Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

What is the worst book you have read recently and why was it so bad?

361 replies

Miaou · 30/07/2007 20:41

I've been reading light stuff atm and just grabbed this off the "chick lit" stand at the library just before having ds2 - I struggled valiantly through to the end but was really disappointed in it. The story was turgid and predictable, the characters one-dimensional, and I felt that what could have been an interesting story with the potential for some really sinister turns, was in fact incredibly dull. The final "showdown" between the mother and son was jaw-droppingly badly written and really let the whole book down.

However I have had lots of fun picking it to pieces so maybe it was worth it

OP posts:
RosaLuxembourg · 31/07/2007 21:18

I found it MuminBrum. Couldn't resist. It's even better than I remembered! So pretentious!

MuminBrum · 31/07/2007 21:13

RosaL, that book club thing was hilarious - there were letters in the paper the next week from members of the book club outing RC for being an intellectual snob and having behaved incredibly badly at the meetings. I'm sure it was in the Guardian - you could probably still find it on their website.
I recently heard the Shite-aholic woman on the radio - she was going on and on about how she loves Shitey, her heroine, and what a great modern role model she is. She sounded like an absolute papwit, but as my DP sagely pointed out, she paps all the way to the bank, does she not?

RosaLuxembourg · 31/07/2007 21:09

I read some extracts from A Life's Work in a Sunday paper once. I've been trying to forget it. Moany cow. I also once read an article by her bitching up her book group. Hilarious (entirely unintentionally). She basically dissed them all for not being a proper intellectual like her, and claimed they were jealous and implied they didn't show her enough respect.
I'd love to have been at the next meeting.

Aitch · 31/07/2007 21:05

hmmm, let's play spot the causal nexus...

MuminBrum · 31/07/2007 21:01

Darling Cod, how sweet of you to recognise my brilliance. What should I change my name to?

expatinscotland · 31/07/2007 20:57

I had to live with a flatmate who had them ALL, Aitch, along with about $40,000 of credit card debt.

Aitch · 31/07/2007 20:56

how do you all know about these shopaholic books? that whole genre has left me cold.

expatinscotland · 31/07/2007 20:56

That the series is so successful says a lot about society. Basically, the gal's a fictional Colleen McCoughlin.

Aitch · 31/07/2007 20:56

Brumist.

expatinscotland · 31/07/2007 20:55

YES, UD!

That was my first response to the OP: 'All that Shopaholic shitey shite. '

A ton of books about a vapid, shallow sorry excuse for a human being whose dumber than a box of rocks into the bargain. And the solution to her shopping habits? Well, she's surrounded by gorgeous, rich, intelligent men who all want to take her out/marry her because we all know that the best men want to attach themselves for life to selfish, immature, whingy, weak-willed simpering ninnies with the conversational skills of a bag of spanners.

FluffyMummy123 · 31/07/2007 20:52

Message withdrawn

MuminBrum · 31/07/2007 20:51

That Jasper Fforde is ghastly too. And don't get me started on that whinging ninny Rachel Cusk. Did any of you read A Life's Work?

UnquietDad · 31/07/2007 17:10

That stupid bloody IRRITATING Shopaholic woman.
DW borrowed one from her sister and I had a look at it. It appears to be about a woman buying stuff. And whingeing that she can't get her life in order because she is... buying stuff. The solution would be staring me (and, indeed, most males) in the face from about page two. Oddly, she doesn't seem to get it.

ForcesSweetheart · 31/07/2007 16:45

OMG I read Lovely Bones years ago and absolutely loved it. Cried virtually all the way through (but I'm a Scot and we love a good downer). Not sure I could read it now I have a daughter though.

Lolly68 · 31/07/2007 16:38

Any of that shopaholic rubbish - cant stand those books and also Lovely Bones.

geekgirl · 31/07/2007 16:35

Wild Swans - actually, I didn't read it all, gave up after a third.
It was utterly depressing and written in a really difficult-to-read style.

During the christmas hols I read something by Clive Cussler, which was hilariously awful. It was like some kind of parody in its terribleness - I had to laugh out loud several times at particularly breathtakingly bad bits. but apparently he is a bestselling author with a huge following

bundle · 31/07/2007 16:32

oh I'd forgotten about Arlington Park by Rachel Cusk. Badly written, not a single character to empathise with and well, about 20 years too late

Slubberdegullion · 31/07/2007 16:31

Oh I had completely forgotten about that Jackie. Hilarious. Yup that's the book alright

wheelsonthebus · 31/07/2007 16:31

girl with a pearl earring - it is so SLOW

JackieNo · 31/07/2007 16:30

Slubberdegullion - I can't see Ellen Macarthur without thinking of the Dawn French things from ages ago.

Dinosaur · 31/07/2007 16:26

I agree with you OrmIrian about TTW.

hercules1 · 31/07/2007 16:26

I agree also about the time travellers wife and couldnt get into the Labyrinth at all.
I did enjoy Kevin book though.

hercules1 · 31/07/2007 16:25

pig Island was awful. Very bizarre book but not in a clever way.

RosaLuxembourg · 31/07/2007 16:25

I liked The Other Boleyn Girl. What I can't stand are books that pretend to be literary when they are not.
Have to read Labyrinth next for Book Club and not look forward to it at all.

OrmIrian · 31/07/2007 16:25

I know lots of people loved it but I hate hate hated Time Travellers Wife. I hated it so much it made me cross reading it. But I finished it because DH had given it to me for christmas. I disliked all the character so much.

Can't think of much else. I struggled with the Kate Mosse book about the Cathars - interesting history but I didn't like her writing style.

Swipe left for the next trending thread