twinkle Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I made it almost halfway through, but got shot of it after that as I found it exceedingly dull and incredibly predictable. I later discovered that the prediction I made literally a couple of pages into the book was bangon the money, meaning that reading the rest of the book would have been pointless anyway. If I can work out what's going to happen within a couple of pages, then it must be blindingly obvious - to my mind, it's bad writing to make things too easy to spot - I like a little bit of mystery and intrigue. I found The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo hard to get into. It took me four attempts before I finally read the book, and that was only because I wanted to find out what all the hype was about. I didn't enjoy it one bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenwood Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 ? One of mine concerns Wuthering Heights. I think it sucked. I wanted Heathcliff to just "die already!!!". I found him and Cathy to be extremely selfish and annoying. I felt sorry for Cathy Jr and Hareton. The rest of the characters I just found mental. I know passion drove many characters, Heathcliff and Cathy Earnshaw, but in the process they wrecked too many lives which made me unable to root for them. Heathcliff as a child was nice and rootworthy, but when he grew up he became a big jackazz and there was no excuse for it. Totally agree. I thought my problem with Wuthering Heights was that I read it in my cynical 30s, rather than as a romantic/hormonal teenager... Can I put Atonement out there? McEwan - Miserable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWords Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Bravo Two Zero - Andy McNab I've never read so many gratuitous swear words on one page in my life. If you think Bravo Two Zero is filled with pointless swearing, then try James Kelman's How Late It Was, How Late. Adding to the unreadability is the thick accent he writes in. It won the Man Booker Prize, so you can take a guess at how well-read the novel is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Totally agree. I thought my problem with Wuthering Heights was that I read it in my cynical 30s, rather than as a romantic/hormonal teenager... Can I put Atonement out there? McEwan - Miserable! Nope - I read Wuthering Heights as a teenager and thought it was rubbish. As for Atonement - I hated it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Captain Corelli's Mandolin irritated me so much because it had great promise as a story, it was just de Bernières writing that made I found almost unreadable. I know lots of people love it, but not me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Captain Corelli's Mandolin irritated me so much because it had great promise as a story, it was just de Bernières writing that made I found almost unreadable. I know lots of people love it, but not me. I liked the story. I didn't like the ending. I'm with you on the writing - I thought it was quite wordy but it didn't bother me because I was backpacking when I read it and was grateful that it took me so long to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Captain Corelli's Mandolin irritated me so much because it had great promise as a story, it was just de Bernières writing that made I found almost unreadable. I know lots of people love it, but not me. I liked the story. I didn't like the ending. I'm with you on the writing - I thought it was quite wordy but it didn't bother me because I was backpacking when I read it and was grateful that it took me so long to read. I couldn't finish it - it was just so dull! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlette Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Atonement, Ian McEwan... Brilliant film, dreadful book. I don't recall finishing it in fact. The Harry Potter series has never appealed to me. I've paged through them in the bookstore, reading bits here and there and nothing struck me as interesting. Perhaps I'm just not inclined to appreciate the magical. Anything by the immensely popular Neil Gaiman. Yes, I might be stoned for it, but after American Gods I simply cannot stand the man's writing... Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Suzanna Clarke... Dreary, dreary, dreary... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 I did slog my way through all of The Lord of The Rings, but I found it dry, dull, and slow-moving. Yes, Tolkien was an intricate world-builder, but I read for plot, characters, and themes. He had all of these in the trilogy, but they seemed to get lost within all of boring details of his creation. Other books I have found dull are Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, and A Clockwork Orange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finty Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Anything by Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, Brett Easton Ellis and anything to do with Harry Potter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fayezie Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 I read Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold recently after I heard a lot of hype about it, but thought it was a let down to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 I detested The Lovely Bones. I thought it was a bad story and badly written. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Crikey. What a brilliant thread! I hated Harry Potter - it's almost like Rowling thinks we're children, for Pete's sake! I also hate everything (and I was forced to read the job lot by Mrs. Bloomin' Phillips at school) by Jane "agreeable" Austen. Wuthering Heights? Big pile of sh**e. Catcher in the Rye? Poke me in the eye - it's preferable. Erm...I'm sure there's more, but I'm getting hungry, so need to cook summat. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 (edited) Black Beauty for me was Boring. Well, I loved it when I was about 8 or 10, read it several times even, cried like a baby, but goodness knows how I'd like it now. I'd like to think I'd love it. Shucks, now I'm curious........../gah!/ I thought 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' was one of the worst books I've ever read. I loved the series. The first was difficult to get into, true, but for me at least, worth it. I think Salander is one of the absolute best female characters in fiction at the moment. My "going against the grain" list, includes, at the very top Thomas Pynchon. Pretentious claptrap. Tripe. I only read the last Harry Potter, but don't see what the fuss is all about. Probably not a fair estimation, and someday I'll read the first couple to cement my view. Or disprove it. I didn't care for The Book Thief, but that may be because I've read so very much about that part of WWII, it seemed lackluster to me. I know scads of people think it was wonderful. Edited November 1, 2010 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emelee Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 The Twilight Saga is quite possibly THE most over-hyped piece of tosh I've ever read. I've said it before and I'll happily say it again - Meyer can't write for toffee. Her characters are wimpish and needy and she has no flair at all for contruction or progression. I really cannot understand why so many people go gaga over them! I could not agree more! I have NOT read any of the books, but a friend of mine forced me to see the first movie. Those are close to 2 hours I will never get back! So blasé it almost put me to sleep. Going gaga over that piece of crap?! What is wrong with my friends?!?!?! Just cause Robert Pattinson is cute does not mean I want to watch it. The vampire story is just silly. Glittering vampires?!?! Sweet, kind, compassionate vampires? Give me