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Original poster

Books that you have read that you are disappointed with....

83 replies

AliGrylls · 18/03/2010 19:23

I am currently reading Alias Grace. Everyone said to me - it is brilliant you must read it. I am not saying it is bad, it just leaves me feeling a little cold and also usually once I am into a book I don't put it down. I am finding it far too easy to put it down.

Has anyone else ever experienced this before You know when everyone tells you that a book is amazing / brilliant and it doesn't live up to expectations?

OP posts:
janeiteisFedUp · 20/03/2010 19:44

I think I quite liked Alias Grace but I read it a very long time ago and can't remember anything about it.

I liked The Time Traveller's Wife apart from the stupid foot bit and I liked The Kite Runner but not the follow up. Loved The Book Thief.

I detest Ian McEwan and in fact spent most of lunch time today with a colleague with both of us saying how much we detest ian McEwan. Dp thinks he is the bee's knees. A strange, boring, annoying and horribly self-centred bee, with hideously smug knees, says I.

brimfull · 20/03/2010 19:31

I liked Kate Atkinson's 'Behind the Scenes' but was very disappointed with her subsequent novels, won't be reacheing for her stuff anymore.

I love TTW and am a McEwan fan.

American WIfe was disappointing.

Wolf Hall -have given up

Am currently feeling slightly disappointed with 'The Girl with the ragon Tattoo' but haven't finished it yet.

larrygrylls · 20/03/2010 19:22

I see Alias Grace is just me. Oh well.

Numptynoggin · 20/03/2010 19:07

I always find Margaret atwood very bumpy.... love cat's eye, alias grace, and robber bride but a lot of the rest I didn't enjoy.... especially edible woman and the hand maids tale

Numptynoggin · 20/03/2010 19:06

the memory box... and ttw, and almost a moon.... hate it when a book lets me down... reduced to rereading let's talk about kevin for the umpteenth time

larrygrylls · 20/03/2010 18:53

Just to post on my wife's discussion, I think it interesting the number of people who have chosen the same books. I actually recommended Alias Grace to Ali, so I obviously do not agree with that one.

I really could not read The Children's book. After about 70 pages, I could hardly remember who was who. I considered writing a character chart but then decided it just was not worth it. I really loved her previous one: "Possession".

As for "Saturday", I just cannot believe the good reviews it got from the critics. From the unrealistic uxorious lust of a forty something year old neural surgeon to the tedious five page description of a squash game (and I am a keen squash player!)it was a triumph of method and research over substance and interest. It just goes to show how clubby authors and reviewers must be.

MayorNaze · 20/03/2010 15:29

phew

shall we start our own subterfugal book club?

dh lurves paulo coehlo, i am a bit meh tbh.

i read breakfast at tiffany's the other day. v v disappointing

piprabbit · 20/03/2010 10:24

Mayor, I agree, I loathed Behind the scenes at the museum. I found it very disturbing and sort of exploitative.

I also loathe Paulo Coelho - misogynistic self-indulgent tosh.

And I'm usually very tolerant and will read anything.

Bucharest · 20/03/2010 10:16
MayorNaze · 19/03/2010 19:24

o dear. everyone has fainted with shock

i'm sorry. i WANTED to like it. but i thought it was quite boring

Cadelaide · 19/03/2010 19:03

Oh mayor, how very brave

MayorNaze · 19/03/2010 19:02

i loved alias grace. and TTW. but couldn't finish childrens book

i have to say that i did't really get kate atkinson's behind the scenes at the museum

piscesmoon · 19/03/2010 18:59

I still don't know why people like 'Time Traveller' Wife' so much, a lot of people seem to have been in tears with it-I found it irritating.

thighsmadeofcheddar · 19/03/2010 18:54

Time Travellers Wife - I thought it was a bit ho-hum.

The Blind Assassin. I know this is so popular but I just didn't get it.

Cadelaide · 19/03/2010 18:52

Ian McEwan always gets such a bashing on here.

I just don't get it.

Cadelaide · 19/03/2010 18:50

Alias Grace I've read but don't really remember, so I guess it didn't have much impact.

Original poster
AliGrylls · 19/03/2010 18:50

DH hated Saturday too. I read the first page of it and couldn't be bothered.

OP posts:
EmmalinaC · 19/03/2010 18:50

Oooh Lovely Bones - terribly corny. Hated it. But don't be put off Alice Sebold. Her next book (the name of which escapes me now) is fab.

Cadelaide · 19/03/2010 18:48

I loved On Beauty.

Didn't really get "American Wife" though, pile of old shite imo.

I love Ian McEwan, pretty much all of it so far.

EmmalinaC · 19/03/2010 18:47

I agree about Ian McEwan - the only one of his books I've ever managed to finish was Enduring Love and that was a struggle. I thought Saturday was dreadfully smug and show-off-y.

midnightexpress · 19/03/2010 18:46

Did love Atonement though. In fact it was my favourite of his that I've read.

midnightexpress · 19/03/2010 18:45

YY to Time Traveller's Wife, also The Lovely Bones (hurled with some force across the room a couple of chapters in). Also agree about Zadie Smith; White Teeth = way over-hyped. Liked Alias Grace but thought the Blind Assassin was a bit of a yawn. And agree on the Afghanistan thang. Snoozarella.

Original poster
AliGrylls · 19/03/2010 18:41

I think that is the problem. A lot of authors nowadays I get the feeling they are actively trying to be clever and give their book a meaning instead of just writing the darn thing. Some of it is just pretentious wallowings. I find this in particular with Ian McEwan - I tried to read Atonement and thought it was bollocks.

OP posts:
ArcticRoll · 19/03/2010 17:53

Bucharest-agree about Time Travellers Wife and On Beauty.
Also The Book Thief.

Aniyan · 19/03/2010 10:41

I got very irritated with the Children's Book as I felt the author was going to great lengths to show off how much research she'd done into the period, to the detriment of the characters and the story itself - have to say though, I did love Alias Grace

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