Post by heliocentric on Jun 22, 2012 11:33:04 GMT -5
I hated Love in the Time of Cholera. It was well-written, but the characters sucked. Stupid whiny man who thinks he's in love with a girl he only knows from letters when they were kid. He spends his time pining for her by screwing everything in sight. Stupid. I didn't finish it. Maybe it gets better, but I doubt it.
Life of Pi was also overrated. The story was OK, but there is a quote on the cover how this book will make you believe in God. That sets some seriously high expectations and it didn't deliver.
Cleaving. Wow. I liked Julie & Julia, but man, I haaated her by the end of that book. What a self-indulgent, whiny hosebeast.
I didn't read it because I knew based just on the description that I would fee this way.
Julie & Julia is one of the few movies that was better than the book, IMO. The movie made Julie Powell seem less whiny and annoying. I like the funny cooking mishaps, but I didn't particularly like her by the end of J&J, either.
Real - Watership Down, The Pearl Funsies - Daughter of Fortune and Blackwood Farm/Blood Canticle. I am BEYOND pissed that Anne Rice found Jesus and fucked up the ending of the vampire chronicles all b/c she didn't feel like writing about them anymore. And she pulled in the Mayfair witches in that shit too and just took a dump on all of her works the prior 20 years.
Those bunnies are awesome and I don't think we can be internet friends anymore.
I read that book as a grown-ass woman and cried at the end. I DON'T CRY AT ANYTHING.
I hated Love in the Time of Cholera. It was well-written, but the characters sucked. Stupid whiny man who thinks he's in love with a girl he only knows from letters when they were kid. He spends his time pining for her by screwing everything in sight. Stupid. I didn't finish it. Maybe it gets better, but I doubt it.
Spoiler:
They end up together and live happily ever after. I loved it the first time I read it then read again a couple years ago, and eh.
I liked One Hundred Years of Solitude, even though it was ridiculous trying to keep the characters straight.
I hated the Great Gatsby! Also, one many people adore that I hated was "She's Come Undone" and "I know this much is true" (I think I just really dont like Wally Lamb - too bad bc he is local). Also hated "A Prayer for Owen Meany."
I could not finish Bel Canto. I didnt hate it but... so... boring. And I never DONT finish books! Also did not like time travellers wife. That was a rare situation where i actually preferred the movie.
Contemporary: The Privileges. I don't understand how this received such great reviews. I thought it was as well constructed as a Creative Writing 101 sample.
I loved Dive from Clausen's Pier! Although I was the about the same age as the protagonist when I read it, and I was contemplating marrying my BF (now DH at the time). It made me hesitate, which was a good thing since I was only 22.
Classic: I've never been able to get through On the Road. I can't say I hate it, but I've never been able to read more than a few pages. I haven't tried in about a decade, so maybe I should give it a go again.
Post by auntnettie on Jun 22, 2012 12:13:11 GMT -5
The book I am currently reading...Storm Front by Jim Butcher. It was recommended to me and I cannot finish it. I read so much that I can't think of a book I've read in the past that I hate. Sometimes I forget what I've read and will pick up a book thinking I haven't read it only to discover a few chapter in that I read before. Pathetic my brain is mush.
I'm concerned about the hate for A Separate Peace because that is my son's summer reading book. We picked up a copy at the beginning of summer and he hasn't picked it up. He loves to read normally.
I'm concerned about the hate for A Separate Peace because that is my son's summer reading book. We picked up a copy at the beginning of summer and he hasn't picked it up. He loves to read normally.
Post by lyssbobiss, Command, B613 on Jun 22, 2012 12:20:08 GMT -5
Oh when I first read She's Come Undone it was a favorite book for sure. But as a grown-up, I kind of hate it. She was a fat, horrible mess, so OF COURSE no man would want her till she was skinny (and by the way, she got there by becoming anorexic, so yeah, let's celebrate that), and then she had an abortion so she could never get pregnant again. Preachy.
"This prick is asking for someone here to bring him to task Somebody give me some dirt on this vacuous mass so we can at last unmask him I'll pull the trigger on it, someone load the gun and cock it While we were all watching, he got Washington in his pocket."
Did anyone else read Edgar Sawtelle? I could not finish it. I just couldn't give a fuck about any of the characters, they were all written in such a detached fashion.
Oh when I first read She's Come Undone it was a favorite book for sure. But as a grown-up, I kind of hate it. She was a fat, horrible mess, so OF COURSE no man would want her till she was skinny (and by the way, she got there by becoming anorexic, so yeah, let's celebrate that), and then she had an abortion so she could never get pregnant again. Preachy.
just curious: exactly how old/boring does a book have to be to qualify as a "real" book?
several of the "real" books mentioned here aren't that old time traveler's wife. middlesex. extremely loud and incredibly close. they're all fairly recent.
I think it makes sense to draw a distinction between books that are supposed to be legit literature (but sometimes suck) vs. trashy romance and bad YA (which is more expected to suck from a literary POV)
I hated Love in the Time of Cholera. Hated it. And I'm down with GGM normally. But not that one.
I also hated "The Scent of Rain and Lightning" (which is as bad as it sounds) and The Memory of Water. I can't remember who wrote them though (different authors).
Oh when I first read She's Come Undone it was a favorite book for sure. But as a grown-up, I kind of hate it. She was a fat, horrible mess, so OF COURSE no man would want her till she was skinny (and by the way, she got there by becoming anorexic, so yeah, let's celebrate that), and then she had an abortion so she could never get pregnant again. Preachy.
That was how I took it too
Yes, and after reading this book I swore off any book with an Oprah's book club symbol on the corner.
Post by pantsparty on Jun 22, 2012 15:48:55 GMT -5
You people cray. Just re-read Middlesex, such a beautifully written book. It does have kind of a non-ending. Loved The Poisonwood Bible.
I wasn't wild about Running with Scissors, Life in a Time of Cholera, or some book called The Incredible Life of Oscar Tao or something like that. It won a Pulitzer, couldn't finish it.
Post by basilosaurus on Jun 22, 2012 16:05:51 GMT -5
Worst school book was Heart of Darkness. It was the only school book I never finished. It seemed like he went through a thesaurus, couldn't find the word he wanted, so threw 3 in series.
Of those mentioned on the first page (too lazy to read more), hated Eat Pray Love, never read the twilight schlock, but loved Brave New World.