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!

It would be fascinating to somehow map the likes and dislikes expressed here. Does anyone who likes Cloud Atlas like The Goldfinch, for instance? If you like Wolf Hall can you also like Catch 22?

I'm with you OP, Middlemarch. Made worse by the fact that I actually got a really good essay mark for my essay on Middlemarch (written entirely with the help of the TV series and various books on George Elliott/Middlemarch and a bit of skim reading) at University with a George Elliott enthusiastic as a tutor. I did however reference everything I used, a lot of which was written by my tutor so I suspect he probably didn't look too closely.

And I paid so much attention I can't even spell Eliot correctly.

I've been reading Anna Karenena for 3 years!! Buuuuuuut I absolutely love and it when I read it I'm all about it and remember how good it is but I don't get much further. I read a lot and get distracted by faster paced books. I'm gonna finish it in 2019!! Lol

Another one for Ulysses, adored Dubliners. Seems to be the exact same for a lot of people, @groundcontroltomontydon!!!

Anthills of the Savannah by Chinua Achebe. I was absolutely blown away by Things Fall Apart (a truly outstanding book) but after several attempts to start Anthills ended up donating it to charity- I just couldn't get into it at all. Perhaps I will try again one day!

Oh and almost The Road too. I did finish but REALLY had to force myself. I quite liked Cloud Atlas....

Great expectations, love most of dickens but couldn't get into it
Anna Karenin, just couldn't get on with it but loved war and peace
Most of Thomas Hardy

the Mill on the Floss is another, although I' ved loved the rest of Elliotts work

The Time Traveller's Wife
Sense and Sensibility
The Power
The Little Friend (despite loving The Goldfinch and The Secret History)
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell

Also tried Catch 22 but gave up. Going to give it one more shot soon as I want to read it before the George Clooney TV series comes on Channel 4.

I finally managed War and Peace last year and really loved it, even the war bits. Ulysses has some amazing passages but also long (LONG) sections where I had no idea what was going on.

Midnight's Children, however, utterly defeated me, as did The Golden Bowl, Henry James' most turgid novel.

We need to talk about kevin is one of my favourites! I'm really surprised by the dislike for it! Thought I was quite a fussy reader.
I am slogging through sense and sensibility but as a pride and prejudice fan I'm finding it practically the same story line done up in a slightly different way so considering just giving up.
Never finished Mr norrell and Dr strange or hitch hikers guide

Yet another vote for Ulysses. The purpose of the written word is to convey information or meaning. Joyce does neither over hundreds of pages of self-indulgent nonsense.

Lord of the rings. Just not my thing, at all.

I’m another one who has been defeated by Middlemarch.

The Silmarillion and The Hobbit have both beaten me too, and yet I totally love LOTR and read my original copy so many times it disintegrated.

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Gave up. Same for The Hangman’s Daughter. And yet I know loads of people love both these books.

I loved Catch 22 though. So much so that I re-read it immediately after finishing it for the first time.

I've read and enjoyed most of the books mentioned but I just couldn't read The Hobbit. Not through lack of trying😬

I cannot believe so many people have said Captain Corelli's. It's one of favourite books (Atonement being the other one) of all time. Loved them! Also loved Time Travellers wife!

Can't read any fantasy books at all though. Can't follow them. Constantly lost!

@IreneTheQuaint so did that mean you didn't understand Ulysses, or just skipped those sections and it didn't matter? Having tried a couple of times, I know I could force myself to read it; I'm just not sure I'll actually understand it without a Letts Notes or similar next to me - which sort of undermines the joy of reading, no?

I loved Atonement too MiniMum but it's generally hated on MN. I hate Cold Comfort Farm which is loved on here.

Woman in white. Hated it. It just went on and on.

Go set a watchman. I loved to kill a mockingbird but the sequel fell very short of expectation.

The Road. So dull.

I actually finished Anna Karenina but I was a very bored teen at the time.

I've given up on:
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Stig of the Dump (was years ago but it still frustrates me!)
Northern Lights (from His Dark Materials) - I really should give this one another go
Emma (we did Pride and Prejudice as a set text so I kinda get that one)
Wild Swans

Agree Elena Ferrante - so dull. Kept reading just waiting for something, anything to happen.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - snore.

Wolf Hall - everyone was called Oliver, I didn’t know wtf was going on, thoroughly defeated me.

Funnily enough, loved Captain Corelli (although it was a slow starter).

I also loved Captain Corelli - the gentle, meandering style just clicked with me

Dickens is a sore spot for me. Bleak House and David Copperfield were abject failures.

Couldn't get into the Amber Spyglass but planning to try again.

No interest in hobbits.