Have you ever Read a Book that was Supposed to be Good but Wasn't?
By cripfemme
@cripfemme (7698)
United States
February 27, 2010 7:50pm CST
I'm currently midway through "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen. I ordered it from my audio book rental club. It's like Netflix for books. I finished the fourth disc before I went to bed last night. I have four more to go. I'm not that thrilled at the idea of finishing the book because I'm annoyed that some publisher actually picked up the book. That makes no sense to me. Neither does the book.
My assistant informed me that Jonathan Franzen is supposed to be in hot commodity in the literature community right now. I don't see why. Have you ever had this experience. Everyone tells you a book was great. You get the book and wonder what the person was thinking. I have four more discs to go. I'm going to finish it because there is no sense in not finishing it when I've already suffered the wrath. What do you think? Would you finish?
1 person likes this
14 responses
@hvedra (1619)
•
16 Mar 10
I forced my way through the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. It was awful on so many levels.
Also, High Fidelity by Nick Hornby which I didn't finish. He's another awful writer who people rave about.
@apocalypsereturns (368)
• India
5 Mar 10
Well you are right there is no sence in Not finishing a book,
I have never really come across a book which was supposed to be good but didnt turn out that way...
but i have made some wrong chices while issuing the books from the library,
They have been random picks which turn out to be disastrous.
otherwise most of the books i have read have been good.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
28 Feb 10
I tried the Catcher In the Rye but I couldn't get into it. I guess someone else's classic is another's waste of time.
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
5 Mar 10
Well, just because a group of people like something, it doesn't mean an individual will share their opinion. That is what separates us all from each other. And when it comes to "hot commodities" hot is in the hype.
@Torunn (8607)
• Norway
28 Feb 10
I never really liked the Da Vinci Code. I bought it on the airport in Amsterdam on my way to Japan, and as the only other thing I could find to read while I was there were conference procedings (interesting, but not all day), I finished the book then left it at my hotel with a note that they could save it in case some English talking person wanted something to read :-) I don't miss it, in this case I prefer the film. Lots of people seem to think it was about the most exciting thing they had ever read.
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
28 Feb 10
I read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy...it was AWEFULL. I read it because everyone kept telling me the movie and the bool were really good. I tell ya, it was one horribly dry read. I kept waiting for something to happen..and waiting and waiting...nothing. Just a man and his sone wandering...yawn. I usualy love post apocolyptic stories, but this book was an apocolypse in itself. horibble, absolutely dreadfully boring.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
28 Feb 10
I felt that way about "The dandelion clock" by Guy Burt. Before I read it I had read "After the hole" and "Sophie" by the same author and I liked both books very much. I had read some of the reviews of "The dandelion clock", and they were all very, very positive. More than one person wrote that "The dandelion clock" was his best book, and I was really, really looking forward to reading it. The other books were great and I thought that "The dandelion clock" would even better than the others. I was really disappointed in it. I found it too long and a little boring, and I definately wouldn't call it his best book.
@baz5687 (131)
• United States
28 Feb 10
Haha cripfemme I wonder the exact same thing sometimes, but my thing on books is that even if I don't like it, i for some reason always have to finish it, but I personally think taht you should just read the book ,and get it over with. Im just saying that even I would get tired of an audiobook, if I kind of liked the book!
@besthope44 (12123)
• India
28 Feb 10
Hey talking about books, i always go with books of sherlock holmes, very thrilling.
My interest towards this book raised more expectations. But sometimes i felt some parts are the same story and not of much thrilling. Later i dont read this book now.
The reason not the problem with sherlock holmes, rather i create more expectations, which when i dont find, i get bored.
@chicago207 (57)
• United States
28 Feb 10
Sometimes that has happened to me but take my advice you do not have to always listen to what other people say if you look at the book and it looks boring don't bother reading. Well finishing it is your choice if you would like to you can there have been some times when I have not finished some books because i really didn't like the books. Or I didn't finish some books because I found other books to read that I really enjoyed.
@louisefrank (356)
•
28 Feb 10
I am a big fan of Margaret Attwood and have read most of her books. Last month a friend gave me The Blind Assassin, which has won literary prizes. It's quite old now but I had never read it. I was so disappointed because I just couldn't get into it. It's still on my shelf and I intend to get back to it one day and have another go! Another book, a few years ago, that I abandoned was A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. It's a really long book and I lost interest half way through. I opened it again a couple of months ago and this time I really enjoyed it. I felt a great sense of achievement after I finished the 1,500+ pages! Tom Wolfe is another author I have trouble with. I absolutely loved The Bonfire of the Vanities but haven't really enjoyed any other of his books. Thanks for the question - it was a good'un!
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
28 Feb 10
I've read plenty of books I disliked and wondered, "why am I wasting my time reading this?". Neverthless, I usually finish the books, because I don't want to waste the money I paid for the book, as well as the time reading it. Doesn't make much sense really... Then again, you never know, the end of the book may be a complete turn-around and wonderful. Usually not, though.
