There's so many books out there that everybody seems to love and that everyone seems to adore. Sometimes I wonder why I don't share that feeling. It could just be because I'm totally crazy, or that I read something entirely different, but regardless, these are just some of the popular books I just really dislike.
- Moby Dick by Herman Melville - Ahh.. too many unlikable characters here! I never quite understood the love for this 'classic,' if I have to be truly honest
- City of Bones by Cassandra Clare - I'm really sorry. I feel like a horrible reader and book blogger for saying this, but I do not see why everyone loves this book, and this series as a whole. The characters I thought were one-dimensional, plain, and boring. They didn't come "alive" to me. They were just that. Fictional characters. And the concept of the series - been there, done that. The writing's sort of okay, but not spectacular. And why... please tell me why, everybody's crushing on Jace? He's a jerk!
- Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater - She is a really good writer. I don't deny that. I've always thought her prose was perfect and just so poetic. However, the book itself - its story, the characters, the fantasy/paranormal world... I don't buy it.I don't feel for them. I don't believe it. It was just the same old werewolf story that I've heard so many times. And to be honest, it was simply boring.
- The Twilight series - I read all of these and liked the first one somewhat. New Moon was just zzzzzz and Eclipse got me all irritated because of Bella's weak personality. Don't even get me started on Breaking Dawn... everything about that book was just plain wrong.
- The Shack by William Young - probably one of the worst books I've actually ever read. It is incredibly preachy and annoying to say the least.
- The Secret by Rhonda Byrne - This one is a prime example of a popular, best-selling book that I dislike. I don't know about you - but while I was reading this, I felt my brain cells slowly deteriorating away...
- The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - Cliche, cliche, cliche. Unfortunately.
I apologize for the mean-ness of this post, especially if you enjoyed reading them, but as always, these are simply my opinions. Please, please do tell me yours!
Out of the ones you listed, I'd read Twilight #1 and thought it was okay, but wasn't motivated enough to read the rest of the series (just googled the spoilers instead to find out what happened.)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't finish The Shack. I read to the part where he went to the letter box to pick up the mail or something... so very early in the book, before anything really happened. I just couldn't get into his writing.
Haven't even tried reading any of the others :)
So no it's probably not just you. I have many Meh books that others raved about.
I agree with The Secret. Everyone was raving about the book and how it changed their life and I just read a few pages and didn't find it inspiring at all. Just felt like I was stuck in some motivational seminar.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same with City of Bones (the ending icked me out too), I read it before blogging or even before I started watching booktubers on Youtube and just wasn't interested in continuing with the series. Then I kept hearing people rave about it. I've got it down to re-read but don't know that I will...
ReplyDeleteI did *love* Twilight though but got over it. It was a phase and, I'll admit, a fun one. I loved being able to talk to friends about it & see some get excited about books when they hadn't before. What we enjoyed most was laughing about it & not in a mean way because we did enjoy it. If that makes sense haha!
I can think of three books of the top of my head that I wasn't impressed with but others rave about so it's not just you. We all have different tastes/experiences that affect what we see in a book and you're only stating your opinion; thats not mean. :)
The Lost Symbol-definitely a book that was over hyped and underwhelming. I am not a fan of Dan Brown but that was a total waste of money (I ended up donating my copy to the library so others could enjoy it at least).
ReplyDeleteI have yet to read Melville. I was supposed to read Billy Budd in my American Lit class in college but couldn't get through it. There are so many classics out there that are a better fit for me. I don't feel too bad about not reading Melville :)
I was a big fan of Twilight until I read Breaking Dawn and started to reflect on the way Edward treated Bella and her lack of personality. I do like the movies though they are quite flawed too. I am planning to reread the books sometime to see what I think of them now. Stephenie Meyer is like the Dan Brown of YA lit in some ways.
