to think this is the most over-rated book ever

[SlightlyJaded]

'If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things'

I love books. From big dramatic plotlines and epic storylines to subtle and beautfifully written prose with well drawn characters. I like quirky books, classic books, modern literature, poetry - anything well written or engaging.

I almost never have to 'force' myself to finish a book but always do finish a book if I've started (why do we do that? ) but thought 'If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things' was the dullest most over-rated dross I've ever read.

Or did I miss something?

And yes, this should be in books, but I prefer AIBU

'Flashforward',one of the very few cases where the series is very much better than the book.The way he tries to write about women is truly dreadful!.

oh oh oh can't believe I haven't yet mentioned Naked Lunch

(shudders at the memory and goes to lie down)

Niece The Blind Assassin is brilliant. The beginning is tiresome because of the sci-fi stuff that makes you want to eat your own vomit, but after that... I promise it's worth sticking with.

And finally, can I just say that the plot of 'Perfume' is ridiculous. I did quite enjoy but for all the rave reviews, did nobody ever think to point out that the whole concept is utter nonsense?

Madamimadam, 'friad I beat you to dissing ASByatt's Possession and Ian McEwan, but totally agree with your assessment of it.

But you are completely wrong [dogmatic emoticon] about Ishiguru's Remains of the Day; so much is inferred and it's beautifully observed, plus it's the only film I can remember liking Anthony Hopkins in.

so many here i agree with...

but no one has yet mentioned the most over-rated book never to have been an Oprah book club pick...

THE LOVELY BONES.

a stupid person's idea of a clever book, if ever there was one.

McEwan writes crap. Saturday is the worst...sheesh...so ridiculous and so unconvincing and Atonement not much better and what a crappy cop-out ending! Refuse to read any Lional Shriver, on account of her changing her name to Lionel. Loony alert! I like Madame Bovary. Real plot, characters (even if none particularly likeable) and wonderful descriptions of clothes.

I love these threads.

I use them like david mellor's 'If you liked that you'll like this' but in reverse.

I'm going to go back to the start now and anyone who hated Jane Eyre or His Dark Materials I'm putting the rest of your most over rated books on my christmas list.

Catcher in the Rye. Just awful. Never did I care less about a character than I did Holden Caulfield.

Another character that irritates me is Amelia Sedley in Vanity Fair, and I have a tendency to omit the chapters about her when I re-read it; Becky Sharp is one of my favourite literary characters.

Oh I quite like The Lovely Bones Aitch

But I was surprised it wasn't on here before too. I know it often appears on these threads.

Slightlyjaded - on what chapter does The Blind Assassin improve? Can I skip the first bit and still get the plot? I still have it on my bookshelf so I can go back to it - couldn't bare to throw it out when I paid good money for it!

oh neicie... .. i presume it caught you in a vulnerable moment. because really it is the biggest pile of cack. (and, yah know, she kind of does get her rocks off by using another person's body... a bit rapey for a best pal, non?)

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

Anything by Anita Brookner, once you have read one you have read them all. I lived abroad for a year working as a nanny and the mum had the full set.

Middle aged woman lives in London, goes for walks at dusk, nothing happpens, she goes to Paris where nothing happens but the author lapses into French - she comes home.

They all just blurred into one for me.

Can I also add anything by Beryl Bainbridge?

Also Marilyn French - Her Mother's Daughter - I hated the character of Belle the mother and liked the daughter less and less as the book went on.

I felt sorry for the father in the end - I loved the Woman's Room as a teenager but now having re-read it several times I find the men all one dimensional.

I would now like to read their story. I may be outraged though

Ian McEwan does not write "crap". You might consider the possibility that it is you who have not appreciated his writing, given the zillions of awards that he has received.

Becky more than makes up for Amelia. Vanity Fair has probably my all-time favourite opening scene.

Henry James is rather like what someone said earlier about Proust - some bits of sheer tedium but the good stuff makes up for them. Portrait of a Lady is the best, I think. I try not to let the fact that he was Virginia Woolf's favourite author put me off.

I haven't read '..remarkable...'

but I would nominate The Alchemist by Coelho. SHite.

Cotedazur, I think you might be missing the point of this thread - and the tone. (Unless your Ian's mum of course, in which case you are excused)

Aha, someone else mentioned it very early on. Not at all surprised.

I love Jane Austen, Wolf Hall, Middlemarch
Couldn't finish Foucault's Pendulum (though love Name of the Rose)

Da Vinci Code is shite. I can tell this from having read the first paragraph once. I just Googled "Da Vinci Code" "first sentence", in order to copy and paste it in here and I found someone has actually analysed why the first sentences are shite.

Right, those of you who don't like Remains of the Day, To Kill A Mockingbird and Call of the Wild - I will take your bloody stupid heads off!

Suncottage I thought you were talking about Anita Shreive when you said Anita Brookner. Exactly the same - woman wanders off on beach - gets a new life - realises how bad the old one was - goes home and carries on. [bangs head on table]

I LOVED Midnight's Children. One of the best books ever written - the language is just magical and the characters are marvelous. Took a second attempt to get into it but it was soooooo worth it.

Whoever said Jonathan Strange is overrated needs to step up so I can TAKE YOU DOWN.

Jane Austen does nothing for me. I think lots of girls say they like her to sound literary (I'm not saying that lots of literary people don't like her, as I'm sure they do, but I believe she's one of the few classical authors with fangirls). I kinda thought Emma was alright but man it was boring. I heard someone refer to her as a genius a few weeks ago and came over all WTF.

I HATED The Kite Runner.

I agree with the criticism of Time Traveler's Wife. What a painfully pretentious protagonist - is it just me or was he a complete cock? I mean he wouldn't get invited to any of MY parties. Plus the whole premise was daft and I found it ridiculous that he kept popping up naked all over the place. And there was that weird bit where someone caught him doing something with himself...? Film was atrocious too.

I read The Crow Rd by Ian Banks and hated that too.

I read Wuthering Heights when I was about 17 and remember liking it a lot, which is unusual for me as I generally hate everything. I have no doubt that I would hate it upon re-reading.

Norwegian Wood. Self-indulgent pants by middle-aged man idolising the 60s and unable to write convincing female characters.

I also love perfume - fantastic book.

i just wish he could have written something slightly nicer and less horrifying in the same beautiful language.