Was the authors style distracting from the plot?

[shraddharm]

It was a little distracting but not that much that it would get on my nerves. But it could have been taken care of.

[Manang Muyang]

The style didn't bother me much. It's the Apple/Mac chapter that irritated me. Was all that praise necessary?

[britt13]

The style didn't bother me much. It's the Apple/Mac chapter that irritated me. Was all that praise necessary?

I talked about this with a few other people on different threads. I agree. Someone compared it to product placement and when talking to my husband about the book I said it felt like an Apple ad. It went beyond that of just describing the item for me. I am actually curious if he got some sort of deal from Apple (though because of the size of the company I would think probably not). Someone else did bring up that it might have been to emphasize his age and how this was new technology. That would make some level of sense, but I still had trouble dealing with it.

[Rebecca_Rivera]

I enjoy a smooth flow to a book for myself. The exception would be if the choppiness adds to the story itself. Misuse of punctuation I can't abide, and speaking directly to the reader in short narratives must be tastefully done and make sense with the story or just be left out entirely. I want to be enveloped in a story, not reminded that I'm reading one.

[KRay93]

I think the use of technical jargon was to be expected. Now, if the author had employed fewer characters with points of view, I believe he could have exploited more their experiences during the situations raised throughout history, to delve more into their feelings. Although it is a book that prioritizes the plot over the characters, something a little more balanced would have suited it, especially with the focus it has on the elderly.

Beyond any doubt, the side-comments thing was annoying. It simply cuts the pace of reading and makes it difficult to stay hooked with the story.

[Sindhu Srinath]

I never felt that the writing style was distracting. It did seem like too many characters and places at first, but they were all linked beautifully at the end. It was so hard to believe that it was a fiction!

[lesler]

I was definitely distracted by the errors, and I agree. I gave the book one less star because of this, and was not as engaged in the book as I would be if it was perfectly edited.

[n-dai che]

It was a little distracting but not that much that it would get on my nerves. But it could have been taken care of.

Yeah, sometimes. Final notice feature scared me and a bit distracting my thoughts.

[n-dai che]

I never felt that the writing style was distracting. It did seem like too many characters and places at first, but they were all linked beautifully at the end. It was so hard to believe that it was a fiction!

Yeah, the mention place drives my mind to be there. Like a time traveler.

[Zilelabelle]

I found his style incredibly distracting. While I could tell the author was an intelligent, educated person, it was obvious he was new to the world of writing.

His lack of dialogue tags, his random author asides, and the disjointed way he had of leaping randomly from character to character was almost too much for me to handle.

[britt13]

I enjoy a smooth flow to a book for myself. The exception would be if the choppiness adds to the story itself. Misuse of punctuation I can't abide, and speaking directly to the reader in short narratives must be tastefully done and make sense with the story or just be left out entirely. I want to be enveloped in a story, not reminded that I'm reading one.

I think that is a great quote, "I want to be enveloped in a story, not reminded that I'm reading one". So do you think the choppiness of this story was a positive or negative then?

[britt13]

I was definitely distracted by the errors, and I agree. I gave the book one less star because of this, and was not as engaged in the book as I would be if it was perfectly edited.

I think that is a perfect reason to take away a star. Fleisher no doubt had a great concept, but the execution has to be there as well. I have been going back and forth about whether that is a one or two star deduction for myself.

[toribyers13]

I agree with you, I was distracted multiple times during this book because of instances like that. The most distracting thing to me is the way he would sometimes interrupt the story to basically write about his political beliefs. I understand that politics was involved with the story, but I felt his style sort of pushed his views onto the reader.

I suppose that every writer is a bit guilty of pushing their views on the reader because it would be hard not to when writing a book. That being said I agree with you that this felt very pushy. Very little was given to see the positive side of guns. I judge that a bit unfairly because I am very anti gun and do not think I could do what I am asking of the book. I just think that many would instantly put this book down because it seems preachy.

I agree, I fall more in the middle with my beliefs so I may have been a little biased as well! I think if the author was looking to spread his message, it would be better done by not completely alienating the other side. I agree with many things he said, I was just a little turned off by the preachy/pushy tendencies.

[n-dai che]

I found his style incredibly distracting. While I could tell the author was an intelligent, educated person, it was obvious he was new to the world of writing.

His lack of dialogue tags, his random author asides, and the disjointed way he had of leaping randomly from character to character was almost too much for me to handle.

I understand your pöint. All writers experienced what you häve notice.

[n-dai che]

I agree with you, I was distracted multiple times during this book because of instances like that. The most distracting thing to me is the way he would sometimes interrupt the story to basically write about his political beliefs. I understand that politics was involved with the story, but I felt his style sort of pushed his views onto the reader.

I suppose that every writer is a bit guilty of pushing their views on the reader because it would be hard not to when writing a book. That being said I agree with you that this felt very pushy. Very little was given to see the positive side of guns. I judge that a bit unfairly because I am very anti gun and do not think I could do what I am asking of the book. I just think that many would instantly put this book down because it seems preachy.

I agree, I fall more in the middle with my beliefs so I may have been a little biased as well! I think if the author was looking to spread his message, it would be better done by not completely alienating the other side. I agree with many things he said, I was just a little turned off by the preachy/pushy tendencies.

Yeah ,I noticed it, too. Well, I guess all writers experienced that way because we are all consider a writer once we engage in this forum.