Which book has defeated you?

[xsquared]

Inspired by the top 100 thread, I thought I'd start a thread about books that you've tried reading, perhaps more than once, but given up on.

For me it's bloody Middlemarch! I'm 39 now and I started reading it around 15 hopefully in time to do an English essay about women's roles in 18th century literature, which was met with a "whoo" from my teacher at the time. She was right though.

Tried reading it again in my early 20s but was distracted with The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Tried again at least twice more, probably on holiday somewhere and I think I've got to admit defeat. I don't seem to get much further than shortly after Dorothea marries Casauban.

I got half way through War and Peace when it was televised but lost interest when the series finished. I may try it again this year!

I really struggled with middlemarch too, had to study it in school.
Catch 22 I have found unreadable so far, I’ll try again though

I have tried a tale of two cities several times, I just can't get into it.

Catcher in the rye, just couldn't get on with the tone of his voice and found it so boring

Madame Bovary. So boring. Chocolat when everyone used to rave about it, my aunt got me it and I just thought it was shite. Some history of Ernest Shackleton, not engagingly written.

Catch 22. I’ve tried 3 times now. Can’t get on with it

Anna karenina, first book I actively decided never to finish. I’ve read longer, I’ve read other Russian lit but me and Anna are done!

Captain Correli

Not sure why Curious Incudent is on there? Thought it was a pile of poo.

Incident

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. I even joined an online support group to get through it but just could not do it. Sad as I loved his other books.

Ulysses. Got about a third of the way through it on my last attempt before having a 'dear god what am I doing with my life' moment.
Loved The Dubliners.

On the road by jack keroac

To the lighthouse.

I’d read a page then turn over and not be able to say what I’d just read.

Love in the time of cholera. Just too bloody long. No one in my book club finished it. Strangely, 3 of us stopped on literally the same page but couldn't identify a particular reason! And Wuthering Heights. Don't get the hype.

Seconded for Captain Corelli's sodding Mandolin. Turgid pile of poo. Just don't get it!

Captain Corelli - don’t know what all the fuss is about.

The Hobbit - can’t renember who is who.

Oh god, I really want to say The Goldfinch. But I did finish piece of absolute shite.

Only because I had spent money on it and I have a weird

Ulysses. Sorry but it's just awful.
I'm also struggling with the Booker Prize winner at the moment (Milkman). Find it hard to concentrate on it at all. To me, the paragraphs are far too long so it's really dense and you can't get distracted for a minute. I lose my place and have to start the paragraph again. Is it worth persevering?

Liked Middlemarch but it's hard going.

I just bought The Goldfinch

The Hobbit, far too many names to remember, distracts me from the actual story.

...oops

...obligation to finish books.

It was the worst thing I’ve ever read. And that includes The Spice Girls Annual.

Oh god any Hobbity, Pottery, Narnia-y, Dan Brown-y ones... they would go in the charity shop pile in my house!

Two spring to mind: The Ambassadors by Henry James and Anna Karenina. I've got to approximately the same place in both three times (about a third of the way in for The Ambassadors and about half way with AK) and then put them down. I don't know why, I really want to read both.

I did the same with War and Peace a couple of times but cracked it when the adaptation was on telly a couple of years ago.
I just checked that - it was three years ago

The Fiery Cross in the Outlander series. Doesn't help that I can barely hold it!

Urgh yes, fevertree, I second that — Catcher in the Rye is an awful book. Truly awful.

@bananapeanutbutterandtoast just came on to say I’m finding exactly the same with Milkman. Half way through and not sure whether to give up!