Most overrated book

paulanthony · 07-02-2020 12:06pm #1

What is the most overrated book you have read and why?

For me it has to be Beatlebone by Kevin Barry.

I don't know if it is the worst book I have ever read (it may be) but I say overrated as it has won awards and garnered a lot of praise.

It strikes me as the literary version of the recent taping a banana to a wall in an art gallery or a blank canvas with one dot in the middle where everyone stands around and says it's amazing as they are all afraid of being branded a philistine by saying is this not just a load of ****?

I thought it was a self-indulgent load of nonsense - the kind of "modern literary" book someone might write as a joke to see how many awards it might win. The chapter towards the end about the writing process really took the biscuit too.

The White Feather · 07-02-2020 10:26pm

I have a few that come to mind straight away!

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger - A tedious read about a whiny teenager

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson - Complete drivel that I abandoned

The Old man and the sea by Ernest Hemingway - Old guy goes fishing in a boat. The End. zzzzzzzzz

the purple tin · 10-02-2020 4:54pm

The White Feather wrote: »

I have a few that come to mind straight away!

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger - A tedious read about a whiny teenager

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson - Complete drivel that I abandoned

The Old man and the sea by Ernest Hemingway - Old guy goes fishing in a boat. The End. zzzzzzzzz

That's my one too.

Day Lewin · 24-02-2020 10:29pm

"The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood: unconvincing, and derivative from science fiction - the whole idea was done much better by John Wyndham.

ThewhiteJesus · 24-02-2020 10:31pm

The bible

24-02-2020 10:33pm

Anything by Ayn Rand, difficult to make a virtue of selfishness but she kept plugging away to oblivion.

dashoonage · 24-02-2020 10:34pm

Rules of the Road.

Das Reich · 24-02-2020 10:36pm

Rich dad poor dad.

padohaodha · 24-02-2020 10:38pm

Ulysses...pack of shoite

24-02-2020 10:38pm

Eat, pray, love. Complete rubbish

Jane Eyre, terrible book with a hypocritical ending. Sorry I ever bothered.

Sorry about that · 24-02-2020 10:57pm

The Heart's Invisible Furies, by John Boyne.

Day Lewin · 24-02-2020 11:31pm

bubblypop wrote: »

Eat, pray, love. Complete rubbish

Jane Eyre, terrible book with a hypocritical ending. Sorry I ever bothered.

Oh, I disagree with you there!!

25-02-2020 12:39am

Day Lewin wrote: »

Oh, I disagree with you there!!

On both?

Nigel Fairservice · 25-02-2020 12:49am

Shantaram, I thought it was a slog of a read. I think Gregory David Roberts enjoys the ambiguity around what is fact and what is fiction.

HalloweenJack · 25-02-2020 12:55am

I'd put these down as books that seemed to be highly-rated but I really struggled to get into.

Naked Lunch - Really didn't get an idea of why people like this so much. I can imagine it was ground-breaking at the time but it seemed to be too try hard. I managed to finish it but it was a pain in the arse.

Anna Karenina - It was just too much. There were some parts that I liked but it just seemed to go on forever and I can't even remember how the story went or what the characters were even called. It was a chore to read and I felt let down by the end, like I'd put in all that effort for nothing.

The Curoous Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - I just couldn't warm to it as a book. The narrator's voice was very well done but it made it very difficult to get into.

Those are the ones that stick out in my mind.

ShamNNspace · 25-02-2020 12:55am

That they may face the rising sun by McGahern.. Completely overrated and overblown by the usual suspects

25-02-2020 12:56am

Pillars of the Earth

The characters are paper thin, the storytelling lazy and some key plot points just stupid.

