Books that weren’t shit, just underwhelming/didn’t get

[KenForPM]

So we’ve had a number of shit books threads... how about a thread for books that we didn’t necessarily hate, but were underwhelmed by/were forgettable, if you get what I mean.

I read Hideous Kinky by Esther Freud a good few years ago. I remember getting to the end and thinking “what even happened in that book?” I remember thinking it just felt like there was no plot. I suppose it’s partly to do with the fact that the narrator is so young (four/five IIRC), but others seem to rave about it when I googled it. It made no sense.

She seems to get a lot of inspiration on trains! A lot of characters have favourite foods/drinks/whatever. The Doom Bar probably stood out as it’s a not-so-well-known brand, mostly it’s just “pint of lager”/“rum and Coke” or whatever.

The cloud atlas for me.

Just couldn't find the story or the point. Very bland book.

I thought I Let You Go had a cartoony villain and too much dull police procedural stuff (as did her second book, I See You).

I wasn't crazy about My Bloody Project and probably the only person on the 50 Book Threads on here who didn't love it.

Funny Girl by Nick Hornby was another disappointment. Think he was a bit out of his depth trying to capture the 1960's.

Stoner - well-crafted writing but the actual story was so, so depressing.

One day by David Nichols. I ploughed on to the end thinking there was going to be some major revelation but it was just meh...still feel annoyed at that books years on as it just offered me so little.

Came on to say 'We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves' (the chimpanzee book).

It was soooooo boring but I ploughed through thinking that something must happen! It didn't.

I read The Girl on the Train straight after (the joys of having time to read on holiday!) and it seemed so pacey and gripping after the other book!

Also Never Let Me Go. I didn't hate it but felt like I was missing something huge, because it was just a bit meh, but apparently the dull narrative is supposed to add to the atmosphere or something?

That Elinor Oliphant book. So much hype, and yet so much meh...

This thread makes me feel I have found my kindred spirits!

Haruki Murakami - I’ve read a lot of his books as I thought I must be missing something, I was just totally apathetic.

The Power is one of the worst books I've ever read. Good idea, poorly executed. Gave up halfway through.

The Casual Vacancy was a real effort right up until the end.

The 19th Wife is incredibly dull.

The Illustionists I had high expectations for, but that was very mediocre and slow paced.

Brick Lane - hard to follow. Or maybe that's just me.

American Psycho is disgustingly awful - unreadable.

I've never been able to tolerate Harry Potter, which I find is generally quite an unpopular opinion.

I found The Help hard to read before, but I might have another go actually.

Lolita - quite dull really. Didn't get the hype.

Anything by Ian McEwan is reliably boring

Lolita- I gave up on it
The great gatsby - completely unmemorable, just a bit blah from what I remember
50 shades- I ploughed through them and then wondered why. And I'm partial to some trash - laurel k Hamilton anyone?

I'm a book junkie and always donate books to charity etc. So for me to bin a book is unheard of and would probably have my friends strong arming me to the GP in fear of a mental collapse.

I put both Gatsby and Brideshead in the recycling bin so as not to expose others to their awfulness. I hated them that much.

It's a secret, don't tell anyone will you? You ain't seen me, right?

In RL people look at me like I have grown an extra head if I say I don't rate Gatsby. Feel vindicated. Thank you MN.

The Great Gatsby
Gone Girl
Cold Mountain
The Curious Case of the Dog in the Nighttime

All recommended to me from various friends. I found all of them awful. I finished them all except Cold Mountain, in the hope that they'd warm up and get better but I wished I hadn't bothered.

The Mystic Masseur by VS Naipaul- winner of XYZ awards for its blah, blah, blah. It was rubbish.

Another for Brick Lane.

The Book Thief too.

They were fine but just fine. I felt like I missed something.

I've not tried The Curious Case of the Dog in the Nighttime but I don't think I'd want to read it.
I have failed to read more than a few pages of anything by Ian MacEwan.
The Great Gatsby was wonderful, then as with so many 'worthy' books I lost interest about 2/3 of the way through.
I enjoyed The Help and Brick Lane. I loved Brideshead Revisited.

Books I didn't enjoy that lots of people seem to:
The Time Travellers Wife
The Alchemist
The Da Vinci Code
Flight Behaviour
Into The Darkest Corner
Hideous Kinky (didn't hate it but expected to love it)
And of course the awful Fifty Shades

But Desdemona everyone in the universe thinks The Da Vinci Code is shite so you aren't alone there!

I really want to like Donna Tartt as she is often mentioned on reccommended reads but I really really struggle to stick with her. Gave up on the Goldfinch and The Secret History and i've got The Little Friend from a charity shop. Maybe I need to be on holiday or something to really get immersed.

Also yy to:
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and The Miniaturist

The miniaturist here too - spotted the ‘twist’ a mile off and thought it would end up somewhere far more interesting.
Also the hundred year old man - boring
Shantaram - award for book up its own ass IMO. I hauled myself to the end but hated 90% of it
The good liar - great concept, poor execution
Didn’t like handmaids tale -ambiguous ending

Just read John boyne - hearts invisible furies - is ACE.

Never Let Me Go. It was ok,but I was expecting so much more. The idea was good but I didn't like the writing style and I didn't feel anything when I reached the end.

Did anyone manage to finish The Luminaries? I moved house whilst reading it and in all the upheaval I lost the plot! I've been wondering about trying again but would appreciate opinions as it's quite a commitment

I keep reading the blurb on the back then putting it back. I have done this about 8 times in the local bookshop. It gives me the Gatsbys.