What's good about these books?

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

Following on from the overrated books thread, I realised there are some books that I really want to like, but can't help thinking they are a bit shite really. Am I being fick? If you like them please help me see the light.

Explanations of why I am spectacularly missing the point, or contributions of other seemingly shite books welcome.

So...

Villette - seems to be about a woman dripping around in France, pointlessly.

Metamorphosis - man turns into a beetle and gets pissed off then dies.

What am I missing?

Agree re: Owen Meany - it went on and on and on and on with v occasional good bits.

I like Metamorphosis and Villette though.

Enduring Love - oh no, the balloon is going; oh dear, that's sad; now let's waft around being boring and crap for 300 pages whilst Ian McKewan pats himself on the back a lot and muses on his ego.

Anyone remember The Magus ?

Supposed to be such a fab book but all I can remember is some pervy old bloke being fawned on for his "pearls of wisdom" by nubile young females.

I was a nubile young female going out with an older man when I read it and even then I thought it was shiteola.

dittany - saw you were mentioning Life of Pi on the other thread. I was asking about it on this one. Do not get it at all!

Agree, I didn't get Life of Pi at all. But most of the others I just haven't read.

How about E.M. Forster? I know it's meant to be very important and special but I don't get it - they just seem like vaguely diverting but overly slow, meandering books.

Just had to chip in and agree wholeheartedly on Life of Pi. I couldn't even bring myself to finish it becasue it was that awful

Lady Chatterley's Lover. Posh totty not getting it at home shags gardener. And?

Moab Is My Washpot by National Treasure Stephen Fry. Overwritten self indulgent twaddle.

Life of Pi - v odd, and one of those irritating books that makes you feel like there is somethingvery clever in there but you are too thick to get it
Owen Meany, I rather liked though! Also odd, but you do have to read all the way to the end for all the oddities to click into place.

I love EM Forster though!

LCL - I think I do get this one. Women needs a good shagging from a real man grrrrr. Real man = working class with dirty hands and a tendency to do you up the arse but sufficiently pretentious intellectual to raise him above the Common Mass.

That DH Lawrence really hated his background. And women. They're just slutz who luv cok according to him - he'd be right at home on a youtube comments thread.

There is certainly a giant case of Emperor's New Clothes going on with a lot of these nominated and hyped up books. So much self-congratulation and everyone afraid to say "nah it's shit".

oo purple, but did you see sean bean playing chatterly's gardener?

What a hot story.

Glad there are others who didn't 'get' the Life of Pi.
I'm afraid I don't get Thomas Hardy at all. My mum and sister think I'm a philistine because of this (maybe I am?); truth is I have never even wanted to read one. Am I missing something?
Metamorphosis I actually enjoyed, but read it when I was about 16 and really had no concept that it was about anything other than a man turning into an insect! Oh dear. I feel suitably enlightened now .

Boo - I did read all the way to the end of Owen Meany but saw the end coming. It was a nice enough ending - but a hell of a load of crap in reaching it!

You have to read Thomas Hardy as an angst-ridden 16 year old for it to be good.

Thank god that age has passed - so I don't have to now?

BG - I like TH, but suspect I may be an angst ridden 16 year old, trapped in a fifty year old's body

Agree with the mention of Moab is My Washpot. I don't mind SF, but when I read that book I was constantly thinking he must not have had an editor.

Oh me too Kurri - I just keep my angst to The Smiths now, rather than Hardy! :)

Don't worry thecateate - I read Animal Farm as a rather disturbing farm story when I was about 8. I liked Dick King-Smith at the time and AF looked similar

I have read your namesake though, and understood it

Animal Farm was classified under 'Agriculture' in my school library.

Thanks Elephants - wow! Nobody I have ever met has read that book except me!

I used to love Paula Danziger and picked that up at a charity stall a while ago. "Can You Sue Your Parents For Malpractice" was a favourite of mine as a bolshy 12 year old. :)

It's the only one I've read by her but I think will look up some others. What is your name about? I feel I'm being thick and missing something obvious??