Literary disappointments

I heard from my local bookstore's newsletter of a new book called Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name. After reading Amazon's summary of it, I decided to get it from the library and give it a try. (And I put it on my "to read" list on Goodreads, of course. Teehee.) The title grabbed me immediately, and it involves not just the far north, but even Finland, one of my most favorite mini-obsessions. So promising!

And yet. Frown. I checked it out from the library today, but in just the few pages I read walking back to my dorm, the awkwardness of the imagery and descriptive clauses, and the amateurish telling (i.e. not showing) in her characterizations had me furrowing my brow with displeasure. So I don't think I will be able to read any more. Though I really, really wanted to like it. :(

It usually takes a lot for me to give up on a book part way through it. The only one I can think of off the top of my head (though unfinished books aren't exactly the ones that stick in your memory) is The Candlestone, by Bryan Davis. I put forth a mighty effort reading Raising Dragons, the first in the series, in its entirety because I had borrowed them from a very dear friend and wouldn't like to give them back saying I hadn't read them because they were horrible. But there are so many good books I've still to read, and reading is supposed to be enjoyable -- I don't want to give days of reading time to books that I feel are poorly written and are a chore to get through. What about y'all? How often do you give up on books, and what does it take to bring you to that?

P.S. I do realize I can't really ask others to take seriously my judgment on Let the Northern Lights, given that I made it based on only the first five pages or so. It's just that they were enough for me. Sigh.

P.P.S. WRC update: The Candlestone removed from list