Reader and Author Expectations

 

Well! This month's reading started with a whimper! 

I was so excited to see a new release on the shelves from an author that was quickly becoming a favourite.  I'd read a couple of their novels and assumed this new one would also be a darn good read.  But, not so. I managed the first five chapters and then flicked through a number more, hoping the start was just an anomaly. But it wasn't so, apparently.

I was disappointed and as it's not the first time I've experienced this, I wondered if other readers have had similar encounters. I raised the topic with another couple of reader friends and we debated why this might happen. Perhaps the author was on a contract to produce another novel and their heart wasn't really in it. Perhaps they were experimenting with a new style or genre. Maybe they were going through something in their own life that was influencing their writing.

Or maybe the problem was me! Perhaps I wasn't in the right frame of mind to appreciate the work being presented in this particular book? Well, that's a possibility, right?

But I think there is a connection between an author and their reader. The author trusting that their work will please their reader, the reader expecting to receive pleasure from the work presented. And in that respect, there are similarities between real-world friendships. It takes time to build trust between friends, and if the friendship is valued, we don't want to lose a friend over something small. So we make an effort to build bridges and keep trying.

What are your thoughts?  I'd love to hear your view on this topic.