I have just read possibly the worst book in the world

[Mrsrobertduvall]

A Cold Season by Alison Littlewood.
Disclaimer...I bought it in Smith's on a buy one get one half price, and grabbed it as the cover looked good.
It's about a mother and son marooned in a small Lancashire village with unfriendly locals...a bit Wicker Man-ish. And of course there are witch/devil undertones.
It is utter tripe.
It is now in the charity shop for some poor sod to buy.

I meant Brick Lane so bad I and non memorable that I have even forgotten the title

I meant Brick Lane so bad I and non memorable that I have even forgotten the title

Sherlocked - Of course "I didn't enjoy it" is perfectly fine. About any book.

What I am saying is that people should think twice before calling books that have received worldwide acclaim "utter tosh" or "drivel". Maybe wonder if it is at all possible that it is not the book's fault that they didn't enjoy it.

why?you're not moderator of what deserves derision or not
you see its a discursive thread.point being animated discussion about books one likes or dislikes.and your patronising tone, well i fear you've gotten quite het up.on a light hearted thread

mumsnet bingo, is youse drunk!?

My patronising tone?
You mean like your "let me spell this out for you s-l-o-w-l-y"?

Would you please go away and pick a fight with someone else? I'm not in the mood.

Re Labyrinth and The Island: Imho Labyrinth was OK but nothing special, whereas The Island had an interesting premise but was very badly written. Would it even be published if the author were not Ian Hislop's wife, I wonder.

stop harrumphing when people have temerity to dislike your fave books
and yet again i must remind you, you dont get to pull folks up on what is or isnt good literature. or to tell poster to refrain from posting

unhinged or drunk?
yes only way to read mcewan et al
i recommend both those mind and mood altering states prior to any mcewan

I haven't said anything of the sort

You do sound unhinged. Read this thread tomorrow and you will see what I mean.

PS I Love You.

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttt!

God, it makes me angry just thinking about it.

And a Kate Mosse book i've wiped from my memory.

You sound unhinged, though. Or possibly drunk
your riposte cote, and v funny too
not at all overstated

Agree with Cotey.

There are many immensely well-received books that I cannot get along with (Perfume by Patrick Suskind being one example) but it would clearly be ignorant nonsense to suggest that it is a poorly written book.

Oh, and I won't read anything called something like "the doctor's second cousin twice removed" - bound to be derivative old tripe of The Time Traveller's Wife. So, the lemon cake thing I'll never read just on principle.

why
you see critical acclaim doesn't=good book
books i consider v fine ,and received prizes and acclaim are getting slated here
and so what?
its a discursive forum,discuss ones subjective opinion. not a never dare speak ill of someone else fave book

Which book is that, ILoveGregory?

bibbity - I read Perfume when in my teens and loved it - powerful, slightly unreal, and such a strange subject. I wonder if I would like it if I read it now, or would I be put off by certain details.

why are you so sensitised to perceived criticism of books one likes
its a curiously touchy response, curious
was your fave book how to win friends and influence people

I had someone describe Celia Aherne as a writer of books for people who don't like reading books!

I can't remember the name of the worst book I've ever read (i don'2 usually finish this rubbish books) I think it was something like away we go

haven't read any of the books on this thread except The Slap, which I didn't mind to be honest. Didn't like any of the characters in it mind!

If anyone else has ever managed to read 'The White Masai', I'm happy to start a support group for us.

It was three years ago, my sister gave it to me, and unthinkingly I started to read it. Halfway through, I had to go onto Amazon and read the reviews just to check that I wasn't hallucinating. The reviews gave away the ending, confirmed everything I thought, and yet I insisted on finishing the book because I just couldn't believe that someone could be so stupid, so vacuous, so repetitive, so bloody annoying, could then write a book about it and then have the bloody book published. And not just published, but published to such acclaim that it was translated.

Not to mention that the book is called 'The White Masai', but isn't actually about the Masai people. Kind of lets you know what you'll be letting yourself in for.

Ha ha ha ha!

i thought there were only two pages on this thread (not sure why - shall blame it on reading it on my phone. Yes that's it)

Can now say that I have read more than one book mentioned on here and there's a change I've posted on here already

do regular book swop in work,so intrseting
ones person doozey loved by another

I have enjoyed this thread and am relieved it's not just me; would like to add Interview with a Vampire which I read with a bookclub and struggled with every word

Hurrah this thread came back to life!

I found Cloud Atlas enthralling on the first read, but imo it doesn't stand up well to a second reading - once you have got the 'trick' of it, it seems like a gimmick and it's a chore re-reading the sections you didn't like so much the first time. If I was going to read it now I'd only bother with the Luisa Rey and Sonmi sections.

I much preferred Number 9 Dream and Ghostwritten tbh.