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Original poster

What is the most tedious book you have ever read?

368 replies

Figmentofmyimagination · 26/02/2015 20:12

I am going out on a limb here for my first thread - I am struggling through The Well of Loneliness by Radcliffe hall. Aargh. I read it out of "historical interest" because I was interested by her boldness and by the obscenity trial etc but bloody hell she should have got herself an editor. The writing is truly dire. I am not sure I am actually going to make it to the end.

OP posts:
Lochgorman · 03/03/2015 11:30

Wolf Hall and Goldfinch

Effnjeff · 03/03/2015 09:41

YY to We Need to Talk about Kevin. Gave up about a third of the way through. Dull

Laquila · 03/03/2015 07:57

Ohhhh I LOVED Possession!! Couldn't get through The Children's Book though, admittedly.

This is an interestinng thread - I'd really like someone to pool all the data and do some kind of graph :)...no-one??...

PigletJohn · 02/03/2015 23:28

Emma

PigletJohn · 02/03/2015 23:27

Emma

eddielizzard · 02/03/2015 23:08

oh god lougle - yes! dh said i was swearing under my breath every night while i was reading anna karenina. ugh

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 02/03/2015 23:02

Before I go to sleep. Wish I'd just gone to sleep instead.

lougle · 02/03/2015 22:53

Anna Karenina. I read every single page and at the end I simply breathed a sigh of relief that it was over.

Loch1 · 02/03/2015 22:51

The new JK Rowling one under pseudo name of Robert Galbraith. Can't even remember the name of the book. There was a tv show recently of it. I just didn't get the book at all. But I think I'm in the minority with this opinion.

CactusAnnie · 02/03/2015 22:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

alialiath · 02/03/2015 21:01

Without a doubt it's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carré. Far too many characters, and espionage lingo without explaining them.

LondonRocks · 02/03/2015 20:53

Ooh, yes, Brick Lane was dull

hollyisalovelyname · 02/03/2015 20:17

Oh yes - Brick Lane.
BORING

hollyisalovelyname · 02/03/2015 20:15

We Need to Talk About Kevin.
But ultimately worth ploughing through.
Still to finish The Goldfinch. Time constraint rather than tedious reason for not finishing it yet.
War and Peace was tough enough.
No!!! The absolute worst was Moby Dick.

FunMitFlags · 02/03/2015 20:06

Love this thread and seeing the huge range of opinions. Some of my all time favourite books are mentioned - Waterland, Handmaid's Tale, Girl with Dragon Tattoo.

FunMitFlags · 02/03/2015 20:04

Yy to Posession

Also Wolf Hall, Prayer for Owen Meany, Lord of the Rings, all Charles Dickens Books (possibly except Christmas Carol which at least has the benefit of being short).

Tusty · 02/03/2015 20:02

Life after Life by Kate Atkinson. I don't usually mind her books, but this was dull and so confusing. Even at the end I had no idea who was real and what the main part of the message was.

KarenCBC · 02/03/2015 20:00

Possession by A S Byatt. And then The Children's Book also by her. Why oh why did I pick up another Byatt? Never again!

Also Jonathan Strange - just dull. I'm also one that has to finish a book. Took me 9 months. However Wolf Hall has been on my 'currently reading' pile for 18 months now. Only half way through.....

Shocked that so many people hated Time Traveller's Wife. One of my all time favourites and I just raced through. Funny just how poles apart our opinions can be.

IAmAPaleontologist · 02/03/2015 19:50

There are few books I have not bothered to finish, I do tend to keep going in the hope it gets better. Zadie Smith though I didn't finish, can hardly remember what it was about now. I'm half way through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo at the moment and I can't really be arsed with it.

SingingSands · 02/03/2015 19:46

The Goldfinch. Not a bad story, but god what a tome. Every chapter would have benefitted from being shorter. Millions of trees could have been spared.

Camolips · 02/03/2015 19:43

Catch-22 most amazing funny book I've ever read. Can't believe the haters!
Wolf Hall couldn't get through the first chapter and gave the book away.

eddielizzard · 02/03/2015 19:29

the luminaries. 800 fucking pages of my life gone.

also didn't like catch 22

enjoyed the goldfinch though. and loved the miniaturist.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 02/03/2015 19:29

:) I haven't read it for twenty years or more tbh. I remember liking it but not the ending, and these days I'm much more fussy so it would probably not stand up to a re-read v well.

Southeastdweller · 02/03/2015 19:28

Dystopian novels aren't my thing, Remus Smile. I found the main character irritating, the style and plot a bit confusing, and the subject too bleak (I know that's one objective). However, I'm a little intrigued to understand what I didn't get whilst reading so tonight I'm starting a short study guide on it so it can't have been all bad!

DuchessofMalfi · 02/03/2015 19:26

I'm feeling rather pleased with myself for having read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell right through, and having really enjoyed it :o

I wonder whether my tolerance for long drawn out books is improving. Perhaps I ought to revisit some of the books I couldn't get through before and have another go. I seem to have more patience with slow-moving plots now that I'm reading more books (usually get through one or two a week, depending on book length).

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