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Have you ever hated a book?

lunarsongbirdlunarsongbird member
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So I bought this book that the world is apparently gaga over!!


It's a national bestseller- it has great reviews on Amazon! So what's my problem?! I hate it...I forced myself to read 25 pages and I will not read any more.

This is the first time that I have purchased a book and then couldn't stand reading it. Lesson learned- I need to flip open a book and read a paragraph before I buy it.  At least the cover is pretty.

I find this author's writing style to be cumbersome and choppy. I want an author to take me on a smoothe journey- not a jarring, strange, babbling adventure.

Plus- I don't want to hear about your mom's vagina on the first page. This is literally how the book starts:

Chapter 1
An Emptier Fuller Life

A glowing sun-orb fills an August sky the day this story begins, the day I am born, the day I begin to live.
And I fill my mother's tearing ring of fire with my body emerging, virgin lungs searing with air of this earth and I enter the world like every person born enters the world: with clenched fists.
From the diameter of her fullness, I empty her out- and she bleeds. Vernix- creased and squalling, I am held to the light.
Then they name me.

::shrugs::
I just don't know. I don't like it. Reading her book feels like a chore. And the beauty of not being in school anymore is that I'm never forced to read books I don't like anymore. Yay!

I feel like Elaine in that episode of Seinfield when she doesn't like the English Patient. LOL. This book has 381 Amazon Reviews- of those- 328 of them are 5 stars!! I'm obviously missing something. Ha. Oh well.

Have you ever purchased a book that you didn't like?
And/Or...
Have you ever disliked something that the rest of the world seems to adore?
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Re: Have you ever hated a book?

  • IrishDreamerIrishDreamer member
    First Comment First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    Ew. I would've put that book down immediately! Sounds absolutely just....terrible. Too wordy and even trying to read that paragraph made my head hurt.

    I rarely like the books that everyone raves about. I like things that are different.
    John Grisham and James Patterson are my two all-time favorite authors. They each had at least one book that I couldn't finish. I don't recall right now which ones they are, but I can't think of any others.
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  • AnneR15AnneR15
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My book club read The Imperfectionists, which was a bestseller and critically acclaimed. I hated it. I did read the whole thing, but I wish I hadn't. The last chapter was one of the worst things I've ever read (spoiler: a disgruntled ex-employee kills the owner of the newspaper's bassett hound by stepping on its neck as he's leaving the office. horrible.)

    It's really hard to read books where there's not a single redeemable character. I need someone to root for, you know?
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Lunar - I don't know about that first page either. It doesn't sound like something I'd really be able to get into.

    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_ever-hated-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7f583fb-9533-44d3-a676-0857d122d076Post:159551b0-75fd-4ab9-83f9-9d4cb3e4d63f">Re: Have you ever hated a book?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Eew. That is a gross first page, and I would definitely have put the book down.  I have the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy sitting on my shelf. I started the first one on our vacation and I could just NOT get into it. Like, at all. Granted, people have said the first hundred or so pages are really cumbersome and I didn't make it past 50, but I haven't gone back to them. I know I should, but I'm just not compelled to, ya know?Posted by LivLeighton[/QUOTE]

    Liv - I must have started that first book at least 4 different times before I finally made myself plow through it. I know it's a <em>really </em> tough start, but I promise it's addictive once you get going. Cross my heart! Set a goal to have the first one done before the movie comes out in December and I bet you'll have the other 2 finished before New Years...cause they're that good!
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  • Elle1036Elle1036 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Ohh, I've hated plenty of books.  I'm also not one of those people who has to finish a book she starts.  I've given up on plenty of them partway through.

    1.  Twilight.
    2.  Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
    3.  Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult (even though I've read plenty of her other books and liked them enough)
    4.  The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - I feel like I might get some crap for saying that.
    5.  Crank (a popular YA book) by Ellen Hopkins.

    I could go on.  Point is, just because it's published doesn't mean it's good.
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  • Elle1036Elle1036 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_ever-hated-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7f583fb-9533-44d3-a676-0857d122d076Post:62f03814-387f-49d9-aabb-80167f03af60">Re: Have you ever hated a book?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Elle, I'd love to hear your thoughts on Loving Frank and why it didn't appeal to you.  I enjoyed it, and since it was somewhat historical fiction, I also liked researching more facts about the character's lives.
    Posted by polo1425[/QUOTE]

    Yeah... I was kind of worried someone would ask.  Honestly, I can't remember.  Is that terrible?  It's been several years since I read it, and I only got about halfway through before I gave up on it.
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  • deburnindeburnin member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I rarely buy books. The majority of the books on my bookshelf are books that I borrowed from the library and liked enough that I knew I would want to read them again.

    I'm sure there's many I haven't liked, but I can't come up with any at the moment. 
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  • peekaboo2011peekaboo2011 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I really hated "A Prayer for Owen Meany."  I had to read it for AP English Junior year and was so completely disgusted by the fact that religion was being shoved down my throat that I hated the book.  Seriously, I went to public school.  We spent the first 2 months talking about the Bible.  And you all have heard my thoughts on that.  
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  • jemmini6jemmini6 member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    I just started to get into reading for leisure again (I took a break after college, lol).  So far I've been lucky in that I've liked all the books, but then again, they weren't really difficult reads.  I read all the Sookie Stackhouse novels, which I knew I'd like because I love True Blood and I'm currently reading The Hunger Games trilogy, I just finished the second book last night.

