Did the author overuse emboldened subtitles in chapters?

Use this forum to discuss the June 2019 Book of the month, "Cynthia and Dan: Cyber War" by Dorothy May Mercer.
Post Reply
User avatar
Ferdinand_Otieno
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 3369
Joined: 03 Jun 2017, 12:54
Favorite Author: Victor Rose
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 1749
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ferdinand-otieno.html
Latest Review: Zona: The Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker
fav_author_id: 78026

Did the author overuse emboldened subtitles in chapters?

Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

From the beginning of the book, I encountered sentenses written in bold that seem to foretell too much of what was to happen. For me it felt a little bit overused since it would give away too much of the actions in the chapter.
What was your opinion on their use?
If you felt they were overused, then which chapter or scene did it for you?
(Mine was in the beginning of the book during a sexual scene between Cynthia and Sky... written as (This section is rated R) )
maggi3
Posts: 457
Joined: 03 Mar 2018, 14:30
Currently Reading: Worldlines
Bookshelf Size: 106
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-maggi3.html
Latest Review: Paper Doll by Caitlin Strommen

Post by maggi3 »

They didn’t bother me, but I could see how they might bother others. I just saw most of them as clarifying where the scene took place or the time, but others felt unnecessary. I don’t think they added to the story all that much.
Pronouns: they/them

:gay-rainbow:
User avatar
Ferdinand_Otieno
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 3369
Joined: 03 Jun 2017, 12:54
Favorite Author: Victor Rose
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 1749
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ferdinand-otieno.html
Latest Review: Zona: The Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker
fav_author_id: 78026

Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

maggi3 wrote: 01 Jun 2019, 13:08 They didn’t bother me, but I could see how they might bother others. I just saw most of them as clarifying where the scene took place or the time, but others felt unnecessary. I don’t think they added to the story all that much.
They felt redundant to the flow of the story and my mind has always been wired to note emboldened words so I was forced to stop reading a few yoo many times.
User avatar
Ruba Abu Ali
Posts: 971
Joined: 01 Jul 2018, 09:47
Currently Reading: Notes on a Nervous Planet
Bookshelf Size: 111
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ruba-abu-ali.html
Latest Review: Grammar for a Full Life: How the Ways We Shape a Sentence Can Limit or Enlarge Us by Lawrence Weinstein

Post by Ruba Abu Ali »

They got me to stop every now and then and did interrupt the flow of the story quite a few times.
User avatar
Ferdinand_Otieno
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 3369
Joined: 03 Jun 2017, 12:54
Favorite Author: Victor Rose
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 1749
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ferdinand-otieno.html
Latest Review: Zona: The Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker
fav_author_id: 78026

Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

Ruba Abu Ali wrote: 02 Jun 2019, 03:39 They got me to stop every now and then and did interrupt the flow of the story quite a few times.
I completely agree with you. The book would have definitely flowed smoothly without them.
User avatar
Stephanie Elizabeth
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 2989
Joined: 18 Jul 2018, 15:41
Currently Reading: We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
Bookshelf Size: 212
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-stephanie-elizabeth.html
Latest Review: Do You Remember Me? by Wm M Crouch

Post by Stephanie Elizabeth »

Ferdinand_otieno wrote: 01 Jun 2019, 08:54 From the beginning of the book, I encountered sentenses written in bold that seem to foretell too much of what was to happen. For me it felt a little bit overused since it would give away too much of the actions in the chapter.
What was your opinion on their use?
If you felt they were overused, then which chapter or scene did it for you?
(Mine was in the beginning of the book during a sexual scene between Cynthia and Sky... written as (This section is rated R) )
I completely agree with you! I think the sentences that were bold were off-putting and gave too much away. Especially the one titled Baby Blues.
User avatar
heatherashley7
Posts: 15
Joined: 29 May 2019, 15:47
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 8
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-heatherashley7.html
Latest Review: Yesterday by Samyann

Post by heatherashley7 »

I didn't really notice the bold titles at first but once I did I felt they were out of place. I'm not a big fan of subtitles in the first place. To me if a book is written well enough they should not need them, unless the book keeps jumping settings or back and forth between the future and the past.
Latest Review: Yesterday by Samyann
User avatar
Ferdinand_Otieno
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 3369
Joined: 03 Jun 2017, 12:54
Favorite Author: Victor Rose
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 1749
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ferdinand-otieno.html
Latest Review: Zona: The Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker
fav_author_id: 78026

Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

Stephanie Elizabeth wrote: 02 Jun 2019, 07:44
Ferdinand_otieno wrote: 01 Jun 2019, 08:54 From the beginning of the book, I encountered sentenses written in bold that seem to foretell too much of what was to happen. For me it felt a little bit overused since it would give away too much of the actions in the chapter.
What was your opinion on their use?
If you felt they were overused, then which chapter or scene did it for you?
(Mine was in the beginning of the book during a sexual scene between Cynthia and Sky... written as (This section is rated R) )
I completely agree with you! I think the sentences that were bold were off-putting and gave too much away. Especially the one titled Baby Blues.
I agree Baby Blues was too much of a giveaway.
User avatar
Ferdinand_Otieno
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 3369
Joined: 03 Jun 2017, 12:54
Favorite Author: Victor Rose
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 1749
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ferdinand-otieno.html
Latest Review: Zona: The Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker
fav_author_id: 78026

Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

heatherashley7 wrote: 02 Jun 2019, 15:54 I didn't really notice the bold titles at first but once I did I felt they were out of place. I'm not a big fan of subtitles in the first place. To me if a book is written well enough they should not need them, unless the book keeps jumping settings or back and forth between the future and the past.
Yeah, thanks. That is the only viable use of that amount of emboldened subtitles; to mention a change in setting or a change in narration.
User avatar
cpru68
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 1442
Joined: 14 Feb 2018, 19:21
Favorite Book: What My Dog Taught Me About Jesus
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 179
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-cpru68.html
Latest Review: Heaven's Call by Roger Dawson
Reading Device: B00HCNHDN0

Post by cpru68 »

The one you cited was so annoying to me. It came up, and I wondered why. Was it to help me skip that part? If so, then why was it in the book? I’m not used to seeing that in the middle of a story, and really, it took me right out of the plot. It was like a commercial in the middle of a movie. It seemed totally unnecessary.
Everything happens for a reason...
User avatar
Ferdinand_Otieno
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 3369
Joined: 03 Jun 2017, 12:54
Favorite Author: Victor Rose
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 1749
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ferdinand-otieno.html
Latest Review: Zona: The Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker
fav_author_id: 78026

Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

cpru68 wrote: 03 Jun 2019, 01:55 The one you cited was so annoying to me. It came up, and I wondered why. Was it to help me skip that part? If so, then why was it in the book? I’m not used to seeing that in the middle of a story, and really, it took me right out of the plot. It was like a commercial in the middle of a movie. It seemed totally unnecessary.
Exactly, like a commercial in the middle of an interesting movie.
User avatar
Ferdinand_Otieno
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 3369
Joined: 03 Jun 2017, 12:54
Favorite Author: Victor Rose
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 1749
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ferdinand-otieno.html
Latest Review: Zona: The Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker
fav_author_id: 78026

Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

cpru68 wrote: 03 Jun 2019, 01:55 The one you cited was so annoying to me. It came up, and I wondered why. Was it to help me skip that part? If so, then why was it in the book? I’m not used to seeing that in the middle of a story, and really, it took me right out of the plot. It was like a commercial in the middle of a movie. It seemed totally unnecessary.
I felt the same way, that they were unnecessary. The book would still be good without them.
User avatar
Renee_Prior1995
Posts: 272
Joined: 20 May 2019, 12:33
Currently Reading: Misreading Judas
Bookshelf Size: 34
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-renee-prior1995.html
Latest Review: We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko by Matthew Tysz

Post by Renee_Prior1995 »

I didnt think to much about it. After i realised it happened frequently i tried to ignore the bold.
"From what I have tasted of desire,
I hold those who favor fire.
but if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate.
To say that the destruction of ice is also great
and will suffice." - Robert Frost
User avatar
Ferdinand_Otieno
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 3369
Joined: 03 Jun 2017, 12:54
Favorite Author: Victor Rose
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 1749
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ferdinand-otieno.html
Latest Review: Zona: The Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker
fav_author_id: 78026

Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

Renee_Prior1995 wrote: 03 Jun 2019, 23:47 I didnt think to much about it. After i realised it happened frequently i tried to ignore the bold.
But it was so much of an inconvenience that you had to try to ignore them.
User avatar
Julie Petitbon
Posts: 404
Joined: 01 Apr 2019, 01:10
Favorite Author: J.K. Rowling
Favorite Book: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
Currently Reading: Becoming Michele Obama
Bookshelf Size: 699
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-julie-petitbon.html
Latest Review: Sophia Violet and the Fiery Orb by Evangeline Greene
fav_author_id: 1778

Post by Julie Petitbon »

Ferdinand_otieno wrote: 01 Jun 2019, 08:54 From the beginning of the book, I encountered sentenses written in bold that seem to foretell too much of what was to happen. For me it felt a little bit overused since it would give away too much of the actions in the chapter.
What was your opinion on their use?
If you felt they were overused, then which chapter or scene did it for you?
(Mine was in the beginning of the book during a sexual scene between Cynthia and Sky... written as (This section is rated R) )
Yes! That was the first one that gave me pause. The subtitles definitely change the flow of the story, and, more often than not, they did not enhance the story. I think the author could have omitted the subtitles and let the story tell itself.
Post Reply

Return to “Discuss "Cynthia and Dan: Cyber War" by Dorothy May Mercer”