Milkman by Anna Burns

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I bought this after reading the thread about our book of the decade. I just can't get on with it. Far from finding it compelling, I am struggling to engage with it at all.

Is there anyone who ended up loving it who felt like this at the start? I've read about a fifth if it and feel like ditching it but am worried it might all be about to turn round

no i hated it. i finish exit because i’m stubborn but hated it

Awful book, I bought it as local bookshop was promoting it.
Hate the style it’s written in, makes no sense.

Yep, didn’t even make it to the end of the first chapter, if there was one.

I think it’s utter genius, but I thought that from the beginning.

I loved it. Read it a Northern Ireland accent - It helps. It's utterly brilliant.

This book was a book club choice and at first I really didn’t get on with it, but then I listened to it in really big chunks.

That made all the difference and was totally gripped by the story and the characters. I rate this as one of my all time favourite books.

Only one reader from my book club didn’t finish it and she was someone who tended to read for 30 minutes at the end of the day.

Try to read for a couple of hours.

Loved loved loved it!

I loved this book beyond measure. It is such an important book in many ways. I was lucky enough to reach out to Anna Burns and she sent me a signed copy.

Loved it - like having a chatty Irish friend talking to you! Like lots of books it benefits from reading in reasonable sized chunks. 5-10 minutes at a time aren't much use.

We had this as a book-group book so I really tried but gave up. There are plenty of other, better books out there. Life's too short to waste on rubbish books.

I think that this book was the tipping point, after a series of disappointments, that made me decide to avoid "prize winning" books in future. You wonder what let's vote in a controversial book that gets people talking about our prize goes through the judges' brains.

I stopped reading it. I just couldn’t get into it at all.

I didn't finish it. Tried but I really didn't get on with it at all

A masterpiece - from the very first sentence. Actually reshapes one’s understanding of what a novel can be, and can do.

For me the tone and structure felt like coming home - so natural it made almost every other piece of fiction feel ludicrously artificial. I really loved it!

However. I wouldn’t say it’s completely flawless. The early language lesson section could perhaps be a few strokes of the pen shorter. Slight danger of the point becoming laboured, there. And later on there’s a revelation that I just wasn’t sure I truly believed. But apart from these small stumbling blocks - its a landmark in English literature.

I gave up too.
Boring first chapter.
Likewise I can't see why Normal People by Sally Rooney is so revered.
Boring first and second chapter.
Im not sure I'll plough on reading it.

So much emperors's new clothes in art and literature methinks.

Books that capture the hearts and minds of many are looked down upon.

I absolutely loved it. The atmosphere it conjures - and the authenticity of the writing - just amazing.
I'd suggest that - just because something isn't your cup of tea - doesn't make it "emperor's new clothes". We all like different things! That's always been the case surely?

Didn't like it at all, couldn't make it past page 50

I listened to this over the weekend. It was amazing - almost a hypnotic quality to it. Her use of language is fabulous. I think I may have struggled to read it but as an audiobook it works brilliantly.

Loved this book - my top read of last year. I like the stream of consciousness style though.

I wasn't impressed with Normal People though.

I loved it. Second the idea of reading large chunks and imagining a young chatty, witty friend telling you a story with all the anecdotes and digressions of conversation. It took me a little while to get my eye in but once I did I found it really rewarding and I was tearful at the ending. Really beautiful book, and I feel gave a claustrophobic look inside life during the Troubles that I hadn’t come across before.

I’ve hated some Booker winners in the past and loved others.

I do think though it is important to actually read a book before developing an opinion on its quality, which the judges do, at least.

I absolutely loved it, in my top 3 books of last year. It did take he a while to get into it, the language is like nothing I'd ever read before but once I got into it I couldn't put it down. Fantastic 👍🏻

I bought it for a book group and couldn't face opening it. I'll have another go now!
Couldn't get on with Normal People; just didn't care about them at all.

Took me a little while to get into it then loved it. As others have said the whole atmosphere the writing conjured up, not surprised it won the Booker.

But other books ppl have loved I've hated, can't all like the same things

Sounds like a real marmite book!
Will investigate a trial of it on my kindle.

I think it depends on the kind of reader you are as well - and that can change. I used to always need a book to grab me or I’d move on because it was meant to be easy and enjoyable etc

However now I am much more inclined to be prepared to put some work in as some things as Moreno rewarding the more you commit to them. I mean you may still be disappointed but at least you know for sure

I read Normal People and just thought it ok.