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Original poster

Books that were recommended to you but turned out to be absolute pointless drivel - the wasted hours you'll never get back - a warning list for others!

230 replies

MadreInglese · 28/02/2011 14:37

These immediately spring to mind:

Kate Mosse - Labyrinth
(also her The Winter Ghosts - should have known after I read one of hers that another would be just as crud)

Paulo Coehlo - The Alchemist

Audrey Niffeneger - Her Fearful Symmetry
(first half was readable then she appears to have taken some strange pills before embarking on the rest of the book)

Stephanie Meyer - The Twilight Trauma Saga

OP posts:
stainesmassif · 28/02/2011 18:59

Yy loved perfume.

detachandtrustyourself · 28/02/2011 19:08

Don't like:-
Davinchi Code
Twighlight Saga
Harry Potter
Long boring descriptive bits about landscape in Thomas Hardy books. (But still like the books, especially Tess of the D'Urbevilles).
Lord of the Rings
The Hobbit

tillyfernackerpants · 28/02/2011 19:24

Bucharest, you didn't like Philip Pullman Shock

The Historian, hmm have just finished that, it was a bit overlong & felt that part of the story (all the stuff about his daughter) she just quietly gave up with which was disappointing.

BelligerentGhoul · 28/02/2011 19:32

Have you read 'A Clockwork Orange' Pointy? I put it off for years and years but read it a couple of years ago and it really is astonishing.

Douglas Coupland? Especially Girlfriend In A Coma or Life After God or Miss Wyoming.

Dave Eggers - A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius

pointydog · 28/02/2011 20:07

Haven't read Orange. Willing to try.

I have read Girlfriend. Enjoyed his writing style although found it rather unsatisfactory in some ways, as if he had a good idea but didn't quite succeed to make the plot hang together. I'd try another of his, though.

Will get Eggers. I like the title.

BelligerentGhoul · 28/02/2011 20:11

I understand re the Coupland - I must admit after reading Girlfriend in a Coma and Life After God I kept thinking that he wasn't quite perfect yet but clearly had a perfect book inside him - sadly, it hasn't come out yet.

Have you read Lullaby by Chuck whatshisname who wrote Fight Club?

pointydog · 28/02/2011 20:12

No. Is it violent?

ManateeEquineOhara · 28/02/2011 20:12

Life of Pi. My mother told me I would find it funny. I read the whole thing waiting for it to become funny.

Deaddei · 28/02/2011 20:13

I too love Kate Atkinson.
Just finished her latest.
I didn't rate that One Day or whatever it's called, Room and Ukranian Tractors. In fact, I had to leave my book club over that one Wink

BelligerentGhoul · 28/02/2011 20:14

No - it's a long time since I read it but iirc it's a sort of fairy story about a 'bedtime story' which kills those who read it. Strange and interesting. I don't think it had any humour though!

On a totally different tack - ave you read The Princess Bride?

BelligerentGhoul · 28/02/2011 20:15

HAVE - I came over all Dick Van Dyke for a moment then.

brimfull · 28/02/2011 20:15

blimey
I like TTW
Love Hardy
enjoyed Kevin and loved Shipping News

totally agree with

Tractors
Steig Larson
Wolf Hall
Lovely Bones
Possession
Riverton and Forgotten Garden

all shitola

stainesmassif · 28/02/2011 20:15

chuck palahnuik

i also tried georgette heyer based on mn and didn't enjoy her at all. similarly elizabeth howard -the light years. sorry mumsnet.

BelligerentGhoul · 28/02/2011 20:17

That's him! Thanks.

pointydog · 28/02/2011 20:20

Tell me about the princess bride. I haven't read it and haven't ordered yet.

And agree re Proulx. I like the cut of her gib.

stainesmassif · 28/02/2011 20:20

this thread's fast
loved princess bride, v funny
loved shipping news and tractors
i think i read life of pi with only half my brain and didn't really worry too much about what did or didn't make sense.

pointydog · 28/02/2011 20:22

oo, have just read about it. Like the sound of that.

pointydog · 28/02/2011 20:23

life of pi improved hugely abut half way through. Almost gave uo before that point.

BelligerentGhoul · 28/02/2011 20:24

Have you never seen the film, Pointy? Tis a masterpiece I tell you!

pirateparty · 28/02/2011 20:24

Another vote for Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. I found it really really boring.

Also I once read one of those awful personal tragedy books - I think it was A Child Called It or one of that series. Very, very sad obviously, but so badly written, and felt voyeuristic yet like the author was cashing in at the same time. Hated every second of it and only finished it because I can't bear not finishing books. There is a whole section of 'personal tragedy' books now - who reads them???

pointydog · 28/02/2011 20:24

I loved perfume too.

BelligerentGhoul · 28/02/2011 20:24

I failed with Life Of Pi. I liked The Shipping News but didn't get on with any others of hers that I tried.

pointydog · 28/02/2011 20:25

Never seen the film, no. Maybe I should get the dvd too.

I found Curious INcident an enjoyable read.

BelligerentGhoul · 28/02/2011 20:25

Yes, I liked Curious Incident too. HATED his next one though.

Original poster
MadreInglese · 28/02/2011 20:27

Actually I liked The Island by Victoria Hislop but then we visited Spinalonga when we went to Crete so maybe I saw it differently havign actually been to the island

I have Perfume unread on the shelf too, might try that one next

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