Books that you've kind of enjoyed, even though they weren't very good

[tobee]

Not guilty pleasures. Just books that you're in two minds about. I've just finished listening to (so maybe the narration helped) The Monogram Murders - The New Hercule Poirot. It wasn't very Poirot like and the denouement was too long, far fetched and convoluted, but something about the atmosphere and characters has stayed with me.

What other books have you felt divided by?

I won't be reading any of the new Poirot books.

Sophie Hannah is over-rated and could ruin the writing of a shopping list, so since I love Poirot I won't be reading anything she's written for him. God knows what they picked her for.

She can come up with a good hook to draw you in, but then she goes and ruins it all, every single time, by running to nonsense by the end.

I had a very hard time reading The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas. It was harsh book full of awful people and nasty sex, but it stayed with me for weeks and I ended up rereading it. Second time around I still can't say I liked it, but I didn't hate it like I initially thought I did. I've kept it, and I will read it again.

And The Mountains Echoed, by Khalled Hosseini.
Having read his previous two books and absolutely loved them, I couldn't wait to read this third - but it was a disappointment in alot of ways, being nowhere near as good as his first two.
However, I stuck with it until the end and I'm glad I did, if only to say that I managed to see it through!
I didn't hate it, but it was a harder read than the first two because for me the story wasn't nearly as well told and it wasn't nearly as well written as his The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns.

That's interesting waycat. I read And the Mountains Echoed when I was living in the Middle East as it was huge over there but although I enjoyed it, it wasn't as good as I hoped so it put me off reading his other books. Maybe I would like them more than I thought.

The girl with a clock for a heart by Peter Swanson. ( Wanted to read it after The Kind worth killing which I couldn't put down. ).

A very good read but the more you get to end the more unbelievable the story gets and when I got to the end I genuinely thought my kindle has skipped the last few pages. The book just stops, it feels like the end is missing.. Or that perhaps there is a sequel. Anyway still very enjoyable read up to a certain point.

WhereDidTheYearsGo, I would certainly suggest you give his other two a try. I read A Thousand Splendid Suns first and the story stayed with me for ages afterwards. I then sought out The Kite Runner and really enjoyed that too, although Suns is still the one that stands out for me.

I've only just discovered people had added to this thread. I'd given up after checking for a few days. Obviously, I'm faint hearted. I always like to thank people for replies!

That's a very interesting comment about Sophie Hannnah, Hygge.

Rachel Cusk. I manage to love and hate her writing at the same time.