Popular book that you didn’t enjoy

'My Dark Vanessa', is just creepy, I read to the end but didn't enjoy it at all.
Yes, it was eurrgh, but it was also a shit book.
'The Slapton
Hateful characters, and not in a good, or interesting way.
For some idiotic reason I then read another of his books, 'Barracuda'
Lots of it me no sense, and the Author is clearly obsessed with shit.
Weird.

For those who loved the Louis de Bernieres Latin American trilogy, I’d massively recommend This One Sky Day by Leona Ross. I’ve just finished it and loved it, it goes big on magical realism!

Back to the thread:
Fifty Shades.. totally could not get into it. Read the first couple chapters and got creeped out.
Twilight.. read this as a teen and even then couldn't get it. First book that I never finished. Soon followed by fifty shades.
Jane Eyre..I tried and tried. So many times I've picked it up and never seem to get past the same chapter. I find it so dull and droll. Could never read Wuthering Heights either
And any of Dickens novels. I don't know why, he's a brilliant writer, I always like the first few chapters but then the darkness begins to suffocate me and I can't continue. I managed Oliver Twist but I was a child when I read it and more tolerant.

His Dark Vanessa is sort of what The Secret History promises.

An outsider within an insular, privileged community. A terrible secret. Extraordinary writing.

Stylistically, The Secret History is better at the level of writing. Donna Tartt has controlled intensity in her style. But weirdly, that's part of what was such a let-down for me. The 'secret' at the heart of the story, the psychological depth of characters and subsequent unravelling, never seemed to match the intensity, connection and pull promised by the writing itself.

My Dark Vanessa has come back to me again and again, months after reading it. It's quite intense as a reading experience. And very much of our cultural moment.

I liked Normal People, but wondered if I was a bit too old for it. It felt like watching an alien world from the comfort of my been- there- done- that life.

I think I'm also more forgiving of books I get from the library or for a quid on kindle. Parting with proper money, I expect more

dementedma I found my Vanessa deeply disturbing and very sad, but definitely gripping. Bit like My Absolute Darling. Although I found that hard to read and the ending went a bit Hollywood. Elmet was another gripping but dark one. Wasn't sure about Girl A, tbh.

I don't just read dark stuff BTW, but one book has just reminded me of another!

As above pp said, the girl on the train

Cant understand why people raved about it, i just didnt empathise with the character at all. I actually thought the film was much better which says something as most people seemed to hate the film.

Bloody loathed We Need to Talk About Kevin. Hated it.

Also hated Eleanor oliphant, but didn’t finish it so can’t really stand by that one.

Loved Piranesi, but lent it to a friend who thought I’d gone mad 😂.

Ah @TheMoth I truly love Louis de Berniere’s books. Senor Vivo is one of my favourites ever.

I was very disappointed with how the miniaturist ended. It was a great story with lots of mystery, interesting characters but it ended without actually explaining who or what the miniaturist actually was. The Christmas adaption wasn't any clearer either.

Agree the ending of The Minituarist ruined the book.

Disliked Piranesi though everyone raved about it.

This will get me lynched on MN, but not a fan of Terry Pratchett! Sorry.

Currently reading His Dark Vanessa by Kate Russel and absolutely hooked.

This thread is full of 3 types of books:

1. Books I never read because I could tell from the hype they were shite (e.g. Fifty Shades, Time Travellers Wife)
2. Books I read and thought were very readable but essentially shite (Crawdads, Eleanor Stupid Name)
3. books I loved and think are brilliant (Secret History, Wolf Hall)

Life of Pi - just what?
The Lovely Bones - creeped out by subject matter and stopped reading.
Room - Ditto

A Thousand Splendid Suns &
The Shadow of the Wind - I just found them boring. I'm obviously not book clever enough.

I really enjoyed captain corelli, but liked the South American trilogy more. Even got dh loving those and he's not a reader.

Tried really hard to read a History of 7 killings, but got overwhelmed by the characters and flipping about. One of the few I gave up on. That, and The Wheel of time that a friend recommended cos I'm partial to a bit of fantasy. But it was old fashioned fantasy and really dull, with not enough decent female characters.

I’ve tried to read The Lovely Bones twice and both times given up a few chapters in. I rarely give up on a book and just couldn’t finish that one.

Loads on this thread though I have read and liked,

The Thursday Murder Club. I found it a total slog. I really wanted to give up on it but I plodded on and really regretted it because the ending was rubbish

I tried Captain Corelli but have up after a few chapters. I just wanted it to get on with the story but it just kept waffling on.

I do like (and actually love) some of those mentioned.

The Lovely Bones. Shite. I'm so glad to finally find others who agree, everyone I know IRL loves it!

Gone Girl. WTAF.

Ha… I clicked on this thread to say Crawdads! I can forgive a lot things that people often don’t like but I just felt like it wasn’t very well written at all and overplotted. I would have DNF’d but I was reading 5-6 chapters a week with bookclub.

Ha! Glad it wasn't just me with A Little Life - horrible misery porn. Recently disliked Theatre for Dreamers - boring. Olive Ketteridge - miserable old woman. And Crawdads - improbable and overrated. There are also lots of brilliant books that I've loved, but that's another thread.