The Wasted Potential Book Tag

You know how much I love to rag on books.

Kristin and Jenna did a Wasted Potential Book Tag that made my heart sing.

I started thinking of books that I thought could have been better.

Once I started, I couldn’t stop.

One. A book that tried but failed to tackle an issue

I didn’t know Revealing Eden existed until recently and HOO BOY.

A white woman developed a fictional world in which dark skin is prized and white people are second-class citizens.

Already questionable.

To survive, the white characters…wear blackface?

Excuse me, “dark makeup.”

…..so blackface????

Victoria, whyyyy??

When questioned, Foyt said she hadn’t intended to be racist and was trying to write about…global warming?

VICTORIA, WHYYYYY???

 

Two. An intriguing series that didn’t pay off

I didn’t read the entire Uglies series, but I was bummed when a large part of the first book turned out to be wilderness survival.

Why does dystopia have to involve NATURE?

 

Three. A great beginning with a mediocre ending

I raved about the beginning of The Sun is Also a Star. I connected with the writing style and the narrative structure right away.

Daniel started to get on my nerves pretty quickly.

He had to ruin the burgeoning romance by calling it “true love” and “destiny” way too soon.

Also, I couldn’t get over the way this novel misrepresents determinism.

Natasha would say, “I believe in determinism! That means we make our own destiny!”

…that is the OPPOSITE of what “determinism” means!

 

Four. A last-minute twist that ruined it all (SPOILERS)

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the M. Night Shyamalan of contemporary literature.

That is not a compliment.

Reid will spin a well-told, compelling story, then drop in a twist at the last second for no reason.

The identities of Harry Cameron’s lover in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and the interviewer in Daisy Jones & The Six add NOTHING to either story.

Waste. Of. Time.

 

Five. A great plot with some boring characters

Girl Town could have been great…if it hadn’t been a set of one-off stories about characters that weren’t given room to develop.

If these characters had all been friends…if their stories had connected…I could have loved this book.

 

Six. A character death that ruined a book (SPOILERS)

I AGREE WITH KRISTIN ABOUT THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO.

Let’s go back to books I read in my school days, though.

Just for fun, both books are about pigs!

Snowball’s death in Animal Farm marks a turn for the worse.

Though his death is only implied in the book, you can hear Snowball’s pained squeals after he’s chased offscreen in the 1954 film.

I hate it.

In Lord of the Flies, the boys TEAR SIMON APART.

As in WITH THEIR HANDS.

SUPER glad I read this as a fourteen-year-old.

 

Seven. A romance that ruined a book for you (SPOILERS)

I loved The Mortal Instruments until I got to City of Fallen Angels.

I got tired of the Jace/Clary ship.

I just don’t buy it.

If the relationship had developed at a slower pace, I might have been on board.

Instead, it kept intensifying until I couldn’t take the books seriously anymore.

 

Eight. A romance that you wanted to happen (SPOILERS)

UGH, where do I BEGIN??

I wanted

• Bitterblue to hook up with Giddon in Bitterblue
• Neville Longbottom to marry Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Alina to ditch Mal for the Darkling in Shadow and Bone
• Viola to give Lee a chance in The Ask and the Answer
• Ivanhoe to choose Rebecca over Rowena in Ivanhoe
• Jo to accept Laurie’s proposal in Little Women

ESPECIALLY that last one.

WHY DO I KEEP BACKING THE WRONG HORSE?

 

Nine. A scene you have petty beef with (SPOILERS)

I don’t like the Nina/Matthias ship in the Six of Crows duology.

To me, the hints at sensuality don’t match up with the complete sexlessness of this relationship.

When Nina revealed in Crooked Kingdom that she and Matthias hadn’t even kissed yet, I couldn’t stop an eyeroll.

Matthias manages to suck all the romance out of their first kiss by talking about his religious guilt, his sexual repression, and his prejudice against Ravkans.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOSSSS.

He might annoy me more than Kaz and THAT’S SAYING SOMETHING.

Woofity woof woof.

That was a nice bummer of a tag.

Tell me about books that you felt wasted their potential.

Especially if one of them happens to be Sam & Ilsa’s Last Hurrah.

Especially then.