Arthur and George by Julian Barnes

Have you ever read a book that, although well written, you just can't possibly read?

That book for me is Julian Barnes' Arthur and George. It started out really well, as the boys grow up in the 19th century - in Edinburgh and Staffordshire respectively. Arthur eventually becomes that very famous Arthur and his very famous detective creation. George, now a solicitor, unfortunately gets some notoriety of his own as he is accused of a horrible crime.

And that is the part that got to me. As I read the accusations last night, I was angry, I was worked up. I had to stop reading otherwise I would never be able to sleep. I flipped through the book, wondering if all that would ever end. And page after page after page... until I reached the part where Arthur and George meet. However, by that time, I wasn't sure if I could read anymore.

Arthur and George is a great book, don't get me wrong. It is a very masterful writer who can have a reader so sucked into the book that she feels emotionally attached to the characters (and as a result, incredibly agitated by said accusations). But for my sanity and my ability to sleep at night, I am putting this one to rest, only half-read.