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.

Dean Koontz. Only read half of one book and that was a challenge. The only book I’ve not read all the way through.

Love Jasper Fforde, Terry Pratchett, Marian Keyes (though agree with pp her more recent stuff hasn’t been as good. Looking forward to her new one which is out soon, Grown Ups).

Georgette Heyer, nothing much seems to happen.

Sorry I missed Rapunzel's deleted post. Did she flounce off because we didn't appreciate being called stupid?

I don't know it was deleted very quickly!

She basically just said we’re all stupid.

I only came to Wolf Hall late in the day. I binge watched the TV series; fell head over heels with Mark Rylance portrayal; followed Mark Rylance literally around the world with what ever he was doing; and then finally read the book. It is brilliant. I studied this period ( a very long time ago) for A level history and so much has come flooding back. The book feels accurate and that counts.

spongedog when you say you fell head over heels with Mark Rylance, does that include his work in Bing on Cbeebies. 😊

I think Mark Rylance is a genius actor. But...many years ago, there was a discussion about Kerry Fox having to actually give an actor oral sex in a film. I remember it because I was quite young and rather than go 'oh for goodness sake' and tut at the misogyny, we discussed it endlessly: was it for art? Was it a reasonable request from a director? etc. You get the gist. Apparently it was Mark Rylance and I'm now a bit disgusted by him.

I think Mark Rylance is amazing too. I've been lucky enough to see him live several times. After Jerusalem I sought him out whenever I had the opportunity. I'd liken the experience of seeing him perform to people who reminisce about Olivier or Gielgud. Truly amazing.

That's doesn't sound so good niddedibble and I think there can definitely be an issue about actors being pressurised into performing acts they're uncomfortable with which is obviously wrong. However Kerry Fox has been quoted saying she doesn't regret the scene. There's an interesting interview with her in Filmink where she discusses the issue at length. Apparently they were both unhappy at how they were judged when the film came out. So if they both agreed to follow the director's instructions at the time and as intelligent adults agreed to the scene is it right to be disgusted by him?

In interviews he really does come across as the most modest and likeable man.

Yes, I remember she seemed to be all right with it and she may well have been. But yes, I am a bit disgusted that he allowed it to happen. Whatever, it isn't my business, but the thought lurks. I still think he's amazing as an actor.

Terry Pratchett .... bought for bookworm son who also didn’t get it ... both disappointed as he wrote so many books I thought sons reading was sorted for the foreseeable

Agree with all the Terry Pratchett and Kate Atkinson haters. Also Kazuo Ishigura, had to read Never Let Me Go for my book group, what a load of rubbish. I've been trying to read Virginia Woolf but never got more than about 10 pages, so dull. I've got Hilary Mantel on my read next heap, just got to finish the Outlander books first. I've just started the 3rd one, really enjoying them.

Definitely Walliams - so spiteful and clumsily written. Just boring.

And so glad so many have said Ian McEwan; he attempts these Grand Themes but his writing is such watery thin skim-milk stuff, just nothing of quality.

Thomas Hardy is a lot of hand-wringing women-punishment, and I can't hack Jessie Burton at all. Hugely successful, but I've always found her books massively overwritten and extremely predictable. I cannot understand how The Miniaturist did so well when she couldn't be bothered to come up with a coherent climax/ending.

Love Austen, Dickens and Atkinson, though.

John Grisham and Stephen King come immediately to mind.

JoJoMoyes

Hilary Mantel

Jodi Picoult

Another for Paula Hawkins here.

I agree with many of these!

@Michaelbaubles You're spot on about Sophie Hannah's police characters. I really enjoy Sophie Hannah but I find myself skimming over the police bits to identify anything relevant to the plot because I have no interest in their personal relationships/character development.

Terry Pratchett - I've tried many times to read his books, as my husband is a huge fan (and so was an ex) but I just can't get into them at all.

JK Rowling - again, couldn't get into them. Perhaps you have to read them first as a child, or else have children to read them to, to enjoy them.

JoJo Moyes - tried one found the writing style really annoying - the characters annoying - wanted to throw the book across the room (it called was 'Me before You' I think).

Jodi Piccoult - I have enjoyed some of her writing, but I started to find her books getting very samey - too many prison scenes that went the same way. Also too much rhapsodising over how great and smart and quirky the children are. Yes, parents think their children are wonderful - we can take that as a given - we don't need it reinforcing in every chapter.

Not many I disagree with on this thread except Kazuo Ishiguro, Charlotte Bronte, Thomas Hardy and Liane Moriarty.

Angela Carter
Ali Smith
Samuel Richardson
Zadie Smith
D H Lawrence
J D Salinger
Saul Bellow

Forgot Sartre!

Terry Pratchett
Donna Tartt
I also read My Brilliant Friend, can't remember the author but hated it. Everyone else in by book group loved it.
Though to be fair I've only read one of each of their books

Oh and Sarah Waters....I've read a couple and they were merely OK.

Dons hard hat.

I like Terry Pratchett (although his books are formulaic) and Sarah Waters books are good (if not great) easy reads.

Donna Tartt I’m with you on though! Totally over rated!

I love Elena Ferrante, less so her Neopolitan novels, but Days of Abandonment and The Lost Child are very good.

For me I can't understand the appeal of Jojo Moyes, Marian Keyes etc. and then stuff like Karin Slaughter or Lee Childs. Just nothing in the prose other generic, formulaic meh.