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Original poster

Has anyone started to read a book and realised that they HATE it with a vengeance before the even finish the first sentence??

116 replies

GetOrfMoiLand · 10/03/2008 11:57

Out of curiosity picked up The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory in Tesco yesterday and started the read the first page. First sentence goes on about weather, lacing up corsets and scaffolds. It was then I thought this book is going to be a pile of shit and will not waste my time.

Have I missed a good book or was my initial impression correct. I usually read a page before I pass judgement (memories of plouging through first page of The English Patient before flinging it to the floor)

OP posts:
LyraSilvertongue · 10/03/2008 20:36

I found the Da Vinci Code quite entertaining. I read it on a beach on holiday.

pruners · 10/03/2008 20:36

Message withdrawn

scottishmummy · 10/03/2008 20:34

hated lovely bones & Time travellers wife

expatinscotland · 10/03/2008 20:34

The Lovely Bones was the only book I have actually ever burned.

It's not just bad, but so damn depressing it's dangerous.

expatinscotland · 10/03/2008 20:34

I felt that way about The Other Boleyn Girl, too, GOML.

and I felt bad because my sister had given it to me on a visit.

So I plowed on. I finally gave up when it failed my 50-Page Rule.

I cannot abide Phillipa Gregory or any 'historical fiction' author. Too lame to even create their own character. Fuck, even chick lit and romance writers do that, even if it is formulaic.

LyraSilvertongue · 10/03/2008 20:32

I liked the Lovely Bones.

Maidamess · 10/03/2008 20:32

Da Vinci -Bleurgh
Harry Potter and Anything- Double Bleurgh.

LyraSilvertongue · 10/03/2008 20:32

Also Stalingrad, which DP read and he keeps urging me to read it. I can't get past the first page.

lacarete · 10/03/2008 20:32

I hated hated hated the Lovely Bones

FluffyMummy123 · 10/03/2008 20:31

Message withdrawn

LyraSilvertongue · 10/03/2008 20:30

Yes, Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre.
Someone told me his name means Dirty But Clean Peter, which I thought was such a pretentious, poncey name that it prejudiced me against the book. It's probably very good.

SalVolatile · 10/03/2008 20:28

Yes - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffinegger - so, so bad I junked it after a couple of pages - even tried skimming other chapters to see if it improved, but its....rubbish. The idea was done much better and more cleverly about a decade ago but I can't remember author's name - will have to trawl through boxes of books now

poodlepusher · 10/03/2008 19:38

the beauty myth by naomi wolf
hanging up by nora ephron
the gathering by anne enright

all v v v v bad

suedonim · 10/03/2008 15:00

Mumblechum's my chum! I also periodically feel I should have yet another shot at IM but I just can't do it. My brain goes into shutdown as soon as I start one of her books.

EffiePerine · 10/03/2008 12:38

I tend to flick to the middle of a book when browsing ratehr than reading the first page. Have discarded many books on this principle

JayneF · 10/03/2008 12:36

Oh yes, classics,..now you are talking MAS...

Mill on the Floss,...genuinely beautifully written but SO SLOW,...thank god for the flood at the end, should have been at the end of chapter one.

JingleyJen · 10/03/2008 12:36

yup, a book by John Connolley I read books by Michael Connolley and picked it up by accident. The first paragraph was so horrific it turned my stomach and I literally felt sick.. have not picked it up since - Keep meaning to give it to the charity shop but don't really want to inflict it on some poor old biddy with a weak heart!

rnbsmum · 10/03/2008 12:34

sorry, off not of!

LadyOfWaffle · 10/03/2008 12:33

I can't remember, War and Peace or something, trying to jam some culture in. Just though "oh, bugger it" in the end! Jilly Cooper is about my level

rnbsmum · 10/03/2008 12:33

Couldn't get passed one page of 'Like Water for Chocolate'. Forget now what it was that turned me of, but tried reading it several times.

MaryAnnSingleton · 10/03/2008 12:30

Wuthering frigging Heights

Jackstini · 10/03/2008 12:30

dd loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar..

turquoise · 10/03/2008 12:28

I once read The Little House by Phillippa Gregory, it was so stupendously awful I could never bring myself to read anything else of hers.

May watch the movie though.

Rue · 10/03/2008 12:27

That Labyrynth book by Kate Mosse.
The Traveller's wife
And yes yes to Da Vinci code. I didn't want to read it anyway but book group decided ..3 paras was enough to convince me to Put It Down. For ever.

SirDigbyChickenCaesar · 10/03/2008 12:27

LOL agree about Da vinci code. I'm of DH because he's never read it.