AIBU to think a lot of books these days are really badly written?

[TheNameGames]

I'm not going to name specific authors or books but does anyone think the quality in fiction novels has really gone downhill and amateurish lately? I'm not talking '50 shades of Grey' levels where the reviews are scathing compared to the numbers sold. Someone recommended a book to me that they promised that I'd love and I couldn't get past the second chapter because the writing just came across as juvenile. This is a part from the latest recommendation:

'I love you,' he whispered.
'Love you, too.'
He pulled back.
I groaned again, but this time it was with frustration.

Not just that, but glaring grammatical errors (unless it was intentionally written this way):

'You'll love what happens after dinner.' He grinned.

'All right, bring it on.' I laughed.

I went online to see if people thought the same but this has an average rating of 4 and a half stars. I thought it was something that someone had self published but this is a best-seller, apparently. I've read far better written fanfiction. I've read far better written OPs in AIBU!

Someone recommended another book a few months ago and it was the same thing. I don't mean to be a snob and I'm certainly nowhere anywhere near the scale of clever but I just found I couldn't read them because of the way they were written, it was like reading a badly written teenage novel. They're not my normal style of books but thought I'd give some a go for some light reading. Some of these have been pushed to the forefront on the Amazon kindle main page so must be popular and given the reviews, they are.

Is it fake reviews? People accepting or being more forgiving of lower quality writing lately? I've read loads of books I thought were rubbish but only didn't finish them because I didn't like the content, not because I couldn't connect with the writing itself.

I'm prepared to be flamed but does anyone agree?

[dayswithaY]

There seems to be a trend for rambling scene setting. I gave up on a book recently when there was a scene featuring a car journey. On and on it went about the noise of the wipers and looking out the window and describing whatever the driver was doing. Was that just a way to fill pages? Then on and on with pointless dialogue, same car journey but now kid is asking Mum for sweets, slowly unwrapping sweet etc. I was reading on kindle otherwise I would have thrown the book down in despair. Who wants to read pages and pages of absolutely nothing? Am I missing the point here, is it meant to be escapism?

[KaptainKaveman]

There is a lot of dross around but also plenty of well written stuff too. If you want something a bit more intelligent, read some Joseph O'Connor.

[Musmerian]

There’s lots of rubbish out there, particularly if you are in the kindle store looking at the cheap stuff. It was ever thus though although I do agree with the comments about editing. Slither instead of sliver is my bugbear. Also publishers really hype books like Eleanor Oliphant as though they are great writing. Masses of brilliant books still coming out though - can’t wait for new Mantel in March.

[angieloumc]

I was just complaining about poor writing and grammar in a book I finished yesterday. I had read one by the same author which was entertaining enough if rather twee. But this one clearly hadn't been proof read, edited, nothing.
Repetitive phrases constantly ie 'padded upstairs/downstairs all over the house' at least twenty times, 'swallowed back tears' three times on the same page, 'he/she said softly' at least thirty times, the protagonist and her husband must have 'grinned' at least once a page and my personal favourite 'he hung himself in the loft'; no he didn't 'he hanged himself'!
The author is Ruth Heald if anyone wants to avoid her!

[Likethebattle]

I read a novel that contained ‘should of’ i shut down and didn’t finish it.

[AdoreTheBeach]

I get quite annoyed reading books now that have so many grammatical and spelling errors. This is the down side self publishing ebooks (which generally as giving access to more content is a good thing, this small downside). I personally think it is such a shame the lack of editorial input results in these errors will perpetuate poor grammar and spelling. Too bad more authors don’t avail themselves of beta readers before hitting the publish button.

[TeachesOfPeaches]

All the Light We Cannot See is fantastic. Highly recommend.

[Foxyloxy1plus1]

Yes, the editing! Sentences that you have to read several times before they make any sense, glaring grammatical and spelling errors. Does that not matter any more? It does to me, but I must be in a minority.

[BeardedMum]

Agree. I have given up on so many books this year and just cannot find anything I like. Last year I read A gentleman in Moscow which I loved. Also loved All the light we cannot see.

[Stroller15]

Yes I've been feeling like that for a while too. It's always books that's pretty well received and reading it feels like that Little Britain sketch where the writer lady goes "he enters the room and says hellooooooooo" just to fill the pages! Thank you for the recommendations by PPs I shall look out for them!

[PooWillyBumBum]

Yes! So much yes! Had to read Nine Perfect Strangers for book club this year and did not understand the hype. Similarly The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley. Both had unlikeable characters with very little depth and the writing was dull.

On the other hand, I'm currently reading Golden Hill by Francis Spufford which is beautifully written, but with lots of 17th century language so I need to look up about a word a page!

[PooWillyBumBum]

@Musmerian I loved Wolf Hall, etc. but read Beyond Black earlier this year and I think it might be one of the worst books I've ever read. Can't believe they were both written by Mantel!

[hoorayforharoldlloyd]

I hated all the light we cannot see! Beautiful title, brilliant characterisation of the boy but the girl was a cipher and the friend clearly offering a specific story arc as soon as introduced.

But I think I would enjoy discussing it with you, even if we didn't agree.

There are a shocking number of rotten books around, even for me who likes to mash up 'literary' fiction with crime - never ever read David baldicci. Dear lord.