I enjoyed the setting but by the end it became incredibly predictable. Getting over the denial of the fact that I’d read over a thousand pages of what was an ultimately unfulfilling reading experience was a struggle, but one I’ve come to terms with.

adrian92 · 25-02-2020 12:57am

Latest Robert Harris book disappointing

RandomViewer · 25-02-2020 12:58am

padohaodha wrote: »

Ulysses...pack of shoite

Has anyone actually read the whole thing

Lyan · 25-02-2020 1:01am

The Crying of Lot 49

Whestsidestory · 25-02-2020 1:05am

A girl is a half formed thing by Eimear McBride I didn't get past the first chapter as the sentences were all over the place and totally comprehensible but it got rave reviews so It must be the work of a genius

Sardonicat · 25-02-2020 1:06am

I tried reading something by Cormac Mccarthy once - the name of the book escapes me. It was just sooo slow. While I enjoyed the gradual unfolding of the central character and found him sympathetic and fascinating the swathes of dialogue in Spanish, that sometimes went on for pages, without translation, just made it pointless to continue. I do get why an author would want to keep the dialogue authentic but I fail to see the logic behind not supplying a translation for the benefit for those of us who don't know any Spanish. Put me off reading anything else by him, despite the great things I've heard.

RandomViewer · 25-02-2020 1:07am

Dracula by Bram Stoker, the use of diaries, journals and newspaper reports is gimmicky .

25-02-2020 1:12am

Sardonicat wrote: »

I tried reading something by Cormac Mccarthy once - the name of the book escapes me. It was just sooo slow. While I enjoyed the gradual unfolding of the central character and found him sympathetic and fascinating the swathes of dialogue in Spanish, that sometimes went on for pages, without translation, just made it pointless to continue. I do get why an author would want to keep the dialogue authentic but I fail to see the logic behind not supplying a translation for the benefit for those of us who don't know any Spanish. Put me off reading anything else by him, despite the great things I've heard.

Was it Blood Meridian? Brilliant book

ShamNNspace · 25-02-2020 1:13am

RandomViewer wrote: »

Has anyone actually read the whole thing

You probably won't believe me but Bertie Aherne once said it was his favourite book on one of those questionnaires they ask celebrities at Christmas time

nkl12xtw5goz70 · 25-02-2020 1:14am

Sardonicat wrote: »

I tried reading something by Cormac Mccarthy once - the name of the book escapes me. It was just sooo slow. While I enjoyed the gradual unfolding of the central character and found him sympathetic and fascinating the swathes of dialogue in Spanish, that sometimes went on for pages, without translation, just made it pointless to continue. I do get why an author would want to keep the dialogue authentic but I fail to see the logic behind not supplying a translation for the benefit for those of us who don't know any Spanish. Put me off reading anything else by him, despite the great things I've heard.

I'm not sure which novel you read, but Blood Meridian is his masterpiece. Numerous extremely violent scenes, but it also has writing so vivid and pure that it will take your breath away.

nkl12xtw5goz70 · 25-02-2020 1:15am

RandomViewer wrote: »

Has anyone actually read the whole thing

Yes.

Titclamp · 25-02-2020 1:15am

Sardonicat wrote: »

I tried reading something by Cormac Mccarthy once - the name of the book escapes me. It was just sooo slow. While I enjoyed the gradual unfolding of the central character and found him sympathetic and fascinating the swathes of dialogue in Spanish, that sometimes went on for pages, without translation, just made it pointless to continue. I do get why an author would want to keep the dialogue authentic but I fail to see the logic behind not supplying a translation for the benefit for those of us who don't know any Spanish. Put me off reading anything else by him, despite the great things I've heard.

Blood Meridian was epic read. I was spooked for days.

r93kaey5p2izun · 25-02-2020 1:18am

The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. Self indulgent and boring.

Sardonicat · 25-02-2020 1:18am

Amelie Yummy Pan wrote: »

I'm not sure which novel you read, but Blood Meridian is his masterpiece. Numerous extremely violent scenes, but it also has writing so vivid and pure that it will take your breath away.

Oh, his prose was pristine! I just could not be doing with pages and pages in a language I know not one word of without a translation.

Dr Bob · 25-02-2020 1:19am

The White Feather wrote: »

I have a few that come to mind straight away!

