What books were you 'supposed' to enjoy but thought were a pile of crap? And why?

[MrsMerryHenry]

A Suitable Boy

Writing style far too poncey and utterly incapable of moving me.

Agree with 'Girl With A pearl Earring' - I finished it but wasbored throughout.

Also that one based on Dickens and his wife. Can't remember what it was called - something about Blue. Yawn.

Here's another vote for "Time Traveller's Wife" - total b*ocks. One of the few books I've failed to finish. The characters were so repellent and self absorbed that I just could not be bothered.
The 19th Wife - also C**p and a waste of a birthday book token

Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

In the words of Paul Calf, bag of shite!

Any Zadie Smith.
In principal she writes the kind of books i enjoy but have been totally disappointed by both white teeth and on beauty.
Lots of character set up, followed by one chapter of totally predictable denouement.
Pile of poo.

Ditto Zadie Smith - v dull.

Also Cold Mountain and another noble one I've just given away so dull I can't even remember what it was ...

The Time traveller's wife- Audrey Niffenegger.
I couldn't finish it. This is the first book that i never finished in my life.

tractors in the ukraine or whatever it is called. utter bollocks. also loathe we need to talk about kevin - but anyone who changes their name to lionel is an instant alert.
the road. birdsong.

i am the lone voice who liked the lovely bones. and the little friend.

Possession - AS Byatt. I didn't get it. Tried to read so many times as I wanted to like it, but don't like books that make me feel stupid.

I liked The Lovely Bones, except for the ridiculous sex scene. I liked The Time Traveller's Wife too, except the foot. Didn't like The Little Friend, or her other one.

Kevin = beyond crap.

Unfortuantely I didn't enjoy Beloved by Toni Morrison as it just seemed like post-modern, overly self-conscious nonsense.

Have never finished Catch 22 either despite trying at least five times, not really sure why.

Anything by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - again, couldn't tell you why exactly, just can't manage to get beyond 20 pages.

I am thoroughly disappointed by my crapness in not enjoying these books as I know I should.

Did she really change her name to Lionel? How odd.

salmon fishing in the yemen - poor

God yes- Beloved! Awful.
Lovely Bones- grim.
The Alchemist - inspired? nope.

yes she did crackfox. attention seeking.

oh yes, beloved. couldn't do it.

Captain Corellis Mandari is one of the worst books I have ever read.

Ukrainian tractors - was terrible. The idea was good, but the story telling was mangelhaft.

Beloved - must admit, I gave up on this one. I enjoy some of what Toni Morrison writes, but I hate the way she uses big themes (child abuse, child death) to get drama into her plots.

Gabriel Garcia M is good if you like that sort of thing, I think (which I dont).

I've tried reading both Beloved and The Idiot about 3 times. Each time I find them impossible - though I love Morrisson, always have since I was 13.

I really like some of your hated books:

The Lovely Bones (except that she should have ended it much earlier)
Captain Corelli
Life of Pi
Anything by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Also hated Alchemist - pointless, uninspiring drivel. A friend of mine (who calls himself an intellectual) said it changed his life.

I'd forgotten about that Jonathan Strange book - I asked DH to buy it for me in hardback for a birthday once; tried reading it and really wanted to enjoy it. Several years later and I'd forgotten I even own it. Says it all, really.

Oh, and I adored Poisonwood.

I also loved slng's comment about A Suitable Boy numbing her labour pains! They ought to put that on the book jacket.

Glad to see other people couldn't be bothered with Joshua Ferris. Pile of steaming shite IMO. Very irritating style and never saw why I should care about the characters.

Started Poisonwood Bible and gave up - again, couldn't really work up any enthusiasm for the characters, felt as if it was trying too hard to Say Important Things about colonialism/reference Conrad.

Thing is, I only really get to read (as in, pay sustained attention to a book) late at night in bed, so my tolerance threshold for anything self-important/indulgent is very, very low.

But loved the Girl with the Pearl... so much i read it twice!

Twilight- my 16 yr old is reading it- tis Flowers in the Attic-esque teen drivel for the norties generation.

catcher - becuase it just whined and was self indulgant ssssssssssssssssssssssshit.

salmon fishing..........soppy, lmp wristed - easy to read - great - but don't bloody bother becuase its wank.

Flowers in the Attic!!!! You've taken me back in time.

I loved Catcher, loved the annoying teenager's voice for some reason. Have you tried Vernon God Little, custardo?