Some recent top reads - milkman by Anna burns, diving belles by Lucy wood, elegy for easterly by pettina gappah.

Maybe the surge in bad editing and badly churned out fiction is because books are selling again so you need to get out the cheap stuff that sells easily so you can afford the different ones that will never sell as well?

I hated the testaments too but I can see why bookshops went big on it - sell enough of that and you can afford to stock smaller favourites. Or maybe I'm being kind...

My worst book club suggestion? The red chairs by Edna O'Brien. Felt terrible that everyone else bought it. But that is what your library is for!

[hoorayforharoldlloyd]

@PooWillyBumBum yes! Nearly refused to read wolf hall because of that!

[TeachesOfPeaches]

As soon as I see the word 'grinned', I know the book is shite.

[ChanChanChan]

This is why I've left a book club too, i just can't bear to read popular, over-hyped books. I've been disappointed by so many authors that come "highly recommended", only to find their writing pretty basic and boring!

I just read an interview of "Three Women" author, she's naming her influences which just left me cold and thinking if that's what she considers good writing, I'll be avoiding her book too. I'd love to pick up Three Women and be proven wrong, but I don't want to be disappointed again.

It does sound snobby, but surely we are all allowed to have our own particular tastes? Mine just tend to be "complex" i.e. interesting and well written prose.

For me, the best written book I've read in recent years was A Little Life. Despite the lack of punctuation, I really liked "Girl, Woman, Other" by Bernadine Evaristo (I thought it was a better book than "The Testaments" ) And yes, I'm also waiting impatiently for Mantel's final Cromwell installment.

[Crackerofdoom]

I am someone who reads very quickly and I find that more and more with a series of books, you can spot the formula and they very quickly become very samey.

I love the Urban Fantasy genre and it is frustrating how much of it is utter shite. There are some absolutely fantastic series out there but you have to dig through so much tripe to get to it. I live abroad so have Kindle Unlimited to satisfy my reading needs and it is a real quagmire of poorly edited, formulaic drivel :-(

[longwayoff]

Sally Vickers' 'Mr Golightly takes a holiday' is a lovely read. Gave to a friend who read it all and completely failed to understand the main premise and thought it tiresome and boring. Hmm. You're right though, there's a lot of rubbish, there always has been - Barbara Cartland anyone? - but there's a lot more of it now.

[Santasleftboot]

@TeachesOfPeaches

I know exactly what you mean! Cliches galore in some really bad books. I often get foxed by great reviews and then start reading, and think - oh shit - I've just wasted 99p again.

I can recommend Belinda Bauer as a good thriller writer though...

[Barsh]

I read Rules of Civility recently and it was such a pleasure reading a well written intelligent book.

I can cope with a good thriller but poor grammar just makes me throw a book down. Self publishing doesn’t help but I wonder if there are fewer editors in publishing houses now? Or are they less aware of grammar?

A friend who is a journalist and he often can be heard complaining that his trainee journalists are barely aware of what a sentence is.

[Madhairday]

Yes. I notice this especially in the Kindle thrillers section. All of them seem to have a tagline like 'the most shocking psychological thriller of the year' or 'you will be shocked by the amazing twist' or 'a thriller that will leave you breathless' and so on. In most cases the twist is predictable (and tired), and I'm only breathless with how bad the book is and the poor editing. As a writer myself I do find myself nitpicking and getting frustrated.

Saying that, I like a page-turner as much as anyone and lit fic doesn't always do it for me, especially when I'm tired and can't concentrate. But I like my pulp to be somewhat well written and free of mistakes, and for the characters to be a little rounded out, at least.

Yanbu!

[IrishMamaMia]

I studied lit and work with books and I absolutely agree. The holy grail for me is a well-written book that's not quite stream of consciousness experimental Man Booker level.
I blame the publishing industry, I think books often are pushed out quickly to sell units when actually they need much more work. I recently finished The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, it's a good story with good ratings but the standard of writing was shocking. I agree with a previous poster who gave the example of Anthony Doerr's All the Light...as an accomplished, well-written book. Sally Rooney is another example of readable but literary.

[CaptainMyCaptain]

For me, the best written book I've read in recent years was A Little Life.
I thought this was the most awful misery fest. No one in my Book Club managed to read all of it. I did read to the end by skipping huge chunks, I just wanted to see if it got any better - it didn't.

I did love All the Light we Cannot See, though, which someone else mentioned not liking. I also liked Eleanor Oliphant.

The Kindle 'exclusive' books are using badly written, self-published dross.

[CaptainMyCaptain]

A friend who is a journalist and he often can be heard complaining that his trainee journalists are barely aware of what a sentence is.
I wonder when the young people who are currently at primary school doing (imo) completely over the top grammar, like fronted adverbials at age 6, will filter through to University and the workplace and if they will be any more accomplished. I have my doubts.

[Iwouldlikesomecake]

I like good books, I also like some pretty ropey romance-lit books but I cannot get on board with all the ‘summer at the wedding dress cake shop at butterfly cove’ type titles that seem to be about just now.

Mindless nonsense about some woman who is just obsessed with tulle and buttercream meeting her Mr Right in improbable circumstances in an idyllic yet still UK based beach setting that never has a shitty off season where the seafront is just empty with the odd gang of youths crowded round Keiran’s souped up Corsa that his nan gave him.