To ask about the worst book you have ever read.

[Whereisthecoffee]

Title says it all really. What book or books have you absolutely hated and why?

American Pyscho

Gosh, so many.

The Island by Victoria Hislop is up there with drivel.

I’ve never managed to finish:
Catch 22
Atonement
The Goldfinch
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
Shantaram

I agree with whoever said that Paula Hawkins new one - Into the Water is the biggest pile of shite. I didn’t even bother to finish it (in my defence I didn’t buy it - it was at one of those take one, leave one stands in a cafe)

50 Shades was the most appalling piece of literature I have ever come across

Totally agree!

A Discovery of Witches and American Psycho are my runners up but they’re nowhere near as bad as 50SoG.

The Help. So patronising.

Fifty Shades of Grey

The lovely bones
Atonement

Anything by Jeffrey Archer. Stayed in a cottage years ago and those were the only books there. Basic vocabulary and writing style for 7 year olds or Sun readers.

At the other end of the scale I couldn't get into Midnight's Children or the Ghost Road. Trying too hard to be clever.

50 shades obviously

And a book called Romanitas. Both read as if written by teenagers.

Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

Oh I'd forgotten about that one. Awful.

i do get your point bakedbean ther ewas alot of restarts

i actually liked the lovely bones maybe i shold try the slap

I liked the lovely bones but hated the slap.

Another Goldfinch, utterly dire and I kept going as everyone else raves about it and thought I must be missing something

Not sure which pp mentioned Kate Mosse but yes! All her books are irritatingly formulaic and trite after generally fairly promising starts.

I get the feeling she’s a failed historian and would rather be writing academic books, so lacking is her lack of flair for a new fiction idea.

Agree about

Behind her eyes
And
50 shades

Glad someone said 'The Girl With All The Gifts' because I was just going to put it on my kindle for my holiday next month. Saved me money

The only book I've ever refused to finish reading (and I have grunted my way through some seriously sh*te books) was 'American Psycho'. In fact, I couldn't even bear to have it in the house and threw it out.

Enduring love by Ian mcewan. Made me feel like my brain was going to bleed out of my ears. Just utter drivel.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo I agree. It was horrible.

Just finished the goldfinch on audiobook. Omg Tartt just get to the bloody point and stop with your incessant overdetailed descriptions!! Was really bored by the end, kept looking at the player and wondering how there could possibly be 2 hours of audio left.

Oh yeah also wind up bird chronicle by ishiguro. I just didn’t get it.

I also read a couple of Jeffrey Archer books while marooned in a B&B near Ullapool in the rain, pre-Kindle era. I couldn’t believe how shite they were. It was around 1990 and his books were still quite prominent at airports.
I hated The Alchemist, I also disliked The God of Small Things. I haven’t read 50 Shades or Dan Brown though.
I’ve started The Luminaries a couple of times but given up after a hundred pages or so. I just couldn’t care less about anyone or anything.

I agree with many of the above.

Hated Time Travellers Wife, Life of Pi and My Brilliant Friend, all totally overrated.

But the prize has to be The Goldfinch. Total and utter shite. It took me a couple of goes to start it. I only really got to do the whole lot when I was off sick for 3 months after a hysterectomy and case desperately looking for something to fill my time. I wish I hadn't bothered. Think of all those episodes of Jeremy Kyle I could have watched instead.

Was not case

On Beauty - one of the few books I've not finished. So dull.

Special mentions to
Atonement - hated it
A Secret History - I cannot believe the love that's getting on the 'best book' thread, so pretentious and far fetched tripe.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

PS I Love You by Cecilia Aherne. So sickly sweet it made my teeth itch.