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Original poster

The Island by Victoria Hislop

23 replies

morningpaper · 11/12/2006 22:03

DEAR ME

this is DREADFUL

So many great reviews and it is just so bad I feel really sorry for the author

OP posts:
StrangeTown · 11/12/2006 23:30

Yes, I agree. Thought it was drivel, I don't know why I finished it tbh.

MistleToo · 11/12/2006 23:49

I could just tell by the cover it wasn't me - am I shallow that I judge a book by it's cover?

sophiewd · 12/12/2006 22:03

Sorry this has been bothering me all night. Why do you feel sorry for the author. you read the book you didn't like it but others did. I am sure she doesn't care one way or the other as she had her publishing deal, got good reviews so some people do like it. Isn't it good that we don't like the same thing otherwise the world would be very boring. I read Perfume becasue of the good reviews and I desperately wish that I could regain the time that I wasted reading it, but others raved about it, and I defifnitely don't feel sorry for the author as that is what he wanted to write. And yes I have read it and along with a number of my friends liked it.

MrsMuddle · 12/12/2006 22:51

I hated it too. MP, do you mean you feel really sorry for the author because it was so badly written? I thought it read like it was written by a love-sick 14-year-old girl. Sophiewd, maybe it's one of these books that you either really love or really hate. It certainly provoked strong reactions in my book group...and not in a good way!

Original poster
morningpaper · 14/12/2006 09:19

oooh I felt sorry for the author because I think she could have written a shopping list and had it published, because everyone is going to give it good reviews because she has so many meeedja links

(her hubby is Ian Hislop)

but is is PAINFUL, I agree, like it was written by a teenager who is TRYING REALLY HARD

OP posts:
Original poster
morningpaper · 14/12/2006 09:20

So yes I felt sorry for the author because it was never going to get the thorough vetting that a "normal person's" book would get - I really think it's painfully badly written and someone should have said NOOOOOOO! before it got published

OP posts:
aDadOnAOneHorseOpenSleigh · 14/12/2006 09:23

oh dear, it's sitting in my 'to read' pile!

batters · 14/12/2006 09:24

This reply has been deleted

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aDadOnAOneHorseOpenSleigh · 14/12/2006 09:25

Judge Judy yeah?

batters · 14/12/2006 09:37

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aDadOnAOneHorseOpenSleigh · 14/12/2006 09:40

Anyway, it's reassuring to hear you say it's not so awful, because once a book is in my to read pile I try and see it through to the end, unless I truly truly can't get on with it.

theheadlessreindeer · 14/12/2006 09:59

I agree its not fantastically written, but the story itself is quite moving imo

Original poster
morningpaper · 14/12/2006 14:19

I admit I have only read about 50 pages

Should I finish it? The story sounds GREAT but the writing is making me CRINGE

It reads like my dairies when I was 13

OP posts:
batters · 14/12/2006 15:11

This reply has been deleted

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ipanemagirl · 22/03/2008 17:59

Thanks for this link! I'm reading this at the moment and really enjoying the subject matter (leprosy and Spinalonga Greece etc) but HATING the writing style "This marked the death of innocence....." oh please.
Actually I think it is very badly written, it reminds me of all the chick lit I never read (sorry!).
Also is she writing in a kind of faux version of Greek as if translated directly into English? Oh Dear.
But great subject, I think that's why it's succeeded not necessarily her connections although the can't have harmed her. I couldn't find a single proper review of the book online.
But it is easy to read at least just slightly horrible in its style imo.
Glad I'm not alone!

S1ur · 23/03/2008 03:04

Right. thank you. decision made.

I have this waiting for me to read and I keep picking it up and sighing so after this I think I'll just, put. it. down.

ipanemagirl · 24/03/2008 15:02

To be fair to the author, I just finished this book this morning. And yes, I still found the style vile but it's a good saga and the subject of leprosy is fascinating as it Crete (which I know a little). So I think it is worth reading if you can ignore the way it's written! I'm sure I couldn't write a book and I bet if I did it would be written no better and probably far worse than this lass wrote hers!!!

Doobydoo · 24/03/2008 15:17

Isn't she Ian Hislop's wife?Published on the strength of that probably.Read the back of it...that was enough.

dizzydixies · 24/03/2008 15:22

is this the one about the lepors on the island?

if so then I also read it from beginning to end but was underwhelmed by it

BrownSuga · 24/03/2008 15:24

I quite enjoyed it, and read it on holiday in Crete, and visted spinalonga while we were there.

Not great literature, but good enough for a holiday read.

dizzydixies · 24/03/2008 15:26

agree, not mind blowing but fine for easy non comittal read - I think I was just expecting more of it!

ipanemagirl · 24/03/2008 23:15

Brownsuga, what did you think of Spinalonga?

Ioanna27 · 22/08/2013 15:10

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