Disappointing Bestsellers

[LittlleMy]

Hello everyone 🙂

I just wondered if anyone else has bought a ‘bestseller’ that otherwise wouldn’t have appealed without that status only to be hugely disappointed?

So I realise I’m slightly late to the party but I just finished ‘The Housemaid’ by Freida McFadden and it was such a struggle to get through! It felt more like it was written for the Young Adult market. Barely any descriptive text, always telling rather than showing, ridiculous coincidences, underdeveloped characters, juvenile writing especially sentences like ‘’there was something about that room that was very scary” “his expression sent a chill down my spine”. Highly predictable in parts, silly in others and just so very average!

Don’t come after me if you loved it, this is just my opinion of a recent book that really shocked me that it was able to reach the dizzying heights of becoming a bestseller.

I thought it might be fun to hear from any fellow disgruntled readers if they’ve had similar experiences! With Autumn just round the corner, and me needing a new list of books to read, this post may help some of us avoid similar disappointments!

Oh I'm sure I would have done too! I just have no interest in reading them as an adult and wouldn't expect to enjoy them.

Donna Tartt The Secret History

That’s almost the point, easy read. It’s not for me anymore than watching soap operas, but mass market appeal is what it must have.

Thank you for your recommendations @Oldglasses

I read the first one to see what all the fuss was about… it’s a kids book. I couldn’t pick up another, but did read some of them to/with my kids

This a hundred times over! I tried to read the Alchemist and one of his other books but could get past a few chapters Absolute drivel.

Legitimately the worst written book I've ever picked up. I was thumbing through a friend's copy and kept thinking that it must have been a parody of it or something.

As a kid I was obsessed with Jurassic Park when the film came out. I'd have only been about 8-9, so I waited a few years before tackling the book. Never read something so up it's own arse.

Agree. It was a good idea that spiralled into unbelievable. Likewise - Butter. I also dislike Sally Rooney books.

Too easy to read, predictable and cringey. Guess Richard knew this is what the people wanted. I wonder if he would have got published if he was wasn't who he is 🤔

I love and adore TTMC books (cannot wait for number 5 next month) but haven't read We Solve Murders yet because I had a feeling it wouldn't be as good. Reading your post confirms it.

Although I hate to say it but Richard posted a picture on his Instagram page the other day showing the cover of We Solve Murders #2.

Reading these posts has reminded me why I mostly gave up on contemporary fiction and went back to the classics!

i used to love reading new novels in the 80s and 90s, but either I’m jaded, or I’ve become more discerning or maybe writers are themselves uninspired nowadays and just churn stuff out according to the advice of money-hungry publishers. I particularly avoid celebrity authors.

i used to love:

A N Wilson
William Boyd
Penelope Lively
John Fowles (awful chauvinist, but a great writer)
Martin Amis
All the lovely Virago authors
even some Iris Murdoch
Alison Lurie
Philip Roth
william Barnes
Rosamund Lehman
David Lodge
MalcolmnBradbury

Now the only writers I enjoy are

Sarah Waters
Kate Atkinson
Susan Hill

I read Wolf Hall etc but didn’t feel it. Annoying, tiring style and Thomas Cromwell was a a grade A bastard, whatever Mantel thinks.

I enjoyed The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and she’s a good writer but I thought The Goldfinch was over-hyped and the third one was a great read but SO unsatisfying at the end.

Now where’s my Thomas Hardy……

Me too, it’s half way through on my kindle.

Fourth Wing is absolutely dreadful but I still read it all plus the sequel. The writing is so cringey.

I like some of the books mentioned. I admit that I love The Time Traveller's Wife. Remains of the Day is a bit long but I liked it - not my favourite Ishiguro however.

Thursday Murder Club entertained me although I thought the ending whodunit part wasn't great. I also enjoyed We Solve Murders. I couldn't read more than a few pages of Rev Richard Coles.

I liked Normal People but failed to read more than a few pages of any other Sally Rooney.

Orbital is very boring and I didn't finish but at least the writing was decent quality. The opposite of Fourth Wing really!

The Midnight Library was OK ish but This Life Impossible was ridiculous and boring.

I'm halfway through The Ministry of Time and I'm quite enjoying it but not gripped.

I am happy to mix trashy bestsellers with more substantial books.

Lessons in Chemistry was so so awful.

There have been others but none so bad that i am compelled to tell everyone how awful it is

Me neither, tried multiple times, can’t get past a few chapters. Glad it’s not just me!

CoffeeCantata

Completely agree!

I tend to stick to the classics for this reason. I thought it was just me being a bit of an arse. Evidently not! 😁

I just took Intermezzo, the latest Sally Rooney novel, on holiday. Had to give up - it’s interminably boring and her writing style makes it unreadable. Funnily enough, a chap sitting in front of my on the plane felt the same!

A lot of people love it. Maybe it’s me! Having said that a few of my pals have agreed and there’s a Reddit thread somewhere echoing my thoughts.

I read and loved lessons in chemistry but also loved it on audible-listen whilst I dog walk.
Maybe have a listen??

Oh sods law I just bought Midnight Library @CarpeVitam 😭

Ha this is so interesting as so many people I know seem to be raving about Orbital!

The Miniaturist annoyed me SO MUCH. Such a disappointing second half and ending.

One that hasn't been mentioned which again many people I know seem to consider one of their all time favourites is Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. I finished it but it was such a slog; so boring. I may be in the wrong as it won a Pulitzer but I just did not get it.

Exactly what I came on here to say! Very tedious.

Oh my gosh, I have found my people!

Where The Crawdads Sing. Ridiculous, ridiculous book and entire premise.

More recently All The Colours Of The Dark. I can’t even articulate how much I hated this book.

Sorry double post.

The time travellers wife was awful

I’m a weird reader. It has to grab me within a few pages otherwise I wander off over to the dark side in my IPad (X or Instagram). Strangely I read all the Fifty Shades books, I won’t say they were well written they weren’t, but it was easy reading.

Thursday Murder Club, didn’t finish. A court of Thorns & Roses, didn’t finish. Someone mentioned The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, loved it, read it more than once and the others than followed.

Hunger Games series I loved.

I would have loved to have read The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings. I tried very hard and it was just dull as dishwater. Maybe I should try again, read it in paperback with no electronic distraction.