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?

Another vote for 50 Shades - truly appalling.

Recently couldn’t finish The Lemon Grove by Helen Walsh. It is also a complete pile of shite. I have put it in the charity shop bag, but quite frankly will feel bad for dumping it on some other unfortunate person.

Nothing new to offer here but hated Shantaram as it was so pretentious. And hated Eleanor Oliphant. Obvious and unrealistic.

A PP mentioned Jane Green. I've never read a book of hers since reading (and despising) Mr Maybe about 20 years ago, but based on the PP's synopsis it doesn't seem like she's moved on at all.

Also TAAT but anything by Jodi Picoult is shite.

Agree about The Goldfinch. The Secret History was amazing but I couldn't even finish The Goldfinch, it was that dull.

Fifty shades was a pile of utter bollocks

@nancy75 do you mean Jodi Picolut? If so you are missing out I've not read a book of hers I haven't loved!

Picoult**

@IHaveBrilloHair I forgot about monkey sister book, I've erased it from my memory it gave me the rage so badly

A kids' book about an alien. And I wish I could remember the name but it was like Plumdiboop or Bumdibloop or something as awful as that. And the writing was even worse.

I got as far as page 3 of Fifty Shades....

Satanic Verses - load of shite. Ditto Twighlight.

Several of the ones mentioned I have enjoyed (I loved Wolf Hall, enjoyed The Miniaturist).
Others I agree were dire. Da Vinci code. I haven't bothered with any of his others. The Slap. Dreadful. Apple Tree Yard. Awful.
And on the Christmas cupcake theme I got given one called Christmas at th cupcake cafe. (Bingo!) It was awful but at least it was quick to read (got given it by a very good friend and felt I had to read it).
I generally don't bother with blockbusters that 'everyone is reading' unless I genuinely like the look of them in their own right. I haven't got time to read something just because someone else is. Haven't bothered with Twilight or 50 shades because neither are my thing.
However, the book that stands out in my mind as the worst I have read is Lord of the Flies. So shoot me. I know it's a classic, but really? A bunch of little boys stuck on an island with all the parallels that aren't so much drawn as stamped on your eyeballs. I don't care. I don't want to be lectured to either. There are very few hours in my life I actively resent wasting - these I do!

Salmon fishing in the Yemen. I’ve tried a few times to read it but it’s so bloody boring.

A few on this thread are on my ‘to read list’.

Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher. Just god damn awful. Written like a 14 year old writing a love story.

What shocked me was how many books she has actually written! Who read this tosh?

50 shades, got to chapter 4 and couldnt take anymore.

I've read loads of these and loved them! Especially Captain Corelli and Eleanor Oliphant.

I absolutely hated American Psycho but had to finish it for uni. Apart from the graphic violence, the monologues on Phil Collins and the protagonists' breakfast were so boring. I know they were supposed to give me insight into Bateman's personality but it went on a bit.

Couldn't finish anything by Dan Brown.

I really didn't like The Bookshop. I thought the language was bordering on impenetrable and fuck all happened.

I've read the synopsis of, 'A little life", and that's enough to make me not touch it with a bargepole, horrid misery lit, and I read, 'A boy called it's, and the follow ups back when they first came out, and wondered why at the time.
(I was travelling, books were shared and swapped etc so that's why but I didn't like them then)

I agree that "The Girl on the Train" was pretty dire but also Paul Hawkins recent novel "Into the water" was the most incomprehensible drivel I have read this year.

I quite liked Mr Maybe @BigMosquito and yes i must have read it 20 or so years ago Jane Greenni beleive moved to America as did her story lines in her early books i thpught they were quite fun easy reading stuff but they have steadily gone down hill

"A short history of tractors in Ukranian"

No, not a typo, that is what it's really called. Nothing to do with tractors. Was forced to read it when I was a member of an up themselves book club (Is there any other kind?)
I mean there are shite books and there are shite books, but to quote a well know slogan: "This wasn't just any old shite. This was M&S shite"

Agree with PP about The Miniaturist, I can't believe I finished it. And I only got through a few pages of We need to talk about Kevin. I did make it through the film though and I was a little bit traumatised.

Loathed the Ukrainian tractor one too

Cloud Atlas WTF!!!

I liked Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - I found it a gentle book.

Ahhh I’m so glad other people hated Shantaram 🙄 that’s the only book that’s ever made me genuinely cross about the time I’ve wasted getting to the end, but I was on holiday pre-Kindles and had run out of options. Jesus it was terrible. So indulgent.

BUT. I absolutely loved The Poisonwood Bible - I’ve read it so many times. Also enjoyed The Slap and quite liked the monkey sister book! 😂

I never understood the hype about The Time Traveller’s Wife, and also didn’t like Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, which everyone else raved about. And JM Coetzee’s Disgrace - disappointing.

The Miniaturist was disappointing but her second one was better. Not that good though, as the name escapes me...

Lots already mentioned but I'll add The Cell (by Stephen King) and Atonement.

I also didn't enjoy The Road.