Authors who are very popular but you just don't get....

[Corneliawildthing]

I read the first Harry Potter book when my kids were little and was rather underwhelmed by it (maybe I wasn't the target audience). I started The Cuckoo's Calling and seemed to have been reading for about 2 hours and had only reached page 25.

My in-laws raved about the Stieg Larsson books but I think I lasted about 20 pages.

Reise yes it was definitely one of those books where I thought “but I’m meant to like this!”. It was How To Be Both.

J K Rowling
Stephanie Meyer
Dan Brown
Jilly Cooper
James Patterson
Sidney Sheldon

Elena Ferrante

Philipa Gregory- i want to read/enjoy/learn for the history- they are just so badly written its painful

Jasper Fforde. Been recommended them by several friends and never get past the first chapter before thinking "what a load of pretentious twaddle".

Also Dickens. That's boring.

And can't stand Jane Austen.

Joyce Carol Oates. I really want to like her but God so tedious.

I haven't read any classics and felt a complete ignoramus in a workplace when everybody was discussing their favourite Brontes, Dickens and Austens. I had no idea who had written which books. I tried to read Pride and Prejudice but lasted 3 pages.

I tried to read Stuart MacBride as they're set in Aberdeen which I lived in for a while but just couldn't warm to them. I once got an American Amish trilogy which was recommended by a friend as being one of the best books she had ever read - it was beyond dire - why use 2 words when you can use 20

I have a question of the Terry Pratchet dislikers. Do you like satire in general?

Op, I could never get on with pride and Prejudice till I saw it on telly at a formative age ( the white shirt version) and was lured into reading it. Now it’s my favourite book.

Oh yes Elena Ferrante too. And Knausgaard 😴😴😴

Yy to James Patterson. Read one one of his and it was unbelievably lazy, appalling shite. Like someone bored out of their mind and just dialling in a formulaic collection of ‘thriller’ tropes hung on cardboard characters and a ridiculous plot. I subsequently heard that he doesn’t even write them, they’re hashed together by a bunch of hacks who churn them out on his behalf. Allegedly.

I cannot get on with Tolkien, I find it unreadable.

I did read a Lee Child out of interest - it was turgid, never again.

Also Steig Larson I just found grim.

The English translation of Stieg Larsson's books is dreadful, it completely turned me off reading them. The translator seemed to use totally wrong words in places, so much so it was puzzling/jarring and interrupted the narrative.

I've had the same problem with Jo Nesbo books, poor translation.
Sophie Hannah books are odd, quite densely plotted but somehow lacking in impact for me.
Jodie Picoult is known for tackling difficult themes but her books seem a bit holier-than-thou, we're supposed to be 'improved' but I dislike being bludgeoned with righteousness. And they're just a bit too obvious, too much playing on the emotions.

Jodie Picoult, too formulaic and exploitative.

Elena Ferrante. I spent the whole book waiting to feel involved with the characters and it never happened. I'd bought the trilogy sure I would love them but gave the other two away.

Stuff like The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl .. in fact almost any book with a title like The Somebody's Daughter/Sister/Wife. Do women have to belong to other people to be interesting?

@TheLidoOfThighs

It would be that one I have waiting to be read 😩

Yes to Ali Smith.

Mine is Agatha Christie. Tried three now so think I have given her a fair shot!

Most of the classics, TBH. And I have an English Lit degree...

Also Ali Smith. So oddly whimsical but heavy-handed.

I really enjoyed the one I read @ChessieFL which was And Then There Were None but I was in no mad rush for another.

I really like Sophie Hannah and Philippa Gregory!

I tried a Marion Keyes once but couldn't get past about p.38.

I don't get the love for Elena Ferrante.

I love Ali Smith though.

I agree about Ian McEwan; I enjoyed his earlier books, but he now has assumed the mantle of 'A Great Writer.'

Very much this. I haven't read any of his books since Amsterdam/Saturday, neither of which I enjoyed particularly. Used to be my favourite writer, now I just feel disappointed!

John Updike. I can read any trash but not his. Pratchett bored me. James Joyce defeated me, but I might try him again.

I read most of Saturday (Ian McEwan) with horror. tbf, it wasn't the writing, just the story (plot). So utterly mind-blowingly ridiculous. It would have been lovely if the criminal could have jumped off the operating table & slashed the surgeon's throat after all.

Yy to Ian McEwan and Jane Austen. Love Rowling and Pratchett. And Tolkien, although I can totally understand why some people don't!

Ian McEwan makes me all eye-rolly nowadays.

I like Sophie Hannah but she puts this supporting cast of police people in her books who have ongoing story arcs and all the rest, and I get the feeling you’re supposed to regard them like old friends, except I don’t care about any of them and I never can remember who’s who and it just annoys me.