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What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

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Original poster

Books that you have read that you are disappointed with....

83 replies

AliGrylls · 18/03/2010 19:23

I am currently reading Alias Grace. Everyone said to me - it is brilliant you must read it. I am not saying it is bad, it just leaves me feeling a little cold and also usually once I am into a book I don't put it down. I am finding it far too easy to put it down.

Has anyone else ever experienced this before You know when everyone tells you that a book is amazing / brilliant and it doesn't live up to expectations?

OP posts:

EmmalinaC · 18/03/2010 19:25

I am feeling the same way about A S Byatt's The Children's Book. It is leaving me with the unpleasant feeling that I'm just not clever enough to enjoy it...

chicaguapa · 18/03/2010 19:27

I felt like that about The Northern Clemency. I only stuck with it as my friend assured me it was definitely worth it. I hated every page.

FlyingMonkey · 18/03/2010 21:17

I loved The Children's Book although it was a bit heavy going at times.

Mr Pip. Did it win The Booker or some such? I read about half of it and gave up.

Cicatrice · 18/03/2010 21:23

On Beauty. It was OK but nothing like as good as I was led to believe it would be.

Rocinante · 19/03/2010 07:09

Anna Karenina - it feels like sacrilege saying it as so many people love it, but I found it tedious and really disliked most of the characters. I almost cheered at the end

Original poster

AliGrylls · 19/03/2010 08:43

DH struggled with Childrens Book and he loves reading. It does sound quite heavy going.

I put my finger on it this morning. The problem is that I don't feel empathy for the characters.

OP posts:

FlyingMonkey · 19/03/2010 10:32

Yes, it's very hard to continue with a book when you feel like that.

I also thought On Beauty was a bit ho hum. I really don't get all the fuss about Zadie Smith.

Bucharest · 19/03/2010 10:40

Cranford (started about 10 times and given uo) Time Traveller's Wife,(not left brained enough to work out the age differences with each timeslip) 1000 Splendid Kites etc..... (author went to How-to-write-a-book-on-Afghanistan workshop and thought, that sounds like a moneyspinner. Because it's in Afghanistan people will think it's Lit-ritcher.

Aniyan · 19/03/2010 10:41

I got very irritated with the Children's Book as I felt the author was going to great lengths to show off how much research she'd done into the period, to the detriment of the characters and the story itself - have to say though, I did love Alias Grace

ArcticRoll · 19/03/2010 17:53

Bucharest-agree about Time Travellers Wife and On Beauty.
Also The Book Thief.

Original poster

AliGrylls · 19/03/2010 18:41

I think that is the problem. A lot of authors nowadays I get the feeling they are actively trying to be clever and give their book a meaning instead of just writing the darn thing. Some of it is just pretentious wallowings. I find this in particular with Ian McEwan - I tried to read Atonement and thought it was bollocks.

OP posts:

midnightexpress · 19/03/2010 18:45

YY to Time Traveller's Wife, also The Lovely Bones (hurled with some force across the room a couple of chapters in). Also agree about Zadie Smith; White Teeth = way over-hyped. Liked Alias Grace but thought the Blind Assassin was a bit of a yawn. And agree on the Afghanistan thang. Snoozarella.

midnightexpress · 19/03/2010 18:46

Did love Atonement though. In fact it was my favourite of his that I've read.

EmmalinaC · 19/03/2010 18:47

I agree about Ian McEwan - the only one of his books I've ever managed to finish was Enduring Love and that was a struggle. I thought Saturday was dreadfully smug and show-off-y.

Cadelaide · 19/03/2010 18:48

I loved On Beauty.

Didn't really get "American Wife" though, pile of old shite imo.

I love Ian McEwan, pretty much all of it so far.

EmmalinaC · 19/03/2010 18:50

Oooh Lovely Bones - terribly corny. Hated it. But don't be put off Alice Sebold. Her next book (the name of which escapes me now) is fab.

Original poster

AliGrylls · 19/03/2010 18:50

DH hated Saturday too. I read the first page of it and couldn't be bothered.

OP posts:

Cadelaide · 19/03/2010 18:50

Alias Grace I've read but don't really remember, so I guess it didn't have much impact.

Cadelaide · 19/03/2010 18:52

Ian McEwan always gets such a bashing on here.

I just don't get it.

thighsmadeofcheddar · 19/03/2010 18:54

Time Travellers Wife - I thought it was a bit ho-hum.

The Blind Assassin. I know this is so popular but I just didn't get it.

piscesmoon · 19/03/2010 18:59

I still don't know why people like 'Time Traveller' Wife' so much, a lot of people seem to have been in tears with it-I found it irritating.

MayorNaze · 19/03/2010 19:02

i loved alias grace. and TTW. but couldn't finish childrens book

i have to say that i did't really get kate atkinson's behind the scenes at the museum

Cadelaide · 19/03/2010 19:03

Oh mayor, how very brave

MayorNaze · 19/03/2010 19:24

o dear. everyone has fainted with shock

i'm sorry. i WANTED to like it. but i thought it was quite boring

Bucharest · 20/03/2010 10:16

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