What is the most tedious book you have ever read?

[Figmentofmyimagination]

I am going out on a limb here for my first thread - I am struggling through The Well of Loneliness by Radcliffe hall. Aargh. I read it out of "historical interest" because I was interested by her boldness and by the obscenity trial etc but bloody hell she should have got herself an editor. The writing is truly dire. I am not sure I am actually going to make it to the end.

I was exactly the same with To The Lighthouse. I genuinely loved One Hundred Years Of Solitude though, but I was by immersed in Latin American literature when I read it so I was really feeling it IYSWIM? I might not have the same reaction to it if I picked it up now plus my brain cells have degenerated.

I'm going out on a limb to say, "I Capture The Castle" - lots of MNers rave about this book, I just thought "meh". Didn't really care enough about the characters. Just dull.
"London" by Edward Rutherford. I loved Sarum and was gripped. London was just the same story set in a different place, but not written as well!
Sophie's World - didn't get beyond the first chapter
Wolf Hall - wish I had read it, but don't think I will now that it's on TV

Wolf Hall - written as if she hated the reader!

The Time Travellers wife - WTF?

To the poster who mentioned Of Mice and Men .
Dark, depressing maybe, but definitely not tedious. That story has haunted me since secondary school.

I would happily brain Captain Corelli with his mandolin.
Can I nominate the Lovely Bones - I've had about 6 goes but can't get further than about 30 pages. It's going to the charity shop. Am struggling with the Shipping News at the moment. It's a lovely friend's favourite book and she gave me a copy so I am determined to get through it. But it's. Just. So. Dull.

Couldn't finish Wolf Hall or the hundred year old man. And I can usually read anything.

A Quiet Belief in Angels and Eric Clapton autobiography are the ones that come to mind.
I couldn't finish Eric Clapton even though I admire him immensely as a musician and just...about....struggled...to the end of the fecking angel book!

Some more of my failed reads are coming back to haunt me on here :o

A Quiet Belief in Angels - I bought this because it was a Richard & Judy recommendation. Think I only got about a dozen pages or so into it, and then gave up. Couldn't get into it at all. Couldn't even bring myself to get to my usual 50 pages before making a decision.

The Time Traveller's Wife - just found it confusing, and it bored me. Gave up at around half way.

Brick Lane - struggled through to the end, but was so tedious.

I Capture the Castle - not a favourite, but didn't dislike it either. Was just a pleasant read. Neither loved nor loathed.

Bleak House. Had to study it once and I think only about five people in the class managed to finish it.

Catch 22. Rarely have I loathed a book so much.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. I've tried to read this about three times now and just given up.

Wolf hall, couldn't get past chapter 2. Heart of darkness also had to give up on. Nathaniel's Nutmeg, got to the end of that, but annoyed DH by moaning about it all the way through. Only interesting bit was the end when they explained how England ended up owning New York. The Accordion Crimes- one of our book group nearly got evicted for that suggestion.

I loved Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies, looking forward to reading them again soon! I also really enjoyed 100 year old man.....

But how I loathed:

• Before I go to sleep by SJ Watson
• The Accidental by Ali Smith
• Waterland by Graham Swift (eels and fens, more eels and fens - ARGH, picture of an eel on the front - boak)

LOTR. Because it is not only boring but long long long.

Wolf Hall long, unreadable but so bloody irritating too, the latter almost took it out of the boring stakes.

Midnight's Children and The Tin Drum. Boring. long.

The Don flows home to the sea

War and Peace. Too long.

Clarissa, Pamela etc.

The waves.

To trump most, I raise you Finnegans Wake. Impossible. Pretentious. Turgid. Incomprehensible.

But also ran anything by sand, Stendhal, Zola Balzac. I don't do 19 c French.

Sorry for the hijack.

Glad I'm not the only one who just can't get on with, 'Jonathon Strange.'

I loved Quiet Belief in Angels! It's so interesting all the different views on this thread, there are a number of books that obviously polarise opinions massively. Which leads me to wonder is there really such a thing as a 'good book' or is beauty really just in the eye of the beholder (so to speak)?

I just finished The Handmaid's Tale, which I found almost intolerable. Thank God I didn't have to read this for A-level. I don't know why I can't bring myself to give up on books these days...it's like some weird sense of duty or something.

I hated, 'A Quiet Belief in Angels' - read it years ago and can remember v little about it other than that somebody urged myself and a colleague to read it and that he and I both really disliked it.

What didn't you like about the Atwood, South? It's one of the v few of hers that hasn't ended up either boring the heck out of me, or making me spit feathers in fury.

I'm feeling rather pleased with myself for having read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell right through, and having really enjoyed it :o

I wonder whether my tolerance for long drawn out books is improving. Perhaps I ought to revisit some of the books I couldn't get through before and have another go. I seem to have more patience with slow-moving plots now that I'm reading more books (usually get through one or two a week, depending on book length).

Dystopian novels aren't my thing, Remus . I found the main character irritating, the style and plot a bit confusing, and the subject too bleak (I know that's one objective). However, I'm a little intrigued to understand what I didn't get whilst reading so tonight I'm starting a short study guide on it so it can't have been all bad!

:) I haven't read it for twenty years or more tbh. I remember liking it but not the ending, and these days I'm much more fussy so it would probably not stand up to a re-read v well.

the luminaries. 800 fucking pages of my life gone.

also didn't like catch 22

enjoyed the goldfinch though. and loved the miniaturist.

Catch-22 most amazing funny book I've ever read. Can't believe the haters!
Wolf Hall couldn't get through the first chapter and gave the book away.

The Goldfinch. Not a bad story, but god what a tome. Every chapter would have benefitted from being shorter. Millions of trees could have been spared.

There are few books I have not bothered to finish, I do tend to keep going in the hope it gets better. Zadie Smith though I didn't finish, can hardly remember what it was about now. I'm half way through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo at the moment and I can't really be arsed with it.