Books that disappointed you

LoganRice · 29-10-2014 2:20pm

To Kill a Mockingbird
The Catcher n the Rye (an epidemically overrated book)
Many college prospectus books

...

Yeah...I'm sure there are many more but at the moment I can't think of any

Harry Angstrom · 30-10-2014 2:45am

fisgon wrote: »

I don't think that Rabbit is exactly meant to be a sympathetic character. He is conceited, romantic, narcissistic, lazy, idealistic and ignorant. I always think of Homer Simpson when I read the Rabbit books. I don't think you have to like Rabbit to love the books.

Also, he does some much worse stuff in later novels, including
sleeping with his daughter in law
. At no stage is he held up as a role model, more of a very flawed American everyman.

I agree. Rabbit is a product of his generation, he is pretty much implacable in his views.
Updike uses Angstrom as a cypher. He juxtaposes the changing mores and folkways of certain aspects of American society of the 1960's with the more prevailing conservative attitudes of the time.
People who dismiss the Rabbit novels because they don't particularly like Rabbit are completely missing the point.

Laura Palmer · 31-10-2014 12:51am

Donna Tartt - The Little Friend (her second novel after The Secret History).

To be fair, it is sumptuously written - clearly inspired greatly by To Kill a Mockingbird. For these two elements, I can sort of forgive it. But ultimately a disappointment - can't elaborate without spoiling.
Damn it, it's just a beautifully writen book - such a shame!

A_Sober_Paddy · 31-10-2014 12:54am

To kill a mockingbird...so much so i spore i'd never read another book...It thought me absolutely nothing about killing a mockingbird, but it did teach me not to judge a person by the colour of their skin

SarahBM · 31-10-2014 4:28am

I can't believe people were disappointed by TP Kill a Mocking bird. It's a book I thought I would not like but it surpassed all my expectations! I really loved it.
Stoner by John Williams. Won some award so my friend picked it for book club. I thought it was crap.

ivytwine · 31-10-2014 8:43am

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

I agree. Rabbit is a product of his generation, he is pretty much implacable in his views.
Updike uses Angstrom as a cypher. He juxtaposes the changing mores and folkways of certain aspects of American society of the 1960's with the more prevailing conservative attitudes of the time.
People who dismiss the Rabbit novels because they don't particularly like Rabbit are completely missing the point.

I think it's kind of patronising to accuse someone of missing the point just because they don't like something. I've read plenty of books where the protagonist is an awful person, and I can get on board with it. I understand what Updike was intending, and there are some great moments in it and fantastic writing. However this thread is all subjective and we bring on board our own outlook on the world when we read something.

I really don't care for like selfish and whiny people like Rabbit in real life, and for me Updike didn't draw me enough into his world for me to suspend that prejudice. For me. Doesn't mean I didn't get it. You like the book, I don't, and believe me I know it can feel harsh when someone trashes a book you love. I've had moments reading this thread where my heart sank to hear people badmouthing books I love.

fisgon wrote: »

I don't think that Rabbit is exactly meant to be a sympathetic character. He is conceited, romantic, narcissistic, lazy, idealistic and ignorant. I always think of Homer Simpson when I read the Rabbit books. I don't think you have to like Rabbit to love the books.

Also, he does some much worse stuff in later novels, including
sleeping with his daughter in law
. At no stage is he held up as a role model, more of a very flawed American everyman.

I prefer Homer :P

Huzzah! · 01-11-2014 11:59pm

Laura Palmer wrote: »

Donna Tartt - The Little Friend (her second novel after The Secret History).

To be fair, it is sumptuously written - clearly inspired greatly by To Kill a Mockingbird. For these two elements, I can sort of forgive it. But ultimately a disappointment - can't elaborate without spoiling.
Damn it, it's just a beautifully writen book - such a shame!

Oh dear, I've just started this...

Harry Angstrom · 02-11-2014 10:36am

Laura Palmer wrote: »

Donna Tartt - The Little Friend (her second novel after The Secret History).

To be fair, it is sumptuously written - clearly inspired greatly by To Kill a Mockingbird. For these two elements, I can sort of forgive it. But ultimately a disappointment - can't elaborate without spoiling.
Damn it, it's just a beautifully writen book - such a shame!

The problem is though, when you write a near-perfect debut novel such as The Secret History, the much-awaited second novel is never going to live up to expectations.

fisgon · 02-11-2014 10:42am

Huzzah! wrote: »

Oh dear, I've just started this...

Keep going! To emphasize the subjective nature of this thread, and of literature in general, I thought The Little Friend was far superior to The Secret History, which I did think was seriously overrated.

Birneybau · 03-11-2014 12:38am

SarahBM wrote: »

I can't believe people were disappointed by TP Kill a Mocking bird. It's a book I thought I would not like but it surpassed all my expectations! I really loved it.
Stoner by John Williams. Won some award so my friend picked it for book club. I thought it was crap.

I think the 'To Kill A Mockingbird' comment was a joke.

Also, I loved 'Stoner' ; p

Laura Palmer · 03-11-2014 8:24pm

I actually agree that The Little Friend is more well written than The Secret History. Overall, I enjoyed the experience of reading TLF than TSH (even though I really liked TSH too) except for... I'll say no more.

Saipanne · 03-11-2014 8:28pm

The Lord of the Rings.

"Oh, ere, I'd love to be drinking ale in The Shire right now"

The end.

heldel00 · 03-11-2014 8:33pm

"Never let me go" by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Absolute manure. Pure ignorance got me to the end because I wouldn't let it beat me! Tubridy absolutely raved about this one. Maybe that should have been an indicator of what was to come!

Lago · 03-11-2014 8:46pm

"The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss.

I was looking for a book similar to A Song of Ice and Fire. Medieval fantasy, low magic. This book kept on popping up time and time again. Even the reviewers of one very professional looking book review site rated it higher than Lord of the Rings.

I thought this was an exaggeration but felt that it must be pretty good if they are going to make as controversial statement as that. I got the book and really regretted it. I got to just past halfway and couldn't take it anymore. I read five other books in the time it took me to read the second half of that one.

The main character was annoyingly perfect and the storyline just seemed to be going nowhere very slowly. I finished the book out eventually and never looked at the series or the author again.

A year and a half on, the massively positive reviews this book got absolutely baffle me.

La_Gordy · 03-11-2014 8:48pm

IQ84 - 1000 pages of pish.

fisgon · 04-11-2014 10:25am

heldel00 wrote: »

"Never let me go" by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Absolute manure. Pure ignorance got me to the end because I wouldn't let it beat me! Tubridy absolutely raved about this one. Maybe that should have been an indicator of what was to come!

Totally agree. V overrated. The key for me was that I couldn't buy that the 'donors' were so compliant and acquiescent in their 'destiny'. None of them tried to fight it, they seemed to have no survival instinct. It made the whole book impossible to take seriously.

fisgon · 04-11-2014 11:08am

Saipanne wrote: »

The Lord of the Rings.

"Oh, ere, I'd love to be drinking ale in The Shire right now"

The end.

Spoiler alert! :-)

Books that disappointed you

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