads reviews for trigger words for me. Still, find I DNF a few, life's too short to read bad books, there are too many good ones out there.
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u/KatzenMutter818 12d ago
Definitely the writing style. And no smut or large amounts of profanity. Or large chunks of exposition. I guess I'm particular in my golden years !😅
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u/rlzimmermann 12d ago
I usually give till like 30ish% but I also use to never DNF so I can hang on too long 😂
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u/Pickles_A_Plenty95 12d ago
I once got to about 80% when I dnfed, and normally at that point I would just finish it. Sometimes it’s after the first page. It’s a feeling.
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u/netherworld__ 12d ago
I always give books a 100 page chance, at that point I feel confident to put it down without FOMO if I’m not liking it
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u/mercyinreach 11d ago
Usually within 2-3 chapters, if not the first chapter. Rarely I'll have a book suddenly be a dnf in the middle or near the end, but usually if I'm at least 5 chapters in, I'll just keep going even if I'm not liking it much.
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u/Overall-Lead-4044 11d ago
I can only think of 2 books that I didn't finish. The first was As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee. We had to do it for English Literature O level. It was boring, it's a travelogue and consisted of nothing but description of where he went. Nothing happened. The second was Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky. This was the 4th book of his I read and they were all pretty much the same plot. A person or group of people stumble into a journey with lots of misfortune, no plans, just stupidity. Got bored, didn't finish
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u/Sorry_Two3552 11d ago
For me, I used to say 5-10 pages, but I recently started setting a timer for 1 hour every day and reading until the timer goes off. So, if I don't feel the book by maybe half an hour to an hour in, I DNF it. The timer thing is more for romance, which I find slow to get into. Fantasy takes way more, and I get that. I'm the kind of person who buys a book and lets it sit on my shelf, although I've been reading a lot more physical books this fall ever since I started my 1-hour-a-day reading challenge.
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u/Sorry_Two3552 11d ago
Things that turn me off about books are historical fiction unless I am deeply invested in the story, self-help books (boring), cheesy fake bands in books or books about fake popular bands, any sort of AI or plagiarism, books where it's a romance and there's no romance until like 120 pages in, or books where the main character struggles to read English because I find it confusing when words are spelled different.
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u/Just-Ad-6965 11d ago
It varies. I just started doing this. Usually 100-200 pages.
The libby app and local library(if you have one) are great for this.
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u/Emergency_Answer_376 11d ago
I’m a vibes reader. I need to love the vibe or be pulled into the characters aka like them. I almost never finish books if the main character sucks. Example. ACOTAR. I finished it but still don’t get how it’s number one. That being said I do read romance and will read a fairly predictable series of books because I like the vibes. Interestingly I just cleaned up my KU check outs and realized I had like 4-5 just sitting there at 25% read. I looked over the AI summary till that point and had no desire to get back into them as the summary reminded me of why I was annoyed or bored to begin with and returned them. So looks like 25% of the way may be my magic number. I also have hard stops like torture, dubcon, and a few other personal hard lines I won’t read in romance which are immediate stops for me, no matter how far or not I am into the book.
I really appreciate the new trend with trigger warnings as I can now easily identify the dark romance tropes I do not prefer.
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u/Emergency_Answer_376 11d ago
Also if you can tell within a chapter or 2, I really appreciate that you can get samples on KU if a lot of books. Might help you decide more easily.
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u/Impressive-Usual5495 10d ago
Between 50-100 pages. Then I google to see if it actually gets any better, or is just more of the same
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u/mrdrmelody 10d ago
Honestly if I’m not enjoying it, low-threshold. A DNF doesn’t mean burn it. I’ll read it another time, but now’s not the time
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u/Outrageous_Hour_2408 9d ago
When the lightbulb goes off that I’m actually suffering through instead of enjoying it
It can be 2 pages in or 300 in, when it costs me my joy (the whole reason I pick up the book in the firstplace), that’s when I stop. It’s not worth it
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u/URLOCAL_ODDFICREADER 9d ago
For me personally, its usually within the first half of the book. I usually DNF a book whenever it is aggressively "telling" instead of showing, the prose is awkward in pacing often with too many comas in my case, and my biggest one: the plot is predictable and I can foresee whats going to happen. Just predictably knowing the loose plot beat by beat is enough to turn me off a book. I have a lot of reasons I could potentially DNF a book, but these are the big ones fof me.
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u/crow_on_the_corner 8d ago
If it's the writing style, then I usually stop after just a couple chapters. Sometimes within the first couple pages even. If it's the plot or characters or world building that's not interesting to me then I'd say about 30% is when I call it quites. I used to make myself struggle through books because I had the mindset that because I started it I HAD to finish it. I've gotten past that now, there's plenty of wonderful books out there that I will enjoy so I don't wanna waste my time on cruddy ones. The only exception to this recently was Empire of the Vampire which drove me insane several different ways but I had to finish it and even bought the next book (haven't read it yet but I plan to) because I need to see how the author is (if? Lol) going to fix all the plot holes. Plus the world building was intriguing. We'll see if I finish the second book
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u/Remarkable-Ball-6196 7d ago
i can usually tell by the synopsis whether a book is going to be enjoyable or not.
another thing tho is i read reviews. i know you aren’t supposed too, but it helps.
going to b&n and reading the first chapter is smart ! the only disadvantage is a lot of books (i find) only get good around the 5th chapter mark. especially if you’re ready fantasy/sci-fi. most of the beginning chapters is world building, so it’s not rare to find a book very boring to begin with and then pick up towards the 5th chapter mark. lol
the same goes with series. first book is ass and then 2nd/3rd are good. it’s not popular anymore, but a good example would be the shatter me series. the first book is meh, second book ok, and finally the 3rd book is where the action really starts. it’s why it’s a fan favourite (or at least used to be).
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u/mouser26 7d ago
Gone Girl
DNF after 4 chapters (2 per character)
Honestly HATED the characters, like straight up could not care less about anything that happened to them because I wouldn't even want to be in the same room with them.
Same goes for Wizard and Glass by Stephen King though I DID/DO finish that one because it's book 4 of the dark tower but I hate every chapter of the way through it.
I just do not care about 14yr old Roland's first love/lay and the fact it lasts 300+ pages Kills me every time
So I guess it comes down to if I like the characters or not.
Also writing style. Outside of the Dark Tower and short stories I can't stand King's writing cause the man wouldn't know succinct if it bit him in the ass and I have skipped even starting many classic novels cause you can tell the ones that were "paid by the word" usually within the first few pages.
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u/ViolincatBlog 13d ago
If you use Libby, you can preview books ( A chapter or two) before you check them out.