The books that surprised me!
A positive surprise: The Witcher – Andrzej Sapkowski
I watched the series of the same name on Netflix and liked it a lot. At the time I watched it, only two seasons had been released, and season 3 was still being filmed. Not wanting to wait two or three years for a new season, I bought the books to continue immersing into that fascinating world of fantasy and magic with Geralt.
To my surprise, the books were not as dark and serious as the films. In Vietnam, to this day, we only have two books in The Witcher series that were translated into our language. I believe they were the two Collection of The Witcher’s Short Stories, with the first book called Last Wish, and the second Sword of Destiny.
Each story was a separate adventure of Geralt. Readers could sense that something was quietly taking shape in this world, but we didn’t know what it was, because the main focus of these stories was Geralt’s adventures.
I had a really good time reading those books. The proses were beautiful – this I credited both the author and the Vietnamese transcreator. Characters we only briefly encountered in the films, now we could spend more time with them and learn more about their complex relationships with Geralt. What impressed me most, and delighted me the most, was the witcher’s spontaneity and free-spirited, wanderlust-loving nature. I hardly felt that watching the series. But here, Geralt’s enjoyment of life made the magical world richer, more abundant, grander than I expected, and truly eye-opening.
The more I read, the more I realized the series was inferior to its source material, and I gradually lost interest in continuing Netflix’s The Witcher. Not long after, I heard that Geralt was reduce to a supporting character in his own film, to the point that Henry Cavill quit because it was no longer The Witcher. I haven’t seen parts 3 and 4 and honestly, I don’t regret it at all. I don’t ask that the film be 100% faithful to the book, but since learning that the filmmakers ignored the free-spirited nature of the titular character, I lost a lot of respect for this adaptation.
A negative surprise: Bird by Bird – Anne Lamott
Praised as one of the must-read book for aspiring writer and anyone who want to pursue creative writing, it did not live up to its reputation. I struggled to get through her ramblings. There were sessions when I felt like I had read so much already, but it turned out to be only three pages. Her writing style irritated me; it was all over the place. It was like you walked into a room so messy that you couldn’t figure out how to walk without stepping on trash or broken glass.
That book made me wonder, ‘‘Did anyone edited it?” First draft can be messy, second and even third draft can also be just as disorganized. But then, you get to the editing stage, where you or your editor suggest to remove, add, or rearrange to make the work coherent. Bird by bird, to me, completely lacked editing. It is one of the worst reading experience I’ve had, not just in the how-to category, but in general.
Not recommending it to anyone. If you want a book that delivers what Bird by Bird promises, read Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg. It is warm, full of wisdom distilled from a person who clearly loves writing and life. Her guidance will help confused minds find the way back to their true self and express them through writing.