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson - Complete drivel that I abandoned

Each to their own , I quite like Fear even if the plot is Thompson saying ' Hey remember that time a respectable magazine paid me to do an article and then instead I did ALL the drugs..'
It's a bit juvenile , but the hectic style and black humour kind of works for me..

alchemist33 · 25-02-2020 1:22am

On The Road - it conveys the era well, but is pointless and poorly written

American Psycho - a series of violent fantasies and satirical observations in need of a story

CrabRevolution · 25-02-2020 1:23am

Catcher in the Rye for me. I know it's not overly long but if I hadn't been on a transatlantic flight I'd never have finished it. South Park summed it up well when the boys read the book after they hear it's 'controversial'; but "it's just some whiny, annoying teenager talking about how lame he is."

Dr Bob · 25-02-2020 1:24am

ShamNNspace wrote: »

You probably won't believe me but Bertie Aherne once said it was his favourite book on one of those questionnaires they ask celebrities at Christmas time

"...Ah yeah , wid de spaceships and deh little robot no no , and yer man that looked like a bee gee..,ah sure I have it with me all deh time "

Pulls out 1982 'Ulysses 31 Annual'

https://youtu.be/OZ4c1X5ene8

Sheridan81 · 25-02-2020 11:31pm

Little Women.

Do women like it or something? I'm surprised it was made into a movie, twice. I can't remember it fully now but I recall it was a bit powderpuff. "Oh Beth, do you like the cookies I've baked?" "They're lovely Meg, what do you think of my new woolly scarf? It's awfully cold outside today!"...or something. I'm paraphrasing here.

NedLowry · 25-02-2020 11:37pm

The Great Gatsby.
Not terrible by any means, just... average, really.

Sardonicat · 25-02-2020 11:41pm

NedLowry wrote: »

The Great Gatsby.
Not terrible by any means, just... average, really.

What!?

nc6000 · 25-02-2020 11:45pm

Sardonicat wrote: »

I tried reading something by Cormac Mccarthy once - the name of the book escapes me. It was just sooo slow. While I enjoyed the gradual unfolding of the central character and found him sympathetic and fascinating the swathes of dialogue in Spanish, that sometimes went on for pages, without translation, just made it pointless to continue. I do get why an author would want to keep the dialogue authentic but I fail to see the logic behind not supplying a translation for the benefit for those of us who don't know any Spanish. Put me off reading anything else by him, despite the great things I've heard.

The Border Trilogy books have plenty of Spanish, you can get the translations from his website. I discovered this AFTER reading them.

https://www.cormacmccarthy.com/resources/translations/

nkl12xtw5goz70 · 25-02-2020 11:47pm

NedLowry wrote: »

The Great Gatsby.
Not terrible by any means, just... average, really.

Could never agree that The Great Gatsby is just an average novel.

JuneMoon7 · 25-02-2020 11:56pm

Oh let me see, the Girl on the Train, Friend Request and the Woman in the Window were three books i read in quick succession, and what struck me was that they were engaging enough and suspenseful enough, even a little chilling to start with, but then all three for me anyway, degenerated into silliness with an absurd big reveal that was on Murder she Wrote levels of 'And now, if you dont mind, i will explain in great detail exactly why i wanted to kill you/ruin your life ect while i still have you captive here. All three women liked their drink, from cans of G&T Rachel from Girl on The Train (which Phoebe Waller Bridge may have gotten inspiration for hot Priests stash of same) and the other two had the same prose used to describe how they frequently 'drained' their glasses of Merlot. So ovverrated simply because they are too similar (and were preceded by the original unreliable narrator in Gone Girl) and had disappointing twists, although Girl on the Train i guess i didnt actually see that coming i cant believe i overlooked that character

JuneMoon7 · 25-02-2020 11:58pm

Sheridan81 wrote: »

Little Women.