I know that City of Bones is not for everyone but I really do like that series (the latest book was not that great however). I do kind of think it should have ended with the third book. I also agree with you about Shiver. I liked the writing but the story itself kind of disappoints (at least that is how I feel having read book two and three).
I've had people recommend books to me that they have absolutely loved and I haven't been able to finish reading them. I always feel bad when they ask me what I thought of their recommendation! I think that it is hard to avoid thinking "am I the only one not getting it?" when we don't like something popular. I guess it is just a reminder that we all have individual tastes. Different things appeal to us in our reading and it is a personal experience.
You aren't crazy, sometimes a book just isn't for you :)
You are not alone with Moby Dick. I hated it. All of it. It may, in fact, be responsible for my not caring for early American literature in general.
ReplyDeleteI love different opinions, especially on hyped loved books that you didn't love. I haven't tried any you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest for me is Time Travelers Wife, the back and fourth drove me crazy, it was a DNF.
Also, this is my hard one. I just didn't like Hunger Games. It made me realize I'm not into dystopian but I did think the writing was good and understood why others loved. I still don't get the hype at the level it was though, wow.
I'm with you on the City of Bones series. Add in Clockwork Angel too. Her work is so derivative and her characters are so unoriginal it was hard to get through without thinking, "have I read this before?" And the descriptions were just ridiculous at times.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Maggie Steifvater's writing. I haven't read the Shiver series but I read the first two books for Lament and her lyrical writing was nice for A book. I was over it on the second, especially when she kept trying to showcase how awesome of a writer she was and not enough time letting the characters shine through her words.
Great list.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading Shiver and Shack.
I didn't like Twilight either. I haven't read the other ones, but there are definitely a lot of books that so many people love, that I just don't like as. Most notably Catch-22.
ReplyDeleteBev Hankins - There's definitely great Classics out there, and that may be one of my favorite genres, but Moby Dick didn't work for me at all! Glad to see I'm not the only one that feels this way.
ReplyDeleteMarce - I for one loved The Time Traveler's Wife ;) As for the Hunger Games, I could totally see why it's not for everyone. It is a little bit more geared towards 'tweens, teens, and young adult readers,' so if you don't read MUCH YA, then it's probably not going to impress you. I for one enjoyed it, and like the concept, but I agree - it's not "amazing." But I still am a fan.
Donna - Glad it's not just me that feel these things about these two books. I feel like I may never again read anything from them, which is a little sad!
Juju - Let me know what you think!
Kathy - I really liked Catch-22! It wasn't a favorite, but it was a great surprise since it was a 'required reading' at school :)
Christa - Ah finally someone who couldn't finish the Shack. I did, just to see where it would go, but I sort of wish I just put it down.
ReplyDeleteJilliah - Yeah... I feel like my family and my friends could give better advice to be honest.
Jennifer - I understand what you mean with "phases." I went through that one with Dan Brown and Nicholas Sparks books ;)
Christina T - I enjoyed Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, but I felt like The Lost Symbol was just so blah. I also know what you mean when others recommend you their favorites and you end up not liking them! But I think that's just how it is I guess - individual tastes, like you said.
I agree about City of Bones, I liked it enough (except for the ending), but it wasn't great. I definitely don't get why everyone LOVES it so much.
ReplyDeleteTwilight was terrible, but totally addictive. :D
I haven't read the rest. Great list!
Ugh, The Lost Symbol was so predictable and cheesy. The Shack was awful!
ReplyDeleteI didn't love City of Bones when I read it. But I'm glad I decided to stay with the series because by the time I reached City of Glass, the action and story was awesome and the characters were all well developed and interesting (which, I agree, isn't the case in City of Bones). Also, the prequel series, The Infernal Devices, is excellent I think. I like it even better.
ReplyDeleteBelle - Twilight was not terrible, but unfortunately, Breaking Dawn was :/
ReplyDeleteMelissa - Yay for us always agreeing with these things haha.
Aylee - I am interested in reading TID though because it does different and really good. Maybe I will try it out!