a break! And Bella... What an annoying bore she was. End of vent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emelee Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 Yes but Heathcliff was never intented to be likeable. The hateabliity of Heathcliff was what made the book so enjoyable for me. I liked that the book made me react to a character with such abhorrence. It's truly of it era (romanticism), in that it causes an emotional reaction in the reader. To me that makes the book a great success. In a way, yes, getting such a strong reaction out of me like hating a character is an accomplishment. However, I am stubborn and I claim that since I just wanted the book to END ALREADY, that it wasn't creating a "love to hate" balance. Sometimes it is enjoyable to absolutely hate a character and go on and on and on about why that character is so horrible. So while I really hated Heathcliff, I just wanted him dead and gone and forgotten. I will NOT admit like sooooo many others on this planet, that WH is a great love novel. I saw no love. Passion yes, but not pure sane love. I though both Heathcliff and Cathy were mentally instable and should be locked up and never allowed to see each other anymore. Or shipped off together to a deserted island with no chance of escaping. As long as they were far away from society. Where they could not wreck other peoples lives. Of course, with all my hate for those two, I did feel quite bad for Cathy 2 and Hareton. So that is one positive thing. If they had been the main 2 characters I might have enjoyed the book. Still of course having Heathcliff & Cathy etc in the novel, but focusing more on what their actions did to others. The first time I read Wuthering Heights I would have agreed with you totally! I couldn't even get past the first few chapters I think. Then a few years later I tried it again and loved it! How strange! I wonder what I would think if I read it now? Maybe you'd love it more? Thing is: each time you read a novel, you get different inputs and throughs. It's the whole point of the post-structural literary theory. It's slightly different each time you read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emelee Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 Regarding The girl with the dragon tattoo, I found it somewhat disappointing. After all hype, I thought it would be incredible. It was not. I did like it though, just didn´t found it brillint. Just your every day crime novel. The one thing I really did like was Lisbeth Salander's character. She was different I.e. fun. The actual revealing of what had happened disappointed me. I really wanted something more interesting. Something I could not have imagined in a million years. Instead I was like "oh.... just that?!" Probably because of the big hype. When it came to the movie, I was very disappointed that some things in the book was taken out in the movie!!!!!! :wink:Because I am a Swede, I am very well aware of the actors who played certain characters. Like Mikael Nykvist (Blomkvist) and Peter Haber (Martin Vanger) etc. Peter Haber is one of my favorite actors. So when I read the final scene between those 2 characters at Martin's house, I was sooooooo disappointed one thing was removed. You who have seen the movie AND read the book will probably know what I am talking about. For those of you who do not know, here's a little clue: Missing in TGWTDT movie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Okay I thought Of a good one the other day. I can't stand Stephen King - yawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 I'm with you on that one, ladymacbeth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amesy Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 (edited) Okay I thought Of a good one the other day. I can't stand Stephen King - yawn Heathen!!! Shun the heathen... LOL. Just kidding. If you haven't already, try "The Dark Tower" series. Completely unlike anything of his I've read. Edited November 8, 2010 by Amesy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 You who have seen the movie AND read the book will probably know what I am talking about. For those of you who do not know, here's a little clue: Missing in TGWTDT movie Unless it's my computer having a funny five minutes, that link seems to lead to a page on IMDB on an article about straight men kissing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mexicola Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Unless it's my computer having a funny five minutes, that link seems to lead to a page on IMDB on an article about straight men kissing! I think that link is just meant to give a pointer as to a particular part of the scene with Martin and Blomkvist in the basement, which is featured in the book but not the film! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missybct Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 I cannot stand The Da Vinci Code - I have tried three times to read it; not because I like Dan Brown's writing (I really don't) but I felt I should at least give something a shot before I totally wrote it off. I read Angels and Demons for what it was - complete tripe, but it was a page turner in the sense that is was so utterly unbelievable that I just had to finish it. I started to read the Harry Potter series but as I've mentioned before, I'm not a huge fantasy fan, and I tend to shy away from things that are ridiculously popular (which is not advisable really, as I'm sure to miss out on a lot, but is just the way I am). Twilight was the biggest pile of crap I have ever read - I read most of the first book and just put it down because I considered it so awfully trite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 In a way, yes, getting such a strong reaction out of me like hating a character is an accomplishment. However, I am stubborn and I claim that since I just wanted the book to END ALREADY, that it wasn't creating a "love to hate" balance. Sometimes it is enjoyable to absolutely hate a character and go on and on and on about why that character is so horrible. So while I really hated Heathcliff, I just wanted him dead and gone and forgotten. fair enough. I will NOT admit like sooooo many others on this planet, that WH is a great love novel. I saw no love. Passion yes, but not pure sane love. I though both Heathcliff and Cathy were mentally instable and should be locked up and never allowed to see each other anymore. Or shipped off together to a deserted island with no chance of escaping. As long as they were far away from society. Where they could not wreck other peoples lives. Of course, with all my hate for those two, I did feel quite bad for Cathy 2 and Hareton. You know I totally agree with all of that. How funny that we have essentially the same opinion and yet I loved it and you hated it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amesy Posted November 10, 2010 Share Posted November 10, 2010 I cannot stand The Da Vinci Code - I have tried three times to read it; not because I like Dan Brown's writing (I really don't) but I felt I should at least give something a shot before I totally wrote it off. I read Angels and Demons for what it was - complete tripe, but it was a page turner in the sense that is was so utterly unbelievable that I just had to finish it. I started to read the Harry Potter series but as I've mentioned before, I'm not a huge fantasy fan, and I tend to shy away from things that are ridiculously popular (which is not advisable really, as I'm sure to miss out on a lot, but is just the way I am). Twilight was the biggest pile of crap I have ever read - I read most of the first book and just put it down because I considered it so awfully trite. Has the scary lady gone yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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