Popular book that you didn’t enjoy

[Wanttocry]

Not really a TAAT but inspired by the Crawdads thread.

What’s a book that has been raved about, but that you didn’t really enjoy? For me it would have to be The Goldfinch, I just didn’t really get it.

The Bell Jar, thought it was complete shite.

@Vicliz24

Captain Corellis Mandolin. I really tried to plough through it but gave up .

Totally agree. I tried three times - the third time after we'd had a holiday in Kefalonia - and just couldn't bear it. Totally over-written and such pretentious language.

I liked the Crawdads but I didn’t know much about it before I read it so didn’t have any expectations. Also like Captain Corellis Mandolin and the Time Travelers Wife. I am reading The Goldfinch now.
Mine are The Miniaturist (well written but disappointing plot/ ending), A Little Life (couldn’t finish it) and all Sophie Hannah books except her Agatha Christie ones. I have heard her speak, and she is great, but her books just make me cross with their inability to follow up on what is usually a really interesting premise.

A Confederacy of Dunces. Raved about by many as being hilarious. About as funny as someone shitting on your pizza.

I agree with all above.
I’ve come to the conclusion that as soon as a book is labelled ‘Best seller’ then I’m not going to like it!

Gone Girl
The Midnight Library

@lljkk

Life of Pi

Never got on with any Lionel Shriver books, either

I’ve not read We need to talk about Kevin but I quite enjoyed The Post-Birthday World. Basically Sliding Doors as a book.

Totally agree with The Secret History.

I do not get the love for this.

@oldperson1

Gone Girl The Midnight Library

Totally agree - I hated Gone Girl more than any other book I have ever read. It was awful.

I'm with the pps about Matt Haig. I didn't like How to Stop Time, then thought I'd give The Midnight Library a go. I do not like his writing style, so I won't make the mistake of reading anything by him again.

@StyleAndLasers

I liked the Crawdads but I didn’t know much about it before I read it so didn’t have any expectations. Also like Captain Corellis Mandolin and the Time Travelers Wife. I am reading The Goldfinch now. Mine are The Miniaturist (well written but disappointing plot/ ending), A Little Life (couldn’t finish it) and all Sophie Hannah books except her Agatha Christie ones. I have heard her speak, and she is great, but her books just make me cross with their inability to follow up on what is usually a really interesting premise.

Oh my gosh I loved A Little Life!!

The Lovely Bones
The Midnight Library, thought it might be like Life After Life which I loved, no such luck!
Lincoln in The Bardo
Cloud Atlas
The Luminaries
The Thursday Murder Club - Have no idea why this mediocre book tops the best sellers week after week.

Definitely Lovely Bones.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. I really wanted to enjoy it but my oh my ... just the way it is written.

I’m glad someone else said Catcher in the Rye. Self centred little arse.

Pillars of the Earth (a friend raved about it and I found it terrible)
We Need to Talk About Kevin
The Lovely Bones

I agree about Gone Girl. Utter shite. Same with The Lovely Bones.
I usually avoid books that are hyped up, and read them a couple year later. I am an avid reader, and used to pride myself on the fact that I would be able to persevere and read anything.
Now I’m 55, and can’t be arsed with wasting time with dreary crap, poorly written rubbish, anything annoying, or self-involved drivel.
The number of available, decent books has gone down, but the books I read now, I’m thrilled to be rushing home to read.

Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine

Wuthering Heights urgh I disliked Cathy and Heathcliff so much they should have just got together, shame to spoil two houses.

I found Eleanor Oliphant boring as well. Poor woman

I found Eleanor Oliphant boring. Gail Honeyman is a poor woman's Margaret Forster IMO.

@EastWestWhosBest

I’m glad someone else said Catcher in the Rye. Self centred little arse.

Isn't he just.

I feel sorry about the homophobic bullying. But fucking hell ...

I struggle to finish Hilary Mantel.

@wanttocry - I just found it monotonously depressing and so repetitive in its misery that I sometimes couldn’t tell where I had got to. I think my issue was a lack of tone shift, it just seemed to be one bad thing happening after another.

Jane Eyre
Robinson Crusoe
Never Let Me Go

And We Need To Talk About Kevin, I had to put it down but mostly because I was wondering whether I should have kids or not at the time

Shuggie Bain...relentlessly grim.