Books you feel were overrated

[ClearSky456]

Just finished Lessons in Chemistry and kind of wondering what all the fuss was about?! Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it but given so many people had told me I HAD to read it, I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed.

Anyone else felt the same, or anyone felt like this about another book recently? I had the same feeling with Daisy Jones and the Six too.

Oh god, yeah. I quite liked most of it but the denoument was so convoluted and implausible I just felt confused and disappointed.

Sorry, that should read garlanded with lavish praise AND by Robert Harris.

COMPLETELY off topic, but saw on another thread someone complaining that their Sky Tv package is £180 and I just thought how many books I could buy a month with £180....I'd be in clover!

Haha, I agree with some of these, and others not so much.

Mine are probably The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah and The Housemaid by Freida McFadden.

Oh I loved Eleanor Oliphant. I've read it a few times. I thought her being a nob was hilarious.

A Little Life I had to give up on because it was so tedious. Maybe it gets better later, but I'm not entertaining drivel to get to it.

The one I absolutely hate is 1984. I was nearly in tears with boredom when he decided to include an entire dull as shit pamphlet in it.

Yes, I read oblivion - unfortunately the interesting part of the story was very brief - lots of boring info about the culprits evading capture - I mean the wholes North American continent wasn’t big enough to hide in??!!

Catcher in the Rye or JD Salinger work generally. People are so obsessed with him. I don’t hate his stuff but I don’t see what the big deal is either.

Oh my goodness it really was drivel - the pie one I should say.

Agreed - The Catcher in the Rye was bollocks. I think maybe it's one of those books that you're meant to read when you're about 15 and maybe then it wouldn't be so bad - but as an adult its unreadable!

I agree with some more of these

CCM - I read it a long time ago (90s?) and remember wondering what all the fuss was about
Thursday Murder Club - too many characters, too many twists and turns, completely lost interest before the end
The Guernsey Literary etc - absolute drivel. But, and this is unusual, I watched the film a couple of years ago and it was way better than the book, that doesn’t happen often.

I was about to start the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, maybe I won’t bother.

A Prayer for Owen Meanie and Wolf Hall are in my DNF collection. Both are so dull and I never could see the point in Owen Meanie - what was actually happening in the story?

I also hated Wuthering Heights but like many others, love Jane Eyre.

I would also add Lord of the Flies as being dull and pointless too. OK, I understand the concept about humans being nothing better than savages but really, I don’t care.

I did enjoy many of the other books mentioned in here though, so just shows we all have different taste.

Might try the film distracted, thanks.

The Thursday Murder Club. Only book I've ever asked Audible for a refund for!

Oh same! My friend loved it and I didn't understand the hype.

Yes!

Completely agree. Two people, who's taste I generally trust, both recommended it. I kept reading it because I thought I was finally about to get to the good bit...then it finished.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - good lord that was hard work.

Loved the book Gone Girl. Switched the pretentious ridiculous film off after 10 minutes!

Noooo!

I liked the book, and the movie, tho I wish they hadn't moved it to America.

I thought Hamnet was pretentious rubbish. So slow.

Evelyn Hugo also bollocks

I totally agree. Awful.

I couldn’t get beyond the first chapter of lessons in chemistry- I was going to give it another go on an upcoming holiday but maybe I won’t bother.

I recently finished the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo and it felt like such a let down - it read like a tumblr fanfic (and yes I am ashamed that I recognised the genre 😳)

OMG yes the Buried Giant, SUCH a disappointment

The Salt Path. It felt like talking to one of those people so hell bent on refusing to take any responsibility for what happens to them that you just switch off any engagement beyond wondering what the real story is, because you know the version you're getting is so skewed and self serving that you're not learning anything.

Respect!