Do women like it or something? I'm surprised it was made into a movie, twice. I can't remember it fully now but I recall it was a bit powderpuff. "Oh Beth, do you like the cookies I've baked?" "They're lovely Meg, what do you think of my new woolly scarf? It's awfully cold outside today!"...or something. I'm paraphrasing here.

I never read it either..these Little Women, just how little are they? are they scary little?

JuneMoon7 · 26-02-2020 12:02am

The White Feather wrote: »

I have a few that come to mind straight away!

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger - A tedious read about a whiny teenager

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson - Complete drivel that I abandoned

The Old man and the sea by Ernest Hemingway - Old guy goes fishing in a boat. The End. zzzzzzzzz

Actually, i liked the Old Man and the Sea. Its short, and its deceptively simple in its execution, but beautifully written. You feel the love between the young boy and the old man, theyre kindred spirits.

JuneMoon7 · 26-02-2020 12:05am

RandomViewer wrote: »

Dracula by Bram Stoker, the use of diaries, journals and newspaper reports is gimmicky .

I like it, its a clever way of using first person narrative but still getting several viewpoints across. I like the old Victorian books
The Picture of Dorian Grey is also very good.

Shellzzz · 26-02-2020 12:45am

Fifty Shades of Grey.....no mind the "mummy porn",the biggest waste of paper ever....

Day Lewin · 26-02-2020 12:46am

Shellzzz wrote: »

Fifty Shades of Grey.....no mind the "mummy porn",the biggest waste of paper ever....

Hallelujah, I so agree!!! Appalling book.

no.8 · 26-02-2020 12:48am

Nigel Fairservice wrote:

Shantaram, I thought it was a slot of a read. I think Gregory David Roberts enjoys the ambiguity around what is fact and what is fiction.

Disagree. Enjoyed this book thoroughly for what it was

Sheridan81 · 26-02-2020 8:35pm

JuneMoon7 wrote: »

I never read it either..these Little Women, just how little are they? are they scary little?

I don't appreciate your tone. I am a writer. I have read hundreds of books, sell books and I read Little Women. It was pants. Sample quote:

“There are many Beths in the world, shy and quiet, sitting in corners till needed, and living for others so cheerfully that no one sees the sacrifices till the little cricket on the hearth stops chirping, and the sweet, sunshiny presence vanishes, leaving silence and shadow behind.”

Indeed.

And to answer your question, think of the classic Honey I Shrunk The Kids film franchise with the inimitable Rick Moranis.

JuneMoon7 · 26-02-2020 9:55pm

Sheridan81 wrote: »

I don't appreciate your tone. I am a writer. I have read hundreds of books, sell books and I read Little Women. It was pants. Sample quote:

“There are many Beths in the world, shy and quiet, sitting in corners till needed, and living for others so cheerfully that no one sees the sacrifices till the little cricket on the hearth stops chirping, and the sweet, sunshiny presence vanishes, leaving silence and shadow behind.”

Indeed.

And to answer your question, think of the classic Honey I Shrunk The Kids film franchise with the inimitable Rick Moranis.

Ok you have clearly never seen Friends when Rachel gives Joey Little Women to read, i was joking, clearly.

Sheridan81 · 26-02-2020 10:12pm

No, I'm afraid I have never seen this 'Friends' as I'm far too busy studying the works of Descartes, Heidegger and Schopenhauer.

the purple tin · 26-02-2020 10:16pm

Sheridan81 wrote: »

No, I'm afraid I have never seen this 'Friends' as I'm far too busy studying the works of Descartes, Heidegger and Schopenhauer.

Switch off that big brain once in a while and stick on an episode Sheridan. Think of it as mental R & R

JuneMoon7 · 26-02-2020 11:33pm

Sheridan81 wrote: »

No, I'm afraid I have never seen this 'Friends' as I'm far too busy studying the works of Descartes, Heidegger and Schopenhauer.

Ok lol youre a bit of a piss taker im not buying it, but at least you have a sense of humour (sort of)

Most overrated book

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