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Original poster

Biggest disappointments - Which book you thought would be great but did not live up to your expectation?

97 replies

CoteDAzur · 23/01/2008 12:47

I will gladly volunteer "The Quiet Girl", by Peter Hoeg, his 1996 book after a 10 year silence since "Miss Smilla's Sense of Snow".

I read the synopsis and I was so hopeful that I would love it:

  • children with special abilities (great!)
  • main character who loves Bach and talks about Bach's music throughout the book (brilliant!)

It turned out to be one of the stupidest books I have ever read, and that is against some competition. The plot is dumb and assumes the reader is an idiot. The translation is downright pathetic.

I want back the time I spent reading this rag

OP posts:
Original poster
CoteDAzur · 25/01/2008 20:27

"Vineland" by Thomas Pynchon.

Sentences that cover half a page, description of anything and everything and nothing at the same time, characters who don't seem to be doing anything. Worst of all, Nothing Ever Happens in this book.

I swear on all that is dear, I don't remember anything about the plot nor who or what the characters are. In fact, the only reason I didn't mention this book along with "The Quiet Girl" in the OP is because I had forgotten both the name of the book and the name of its author until about five minutes ago.

Verbal diarrhea. That's all this book is.

OP posts:
LIZS · 25/01/2008 17:58

Life of Pi

Viggoswife · 25/01/2008 17:55

Captain Corellis Mandolin. It was ok I suppose but certainly did not live up to the hype, for me anyway. Also Brick Lane. I did enjoy what I read but it went on a bit and I sort of lost my way but I will go back to it.

moodymammy · 25/01/2008 16:43

The Memory Keepers Daughter. I was really looking forward to reading it and the first half was ok, was building up to the big showdown.... and there wasn't one! just sort of fizzled out. pants.

loved time travellers wife though

FriedGreenTomatoes · 25/01/2008 16:17

Agree with Short History of Tractors in Ukranian. Couldn't finish that.

I also couldn't get into We Need to Talk About Kevin

SpaceHopperHayls · 25/01/2008 16:07

I did think for a while with Durrell that it was me, and I just didn't get it, so I tried Justine again and was equally unenamoured second time around.

Corelli is a marmite book - I fell in love with the story and the characters, but despite my blind loyalty to the captain, have always thought that Birds Without Wings is a better book.

Countingthegreyhairs · 25/01/2008 16:03

Yes Corelli seems to be in the "love it or hate it" category.

Couldn't agree more about Alexandria Quartet ...

SpaceHopperHayls · 25/01/2008 15:49

Counting...I LOVE Captain Corelli. Have read it almost as many times as Wuthering Heights. Still, it wouldn't do if we were all the same.

Definitely The Da Vinci Code - big pile of grey pants, written for people with the attention span of a hairbrush.
Agree that Kate Mosse's Labyrinth was hugely over-rated.
Expected lots from Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet, but found it a bit over-written, and not especially interesting.

Grouchyoscar · 25/01/2008 15:45

Jack Kerouac 'On The Road'

Califrau · 25/01/2008 15:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

rebelmum1 · 25/01/2008 13:38

I coulddn't stop laughing when I read terri pratchet..

Sunshinemummy · 25/01/2008 12:10

Oh ArticRoll thank you for agreeing with me. I thought I was a lone voice. And the sex scenes were rubbish.

I haven't even attempted any more Sebastian Faulks.

Countingthegreyhairs · 25/01/2008 12:09

Another vote for Captain Corelli

ArcticRoll · 25/01/2008 12:07

Yep,sunshinemummy I agree with you about Birdsong.
I knew I was meant to be moved by it but I just wasn't.
Also Charlotte Gray.

Sunshinemummy · 25/01/2008 11:54

Can I also mention Birdsong - dull dull dull, despite everyone raving about it, and I also didn't really enjoy Austerlitz, but feel slightly guilty typing that.

UnquietDad · 25/01/2008 11:52

Agree you either "get" Pratchett or you don't. I find his sense of humour spot-on. But I've read chunks out to people to a stony silence.

Califrau · 24/01/2008 17:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsArchieTheInventor · 24/01/2008 17:39

Karren Brady's United. Couldn't get past the first chapter.

bundle · 24/01/2008 17:35

cotedazur, my book group got LOADS more out of the Tractors thing than me - nuances re: the war/incarceration, sibling rivalry etc.

bundle · 24/01/2008 17:33
yorkshirepudding · 24/01/2008 17:24

Message withdrawn

Original poster
CoteDAzur · 24/01/2008 17:19

I agree on 'A Short History Of Tractors In Ukrainian'. Old man marries illegal resident Ukrainian bimbo and we are supposed to be interested in the resulting feud between her & guy's daughters. Booooring.

OP posts:
Pruners · 24/01/2008 17:07

Message withdrawn

christie1 · 24/01/2008 16:59

The stone diaries by carol shields. Everyone raved about it, chapter one, was enthralled, then, boom, she jumps ahead a generation. I was so annoyed, I was so interested in the story of the parents who are never heard from again in teh book. With the exception of the one scene where the young wife sneezes while hubby stands near the window, startles him and he falls out (brilliantly written), the book was boring. I really didn't like J-pod either but loved eleanor rigby. (maybe I am too old to get the jpod generation)

bero · 24/01/2008 10:59

Unbearable Lightness - pretentious with a bit of a misogynistic edge (at least I thought so).