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Popular book that you didn’t enjoy

459 replies

Wanttocry · 19/06/2021 16:33

Not really a TAAT but inspired by the Crawdads thread.

What’s a book that has been raved about, but that you didn’t really enjoy? For me it would have to be The Goldfinch, I just didn’t really get it.

OP posts:
Gonnagetgoing · 14/09/2021 15:39

@Viviennemary

I second Lovely Bones. The horriblest creepiest sick book ever. Wish I'd never read it.
See, it is a bit horrible and creepy but if you look at it from her, her family's etc perspectives rather than totally from the horrible and creepy side then it's quite emotive in parts.
Gonnagetgoing · 14/09/2021 15:38

@Spidey66

Oh and I forgot My Beautiful Friend. So dull.
Oh - glad someone mentioned this to me - SIL (DB's DW) bought this for me for Christmas (she knows I like reading) and I couldn't get through the first couple of chapters, as yes, so dull.
Gonnagetgoing · 14/09/2021 15:37

The Poisonwood Bible and Wolf Hall. Both could not get into.

Spidey66 · 14/09/2021 13:31

Oh and what was the book about the little ornaments? The Amber Hares or something? It was a book club read, but it was boring.

Spidey66 · 14/09/2021 13:28

Oh and I forgot My Beautiful Friend. So dull.

Spidey66 · 14/09/2021 13:25

The Goldfinch. DULL DULL DULL. I only read it cos I was off work sick following a hysterectomy and was bored shitless.

Life of Pi. Stupid book.

My husband nagged me for years to read The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. Eventually I made a deal, I'd read it and in return he's to watch Its A Sin. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists while worthy was very dull (it helped me to sleep though.) The sod still hasn't watched It's a Sin. Please recommend a good divorce lawyer.

Viviennemary · 07/09/2021 21:30

I second Lovely Bones. The horriblest creepiest sick book ever. Wish I'd never read it.

icepackplease · 07/09/2021 16:43

Lovely Bones

FastFood · 07/09/2021 16:42

The Midnight Library. Feels like it has been written with the objective to sell rights for cinema adaptation.

This one I'm ashamed...but I never managed to enjoy Letters to a Young Poet by Rilke.
I should probably read it again. I really want to like it I feel like I'm massively missing out.

Cattenberg · 07/09/2021 10:21

The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen.

I’d forgotten about this one. The section set in Lithuania was shockingly bad. I’ve never been to Lithuania, but I could tell instantly that the author hadn’t been there either. There was an American-Imperialist smugness that made me want to throw the book across the room.

I agree about The Slap. Horrible characters and constant racist language. I can’t decide whether to give my copy to a charity shop or put it in the recycling. Which would be more ethical?

I thought Trainspotting was massively overrated too. I didn’t finish it.

RosesAndHellebores · 07/09/2021 09:23

Ha ha @HopingForOurRainbowBaby my then 12 year old once said nobly: mummy I have done two things. One will make you cross, one will please you. I downloaded 50 shades of grey onto my kindle but I only read the first chapter. It was so badly written!

HopingForOurRainbowBaby · 07/09/2021 00:36

@Standrewsschool

The Tattooist of Auscwitz
Try reading the Bee Keeper of Aleppo. It's definitely worth a read
HopingForOurRainbowBaby · 07/09/2021 00:33

Fifty shades of grey. Wasted £8 on that fucker and managed about 3 chapters before deciding it was more fifty shades of shite.

Chocolatier9 · 06/09/2021 23:59

The trick with A Little Life is to take a swig of something each time someone says “I’m sorry” in the book.

White Teeth. It feels really unworthy but I often wonder if it was the marketability of Zadie Smith that made the book.

The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. The fact that he has a career makes me irrationally angry.

I love The Secret History and I still have a slight crush on Donna Tartt. Blush.

musicalfrog · 06/09/2021 23:23

White Teeth. Was so glad to get to the last page!

timtam23 · 06/09/2021 23:22

Girl on the Train - poorly written and it just left a nasty feeling after reading it
Life after Life - couldn't get on with the sudden changes of scene at all and found it incredibly negative and depressing to read
The Time Traveler's Wife
The Help - really didn't get on with this at all, although I'm the only one out of my group of close friends to think this - all the others loved it.

ThisOldSaddo · 05/09/2021 22:47

Eleanor Olipbhant...

Erm, Girl on a Train.

Thin stories, immaturely written. Esp the latter.

orangetriangle · 05/09/2021 22:43

life after life hated it

Viviennemary · 05/09/2021 22:00

I tried Wolf Hall but only read a few pages such heavy going. And the TV adaptation settings were so dark I could hardly see anything on the screen. Didn't like Eleanor Oliphant much either.

olidora63 · 05/09/2021 21:56

Eleanor Oliphant and Girl on the train…both really depressing

whataboutbob · 05/09/2021 21:53

Most of Martin Amis’s output after the Rachel Papers.

whataboutbob · 05/09/2021 21:50

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. So hyped at the time and just very middling.

VanishingWitch · 05/09/2021 14:33

All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr.

Yes - me too. Hated it.

Battled through The Luminaries, finished it but think I didn't really "get" it.

Both Sally Rooney books - loathed them, will never get that wasted time back, will never read another one of hers. Tiresome, pretentious and dull imo.

RosesAndHellebores · 05/09/2021 14:02

Little Women.

pecanmix · 05/09/2021 14:01

The midnight library - annoyed me to no end. Felt like a great concept but execution wasn't great. Couldn't figure out how it had made such an impact on so many people!

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