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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:
Bucharest · 19/03/2010 10:40

Cranford (started about 10 times and given uo) Time Traveller's Wife,(not left brained enough to work out the age differences with each timeslip) 1000 Splendid Kites etc..... (author went to How-to-write-a-book-on-Afghanistan workshop and thought, that sounds like a moneyspinner. Because it's in Afghanistan people will think it's Lit-ritcher.

FlyingMonkey · 19/03/2010 10:32

Yes, it's very hard to continue with a book when you feel like that.

I also thought On Beauty was a bit ho hum. I really don't get all the fuss about Zadie Smith.

Original poster
AliGrylls · 19/03/2010 08:43

DH struggled with Childrens Book and he loves reading. It does sound quite heavy going.

I put my finger on it this morning. The problem is that I don't feel empathy for the characters.

OP posts:
Rocinante · 19/03/2010 07:09

Anna Karenina - it feels like sacrilege saying it as so many people love it, but I found it tedious and really disliked most of the characters. I almost cheered at the end

Cicatrice · 18/03/2010 21:23

On Beauty. It was OK but nothing like as good as I was led to believe it would be.

FlyingMonkey · 18/03/2010 21:17

I loved The Children's Book although it was a bit heavy going at times.

Mr Pip. Did it win The Booker or some such? I read about half of it and gave up.

chicaguapa · 18/03/2010 19:27

I felt like that about The Northern Clemency. I only stuck with it as my friend assured me it was definitely worth it. I hated every page.

EmmalinaC · 18/03/2010 19:25

I am feeling the same way about A S Byatt's The Children's Book. It is leaving me with the unpleasant feeling that I'm just not clever enough to enjoy it...

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