Last miserable book you read

[whatausername]

What was the last book you read that left you thinking what a miserable story it was?

For me it was Flaubert's The Three Tales. That left me in need of a glass of wine and some comedy.

I am part way through shugie bains and have abandoned it. I don't want to read about domestic violence, rape, alcoholism, etc etc

The Secret History by Donna Tarrt. I only persevered because it was a book group pick. We all hated it!

I have started reading "In Plain Sight" about Jimmy Savile because I watched the drama last week. Goes without saying how grim it is. Had to have a break last night from it.

I read Jude the Obscure this year by Thomas Hardy and that was pretty bleak. I also read Mayflies this year and thought it was excellently done.

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg something. It's like an endless one sided phone call from a self obsessed navel gazer who never asks how you are.

I really can't read sad books now, think it has been since covid. My sister tells me about books she has read like A Thousand Spendid Suns etc but I can't face them! I read The Grapes of Wrath during covid as I always wanted read it but it was hard going!

The Silence of the Girls and The Women of Troy - Pat Barker. Fantastic books though, would hugely recommend.
Hamnet was pretty miserable too.

Oh yes my sister read Shuggie Bain, I'm so glad it's done well but can't face it just now. Was a teenager in the 80s and lived in Glasgow so will recognise a lot if it.

@AllTheYoungGoodyTwoShoes I prefer happier books too. I didn't know this book was going to be so miserable. I think the three stories were written at the same time and to be published in one book. I've read the first two, am dilly dallying on the third. Might just get it on with the story to get it out the way then donate the book. I might tape it to a bar of chocolate first...whoever reads it will need one!

The Snakes - utterly, unrelentingly grim

A Little Life. Just don't get the hype, pure misery porn for me. However someone upthread mentions hating The Secret History which I loved, so just shows it's all a matter of taste.

'A little life' for me too, pure misery. I wasn't keen on The Secret History either if i am honest, but I loved Shuggie Bain and Mayflies, they were sad but uplifting. I just finished Bleak House which I thought would be miserable but it was anything but.

I think I'll give it a miss! Years ago I read One Day after hearing so much hype about it, at the end I wanted to throw it out the window! Have heard people say it's their favourite book!

I'm reading In Memoriam by Alice Winn and finding a lot of misery so far.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Just got more and more depressing and flat as it went on.

I was in a book club years ago, and all but one of the assigned award-winning books were exceptionally grim. War Crimes For The Home stands out, with the dead baby. Although the sex scene was amusing.

It totally put me off sad books. Life is hard enough. I only read books that cheer me up these days. If I want to cry I'll watch the news.

Totally agree.

Jane Fallon's Queen Bee, not as miserable as some other books but a lot of unlikeable characters being mean to each other, I felt bad

Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo. Equally depressing.

My friend loved this but I couldn't get on with it. As you say, self obsessed, miserable wanker.

The Librarian of Auschwitz- couldn't get through it

The awful thing being that it was a true story. Horrific

I read the Vanishing of Margaret Small, I didn't think it was too depressing because I loved the character, but, I leant into my mum who couldn't finish it and said it was the most miserable thing she'd ever read.

Verity by Colleen Hoover, and Ugly Love by the same author. Both left me feeling horrible, actually felt a bit guilty for continuing to read Verity because it’s so inhumane! Really not here for the mindset of authors like that, I won’t be reading any more of her books.

How High We Go in the Dark- just awful.