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.

The Help.
Now I didn't think it was awful - but I didn't think it was all that good either.

tokyo cancelled. I hated it. SO much . yet it gets rave reviews. I had to read it for my book club, otherwise I would have given up. Not only did I think it was totally rubbish, badly written, I also found lots of it deeply unpleasant.

There are books on here that I enjoyed, and ones that I truly didn't.
But there are books that I have torn apart and put in the recycling to prevent my being responsible for anyone else reading such absolutely vile and worthless attempts at narrative.
Sadly I used virtual bleach after each occasion, so I'll have to wait until someone's suggestion jogs my memory.

I second dean koontz. "the darkest thing darkled more than any dark thing in the dark." yes, darkled and yes, some drivel along those lines. I had to reread it several times before it sunk in how shite it was.

But then I wondered if he was satirising it or at the very least just taking the piss and I tried reading some again, as I have a few in the thriller/crime section of my book case and quite enjoyed them!

Whilst I agree with many of these I loved PS I love you, I cried at the end of every chapter and it remains one of my fave books (Although reminded me of DH and his tumour so I guess thats why) I also loved all the Shopaholic books.

Couldn't stand lemoncake one though. Its on my bedside table and I keep thinking I'll give it another chance and give up after a few pages.

I am really surprised The Slap is getting such a pasting on here. I loved it, honestly couldnt put it down- really enjoyed the tv too.
What did people hate?
I found Room pretty weird really, also rather unbelievable, and that lemons book unreadable.

Worst ever book was we need to talk about Kevin. What an unpleasant and ultimately inauthentic feeling book. Couldn't finish it. Can't imagine how bad the film must have been

"I heart New York" by Lindsey Kelk. Got it free in a magazine. Biggest load of appallingly written tosh ever. And she has written a whole bloody series of them. I thought it was supposed to be hard to get published?

"Room" was also shite, I agree.

So glad that Kate Mosse has been mentioned several times - that Labyrinth book was a pile'o'shite!

As for the shopaholic - she makes me want to slap her several times very hard.

I have actually seen The Lair of the White Worm film, with Amanda Donohoe and Hugh Grant in (yes, the Ken Russell one) - it's so appalling it's funny! My friends and I came to the conclusion it was a massive piss-take rather than a serious attempt at drama but I have just seen that IMDb classify it as a "horror thriller" Hey ho.

I would also submit that drivel about Ukrainian tractors. It was supposed to be funny. It wasn't.

The Shack by Wm somebody or other-offensive evangelical drivel using child abduction to force his religious dogma down the reader's throat.

However, you'll all ignore my opinion when I say that I found The Slap hilarious and insightful, On Chesil Beach moving and have enjoyed DH Lawrence .

Haha I LOVED We Need To Talk About Kevin!

Failed to get excited over One Day.

Squeegle - I have to agree with you about We need to talk about Kevin. Unremitting misery and shit.

I have said it before and I will say it again Vernon Godlittle is the worst book ever written ever.

I wrote off the lemon cake book on the basis of the title. I'm all for a bit of pretension, but not that much.

I find DH Lawrence mind-numbingly boring, likewise Dickens and Julian Barnes. I'm not going to waste my money on The Sense of An Ending, but it annoys me he's nicked the (brilliant title). Does it have anything to do with the plot, or did he just nick it, do you know? www.amazon.com/The-Sense-Ending-Studies-Epilogue/dp/0195136128

making - I've not quite brought myself to read the Shopaholic books but I do (guiltily) love her other stuff. Except I just read the one about the lawyer woman who throws it all in to become a housekeeper - was it me, or was that one shitter than usual and kind of Stepford Wifey?

Anything Chick-Lit, Freya North, Marian Keyes etc, I feel empty and angry within the first few pages because I identify with nothing and feel nothing as I read them. Its like eating Candy Floss every meal for a week.

That P D James fucking shite Death or Murder or Who Cares Comes to Pemberley but not soon enough is the most utter pile of drivel I am ever likely to read in hardback.

What a fucking load of drivel.

I'm wanting to try P D James Children of Men again,but I am concerned that I will find it as boringly written as last time I tried (although the storyline is really interesting.)

It's always riled me that Emma Tennant only seems to write sequels to more famous books: she wrote a book inspired by Rebecca and also I remember her modern update of Treasure Island (including time travel) from my childhood. Why can't you come up with your own damn plots, Emma?

Labyrinth for me is enjoyable tosh, but agree Sepulchre was really no good. The Winter Ghosts was pretty bad too.

Twilight for me 'not nearly as bad as I expected' - I had built it up in my mind as SO bad, I was surprised to find it was quite readable (I was expecting Sweet Valley High with vampires, and it's not THAT bad).

I work in a charity bookshop & based on the books people hand in, most unpopular include:
The Slap
One Day
Wotsit Tractors in Ukranian (and her other book: more of these 2 than ANY others!)
The White Tiger
Half a Yellow Sun
Nick Hornby (mainly his more recent books)
Tony Parsons (all his books)
Ian McEwan (Chesil Beach, Saturday,
Solar).
Kate Atkinson (who I love, personally).
Or at least those are the books/authors people are least likely to re-read, based on the fact so many are donated...perhaps they liked them first time round but decided they weren't worth keeping...

Skinny it's the only film I've ever preferred to the book!!!

You know,I think I agree with you there NoWay!

Dh and I both read the Ukranian Tractors whatsit book. I thought it was crap, dh found it hilarious!

A couple of years ago I used to see Brick Lane in every single charity shop I went into. I quite liked it though.

I loved Brick Lane, and have read other Monica Ali books since then on the strength of it. Hated ukrainian tractor woman books.

BelleDameSansMerci - no joke! And characters from all the other novels popped up too. It was dreadful yet strangely moreish :)

I really liked We need to talk about Kevin!

Oh I hope Half of a Yellow Sun is charity shopped to give other people the chance. I can see why it's not a book you'd re-read repeatedly but it's well worth the first read. Am looking forward to the film.

Utterly embarrassed..have a load of anti-depression/self help books in my life just now (don't ask) and I put down the wrong one when I posted earlier..The least I can do is apologise and say that in fact it has helped me and was actually recommended by someone I trust. I think that will teach me not to be negative in future. I'm always telling my kids to own up to mistakes so it's my turn. Apologies to anyone I offended. I will not bother naming the book I actually meant.