I am not normally a cranky person.
[Somewhere, my husband, mother, sister, and father have all suddenly stuck their noses up in the air, thinking they can smell the smell of 'pants-on-fire'.]
But I tell you one thing which does make me cranky – overrated books.
How on earth this book was chosen to be included to be in the 1001 Books bewilders me. It’s at least fifty pages too long, it’s plot (when it decides to have any) couldn’t be developed any clumsier than if Water’s had sounded a dinner symbol and shouted, “PAY ATTENTION: SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.” How can I say this? Because I picked every single plot ‘twist’ before it occurred.
I almost gave it up part way through Part Three. As it was, I skipped the majority anyway, and was none-the-worse.
They say plot can be best advanced through dialogue. Indeed, it is one of my own favoured methods. However, when it is the only method employed, it becomes repetitive and tiresome.
But this isn’t a complete drubbing. I did think the love story was touching, in places and Waters undoubtedly knows the time period, and she paints a thorough picture of the everyday life of a person living in the Victorian era.
But so does Charles Dickens – and he’s a better writer.
Has anyone else read it? Do you think I am being unfair?
What’s the most overrated book you’ve ever suffered through?
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
The Time Traveller’s Wife was definately overrated.
Really? I liked it
But then, maybe I read it before all the hoo-ha started(which is true)
The most overrated book? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Moby Dick.
Oh, for a decent editor!!
I don’t suffer through books. If it’s not good, I move on to something else. Same with movies.
**operation mom**
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That first book of Celia Dart-Thornton’s. The Ill Made Mute. I was given it as a present – because of the hype – but I hated it so much I never finished it (read the last page to see what happened – I just couldn’t cope with wading through the over-flowery prose) and then donated it to the library – I wasn’t even going to put it on my bookshelf!
I didn’t mind the Time Traveller’s Wife!!
We were both a bit disappointed in The Bride Stripped Bare weren’t we K. I feel really bad saying that seeing a special friend gave it to me!!!
Among the classics, I’ve never been able to get through Catch 22.
I haven’t read that, no. But I do understand your sentiment. I just read the Strand 80 list and was amazed (in a kind of horrified way…well, like you describe here) by some books on the list.
It reminds me of high school popularity contests. Or wait, modern political races.
People just name what they think they should and these days it’s often the book that got a lot of PR, probably on Oprah.
So in a way, it’s really a list of votes for PR rather than literary merit.
JMHO though.
Julie
Using My Words
Even Cowgirls Get The Blues by Tom Robbins.
Just awful. I struggled through in the hope that it would get better. It didn’t.
I was disappointed with with Nora Ephrons book ‘I feel back about my neck’ as it was hailed as being hilarious. Hilarious always get my vote, and whilst it was very funny in parts, I didn’t feel I had my dollar count of laughs.
Cheers
I never managed to finish The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy. I tried valiantly quite a few times though.
Voss by Patrick White – which incidentally taught me at the tender age of 16 that if I really hated a book I could put it down and not finish it. After I finished the whole tedious turd of a book.
Fingersmith – I thought the BBC Adaptation was ok.
Time Travellers – I liked
Tracey – so agree with you about The ill made mute – yawn… and I’ve never got into Catch 22 either – snap!