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Original poster

Books to avoid

217 replies

Redglitter · 23/07/2015 22:37

Plenty of threads for recommendations but what books would you advise people to avoid

For me it's 'Her' by Harriet Gray

A total non story with a dreadful ending. I actually thought my kindle had forgotten to download the last chapter. Don't know if the author was running late for her deadline or what but ugh avoid

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 26/07/2015 22:45

I loved possession but disliked other a s byatts - the 'frederica' ones. I don't know why after not really enjoying Virgin in the garden I persisted - I guess I felt she's a good writer so it must be me missing something but maybe some things are better missed.

MilesHuntsWig · 26/07/2015 22:16

I don't really hate many books I read tbh. I love some if the ones mentioned here though particularly the Donna Tartt books, David Mitchell books, A Prayer for Owain Meany and The Historian.

I suppose fifty shades was predictably abysmal and I loathed Violin by Anne Rice (but I guess I liked her other stuff as a goth teenager and have grown up since then!).

Also, I think Kathy Reichs has an appalling writing style and Jasper Fforde's books get increasingly smug in chronological order.

BestIsWest · 26/07/2015 22:03

I loved Posession. Skipped all the weird poetry stuff though.

Ludways · 26/07/2015 22:01

A couple already mentioned, When God was a Rabbit, Gone Girl and the stupid Kevin book.

Can I also add, The Mistress by Martine McCutcheon, awful drivel.

BestIsWest · 26/07/2015 22:01

The Children Act - I just felt completely manipulated. In fact, you can keep anything by Ian McEwan.

Us - terrible unlikeable characters.

The Crimson Petal and the White. I loved the first third of this, it started so well and then just went on and on and on and stopped.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 26/07/2015 21:52

I REALLY liked WNTTAK, it spoiled anything else for me for weeks afterwards.

applecatchers36 · 26/07/2015 21:51

Didn't like time travellers wife this romantic notion of these two being in love at different stages, he's a grown man & she's a child er....
Post birthday world by Lionel Shriver, woman leaves long time partner for snooker character, her understanding of East end life/culture/ British sport all wrong .. and as for the writing in the sex scenes truly terrible makes Kevin seem literary
Gave up with Wolf Hall

LadySharrowOfGolter · 26/07/2015 21:45

I disliked the Miniaturist intensely.

dementedma · 26/07/2015 21:38

Woman who went to bed for 100 years - gave up
Gone Girl was good apart from the ending!
The Miniaturist - weird
Miss Smillas Feeling for Snow - gave up, several times

woodhill · 26/07/2015 21:30

loved Shadow in the wind, so interesting. 5 people in heaven was enjoyable too.

MrsUltracrepidarian · 26/07/2015 20:26

I wish I could unread
great expression!
Marshmellow yes it was the poetry bits that stuck in the craw - all those manufactured bit of 'great poetry' so self-indulgent.

marshmallowpies · 26/07/2015 19:49

I had Shantaram on my shelf for years but finally acknowledged I was never going to pick it up (it was such a huge doorstep of a book and I did most of my reading on my work commute at that point) so I got rid of it.

I love Possession - probably my favourite most read novel along with The Secret History - but I can see how others wouldn't like it. It is ok to skip all the poetry bits, I reckon.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 26/07/2015 17:36

Can I also add When God Was a Rabbit. Another overhyped, pretentious load of old codswallop.

MuseumOfHam · 26/07/2015 17:33

I've read plenty of not so great books, but mostly I just forget about them and move on. If there was one book I wish I could unread, it's We Need to Talk About Kevin. Several years on, I still feel tainted.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 26/07/2015 17:31

I think my memory had deleted the Wiman Who Went to Bed for a year. Utter drivel.

MrsUltracrepidarian · 26/07/2015 17:26

We Need To Witter On About Kevin Grin
Useful thread!
Unfortunately many of these are on my bookshelves, bought but not yet read, saving for holidays - hmm.
My own rage is saved for 'Possession' - dire tripe.

suzanneyeswecan · 26/07/2015 17:07

Shantaram, yeah, massive ego trip, I liked most of it but around 100 pages from the end I just couldn't take any more of his 'derring do' and I abandoned it

aoife24 · 26/07/2015 16:52

Shantaram. It's unmitigated rubbish, one long, ridiculous ego trip. There's a one-star review on Amazon, a parody of this tosh, that is very entertaining and nails it.

LondonRocks · 25/07/2015 23:55

The Little Friend - talk about plodding!

How to be Good by Nick Hornby - awful.

The Little Stranger - too long. Just too long.

whattheseithakasmean · 25/07/2015 23:51

Concur with PS I Love You - sentimental hallmark card tosh.

cosytoaster · 25/07/2015 23:46

PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern and 5 People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. Both utter shitey, vomit inducing, mawkish drivel.

Loved Wolf Hall and also enjoyed Cloud Atlas though.

mmack · 25/07/2015 23:36

I think that Appletree Yard and The Shadow of the Wind both have major plot holes. The Joanna Trollope version of Sense and Sensibility is shockingly bad-I gave up after about 100 pages. I also agree that The Interpretation of Murder was dire.

suzanneyeswecan · 25/07/2015 23:21

maybe it's often like that Marshmallow, certain bits of a book can really get you and draw you in (in a good or a bad way) but those same things might just go over someone elses head?

marshmallowpies · 25/07/2015 23:14

Suzanne there were 1 or 2 bits that really got under my skin & distressed me. I know it wasn't conventional ghost story stuff but it was enough to creep me out!

suzanneyeswecan · 25/07/2015 23:10

I thought the little stranger was a bit boring but didn't find it remotely upsetting.

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