What is the worst book you have read recently and why was it so bad?

[Miaou]

I've been reading light stuff atm and just grabbed this off the "chick lit" stand at the library just before having ds2 - I struggled valiantly through to the end but was really disappointed in it. The story was turgid and predictable, the characters one-dimensional, and I felt that what could have been an interesting story with the potential for some really sinister turns, was in fact incredibly dull. The final "showdown" between the mother and son was jaw-droppingly badly written and really let the whole book down.

However I have had lots of fun picking it to pieces so maybe it was worth it

I'm really looking forward to One Good Turn - I loved Case Histories. What I am most looking forward to is William Trevor's new book of short stories - Cheating at Canasta - DH has ordered it with his birthday Amazon voucher so we can take it away on holiday.

I liked the Ukrainian Tractor thing, and loved The Poisonwood Bible.

And please can I have extra ponce points for having read (and finished) The Name of the Rose in Italian?

LOL Pruners... I was thinking 'white aunties'????

Hassled - Oh really? Shame. That was on my To Read list

I've just read the Memory Keeper's Daughter too. Poorly written, over-written.

(Is there a Winter Book as well as Summer Book by Tove Janson?)

oregonian - re:interpretation of murder - I didn't think it was awful but it was clunky the way the author shoehorned the research in. Frank Tallis covers that sort of territory far better IME - Vienna Blood/Mortal Mischief

Am I the only one who enjoyed Interpretation of Murder? And Kevin?

I hated that bloody Ukrainian Tractors book. Gave up after 40 pages. She has a her fan club among the chatterati of Sheffield though.

a book by Mauve Binchy, it was so fucking "love story" the syrup ran down the covers every time I picked it up!

agree total chaos. liked human traces for similar history of psychology stuff much more seamlessly written

I use that Ukranian Tractor book to kill earwigs in the bathroom.

gulp. i liked kevin too. read it 7 moths pregnant with ds1 tho and it made my ambivalence about motherhood seem minor.

lol expat

That Cecilia Ahren book, 'Where the Rainbow Ends'.

Even shitier shite than the Ukranian Tractor one.

Oregonianabroad, it's very unrealistic though. it was very obvious that Lionel Shriver has never had children. if that's what she thinks it's like, no wonder she stayed childless.

I agree, Lyra. It's so 'We are Columbine', but without the experience of Columbine.

I skipped all the bits about tractors in the Ukranian tractor book. The story interested me but the history bit were totally pointless. Although I didn't read them so I can't be sure they weren't pointless...

Worst book I've read recently was 'The Baby Club' - boringly predicable rubbish. No idea why I read it - DP was painting the spare room at the time so I could've just gone and watch the paint drying.

Also - "My Name is Red" - WTF?

Where's moondog? Her opinions on David Pelzer books are brilliant !

i know what you're saying, expat & lyra, but it was the obvious lack of love between mother and child which shook me to the core when i was pregnant and was pretty compelling, making me examine my own feelings about motherhood. saying that, now it does seem pretty unrealistic; but back then it was something to ponder, especially since I don't have a close relationship with my own mother.

I read the David Pelzer books while pg with DS1.
what's Moondog's opinion of them?

Nothing good, but very funny .

isn't he the guy that made it all up? or was that someone else?

Lyra, I also liked both Interpretation of Murder and Kevin.

In fact, I loved Kevin (and I also read it while pregnant). The ending of the book (the relationship between mother and son) really throws the rest of it into relief.

And I loved my dd on sight, so that was relief

that was James Frey, Oregonianabroad