Book dislikes

Well done for finishing it, sueDonim, I have decided that life is too short to persevere with any book that I'm really not enjoying, especially when there are do many great reads around. A friend just returned Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon to me which I may even read again (very rare for me) as it was so good.

I may have finished it, Granfromafar, but I don't remember anything much about it!

I'll finish my current book as the next two chapters have been better. I'm just skim-reading, though.

The worst two books I’ve read in modern times were Girl on a Train by Paula Hawkins and The Minaturist by Jessie Burton. The first one I just about coped with but the second was just a waste of good reading time I forced myself to finish both as they had both been super hyped up to be so good.

Can’t stand Shakespeare Harry Potter or any science fiction book Loved Captain Cordello film but never tried the book
I don’t like American books

Nanny27. I'd forgotten the Almonds and Raisins books. Read them years ago and thoroughly enjoyed them.

I don't understandwhy people "force" themselves to read abook to the end when they're not enjoying it.

If I absolutely hate the first couple of chapters of a book, I just give up. If I am not enjoying a book very much but am slightly engaged by the characters or intrigued by the plot, I'll give it a bit longer.

Two books that I wasn't enjoying much at the beginning were Orchard on Fire by Sheena McKay and Secret History by Donna Tartt. I'm glad I persevered a little longer with those two because they are definitely in my top ten list.

I loved Cloud Atlas, although the ‘Sloosha’s Crossin’ chapter went on a bit.I love all his books, and the way they are broken up into different ‘lives’.David Mitchell is a real talent but you either love the books or loathe them.Love Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies, but have tried other Mantel books and not enjoyed them.
Never read the Harry Potter books ( they are for children.....sorry!)
Hate Dan Brown books, just badly written.
Hate light romance, ditto most detective stories.

The thing is, that when you find an author you really like, you have to be prepared to not like all their books.
Even your fave author will write a dud now and again.

I've read a couple of books lately that I wasn't convinced about for the first 50-odd pages but they picked up immensely and I was pleased I finished.

I only ploughed half way through The Goldfinch by Donna Tarrt.In fact, even though I liked a couple of her other books, I think her editor needs to do a better job, they are all too long and rather repetitive.

After I have paid out on two raved about books Eloethan I feel I have to read them to the end otherwise I’ve wasted a lot of money.

Someone may have said this already (apologies in advance) but I absolutely could not get through more than the first few pages of Midnight's Child (Salman Rushdie).

Glitterknitbaby Yes, I understand that. I agree that reviews can be very misleading. But if you slog away reading a book that you're not enjoying, you've not only wasted the money but wasted several hours of your life.

I do agree Eloethan but time wasting for me would have to come under a different thread. I never waste money but I do waste a terrible amount of time most days. I try to cover it by saying I am just off 70 and it’s now my time but I do feel very guilty at the same time.

Glitterknitbaby I wasn't suggesting you should do something more worthy or productive. I'm retired too and I often spend time fairly unproductively. I just meant that you can't get the money back even if you read the book but you are spending time doing something you're not enjoying so you've lost out twice.

I've just finished my disliked book. It improved so much towards the end and finished with an enchanting chapter.

How odd to read a book that varies so much.

If you want to read history by someone who actually experienced the times try War and Peace. Tolstoy had been a soldier as a young man and was able to glean first hand knowledge from people living at the time of the retreat from Moscow. His descriptions of what it was like on the battlefields is so authentic and the main characters in the book are wonderful because they are actually Tolstoy himself as a young man.

I have a great bugbear with current authors who write books that don't have a satisfactory ending and leave the story up in the air. So frustrating!

I can't read J K Rowling or Dan Brown, I just cant get on with their writing style. I did love Wolf Hall and Captain Corelli and I am presently working through the back catalogue of Alice Hoffman, (a mixed bag but always interesting characters)

One book I could never get into was My Brilliant Friend. I know it was raved about but it never gripped me and I gave up with it.

What I read depends on the mood I am in. If I am looking for something light and not too demanding then I quite like crime books, I actually like Lee Child, Lawrence Block and James Patterson. If I am looking for something a little more "worthwhile" then I get out my Hardy and Kipling. One book I have read many times is a much battered "Sorrows of Satan" by Marie Corelli (I think it is out of print now)

Sorry to all those who the like Harry Potter books- I don't see the attraction and agree with lemongrove that I think they are for children (although I have a niece in her 40s who is obsessed by the blasted things)

Oldwoman7....I read several books by Lee Child, and then was given "Make Me", which I finished, but was possibly one of the most dreadful stories I've ever read. Although, he uncovered something unknown to me, the Dark Web.
Very unsavory people in this world.
I prefer happier books in my life.

I have been caught out believing the hype that surrounds some authors. The Dry was one such, whilst it was an ok story it was in no way remarkable. New authors often come with glowing reviews and turn out to be badly written tripe.
I am an avid reader and volunteer in a library so I enjoy a wide range of books but some more than others.

Sodapop, I do agree with you about "The Dry" it was hyped up as the crime book of last year, well it was okay but....... Thought the same about "The Essex Serpent" " The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry", "Elizabeth is Missing" and dare I say it "Eleanor Oliphant, very good, but not amazing and wouldn't be one of my best ever reads. My amazing book so far this year is "The Heart's Invisible Furies" by John Boyne which didn't receive any of the hype reserved for the others. As for the most recent Booker Prize winner, "Lincoln in the Bardo" I found it awful, practically unreadable, comprising of umpteen citations. I do wonder what I'm missing when other people have raved over this book. Oh well horses for courses I guess.

I enjoyed The Dry, partly because I don't generally read crime books. I did read afterwards that it's supposed to be the creme de la creme of crime novels, which made me think, I'd hate to read the worst crime novels, if The Dry is the best - it wasn't that good.

A lot of books are over-hyped nowadays. I pretty much agree with your list, Terribull. Those books are enjoyable but not outstanding. I decided not to read the Lincoln book after I read a review that said it was only popular because it was trendy amongst people who feel the need to impress.

As for My Brilliant Friend, I thought it was dire! I didn't get the hype at all.