    I do agree with Girl with the Dragon Tattoo though, the first 100 pages were a chore.  I think if I didn't know that it gets better after that, I wouldn't have kept reading it.  But after that point, I enjoyed it.  I'm actually really excited for the movie to come out because they look like they did a good job with it.
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  • IrishDreamerIrishDreamer member
    First Comment First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_ever-hated-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7f583fb-9533-44d3-a676-0857d122d076Post:b9afa408-96ab-4921-8ff4-6ff7d14673e5">Re: Have you ever hated a book?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Liv, it's so true about the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I wish you'd try again!  BF took it on vacation with us, and he kept wanting to quit.  I kept telling him, a few more pages and you'll be hooked.  But he was annoyed and didn't get it. Finally, right around the 100-page mark, he was all "OMG this is so good, don't talk to me anymore, I'm reading." Irish - I'm a huge fan of John Grisham. <strong> The Street Lawyer, The Partner, and The Testament</strong> are three of my favorites.
    Posted by polo1425[/QUOTE]

    John Grisham has been one of my favorites for like...ever. Those three are high on my list too!! James Patterson, however is slowly eeking him out lol.
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  • thejucheideathejucheidea member
    First Anniversary First Answer 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_ever-hated-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7f583fb-9533-44d3-a676-0857d122d076Post:040cf391-b83d-48d7-ab3a-f1c7f14db278">Re: Have you ever hated a book?</a>:
    [QUOTE]It took me a very long time (and a few tries) to finish Heart of Darkness, and I did not like it. It's the book Apocolypse Now was based on (haven't seen the movie though), and is considered a classic. I was in a bookstore a few years ago with a friend who is very well-read and saw a copy of the book, and I started talking about how awful it was. He just sort of looked at me and said, "Umm, that's like the best book ever written." I then felt very embarrassed.
    Posted by jamierobin[/QUOTE]

    Whatever, that book totally sucks. I seriously talk about how much I hate that thing on a regular basis. I understand that it's supposed to be deep, but really it just sucks. SUCKS. When Joseph Conrad shows up on my nook screensaver, I have to turn it back on so that I don't have to look at his ugly mug for any significant amount of time because he angers me with that f*cking book.

    And I don't like Twilight, but that's already established.

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  • ravenrayravenray member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011

    *whispers* I liked Heart of Darkness.  Granted it wasn't the best book ever but I didn't hate it.

     

    I have read so many books I hate it isn't even funny.

    1. Anna Karenina.  I couldn’t finish the books the depression and stupid choices was terrible

    2. House of Innocence by Edith Warton.  I finished this book but I hated every moment of it.  Every time I would try to like the character she did something so stupid we just couldn't be friends....

    3.  Girl with a dragon Tattoo.  I finished this book but I thought it was terrible.  Truly the things that happened in this book were terrible and the writing wasn't awesome either...  I was left with such an empty feeling when I finished.   I know a bunch of you loved it but I refused to pick up the rest of the series.

    4. Hatchet.  Worse book ever!

    5. I am the Cheese.  Also a terrible and confusing book.

    I have more but I can't think of them right now

    "Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained"-C.S. Lewis

    Married! May 27th, 2012

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  • leia1979leia1979 member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    While I read the first two Girl with the Dragon Tattoo novels, I had a hard time. Whenever I feel the protagonist is helpless, I feel really uncomfortable. I don't know why.

    I've also had several Kindle free books that I've given up on halfway through. I've also read a couple lately with really interesting plots, but the swapped homonyms were killing me (e.g. "discrete" instead of "discreet" or constant use of "you're" instead of "your").

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  • Elle1036Elle1036 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_ever-hated-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7f583fb-9533-44d3-a676-0857d122d076Post:3d4c760c-c74f-4906-a1fd-dc90e949f799">Re: Have you ever hated a book?</a>:
    [QUOTE]*whispers* I liked Heart of Darkness.   Granted it wasn't the best book ever but I didn't hate it.   I have read so many books I hate it isn't even funny. 1. Anna Karenina.   I couldn’t finish the books the depression and stupid choices was terrible 2. House of Innocence by Edith Warton.   I finished this book but I hated every moment of it.   Every time I would try to like the character she did something so stupid we just couldn't be friends.... 3.   Girl with a dragon Tattoo.   I finished this book but I thought it was terrible.   Truly the things that happened in this book were terrible and<strong> the writing wasn't awesome either</strong>...   I was left with such an empty feeling when I finished.    I know a bunch of you loved it but I refused to pick up the rest of the series. 4. Hatchet.   Worse book ever! 5. I am the Cheese.   Also a terrible and confusing book. I have more but I can't think of them right now
    Posted by ravenray[/QUOTE]


    I feel like this is probably due to the fact that it's a translation.  I have no idea how well it reads in it's original...  er... Swedish?

    Anyway, I felt like there was something off about the writing, too, and had trouble getting through it for that reason.
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  • ravenrayravenray member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_ever-hated-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7f583fb-9533-44d3-a676-0857d122d076Post:9d3cc274-6ac6-495f-beaf-4d0126a184a3">Re: Have you ever hated a book?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Have you ever hated a book? : I feel like this is probably due to the fact that it's a translation.  I have no idea how well it reads in it's original...  er... Swedish? Anyway, I felt like there was something off about the writing, too, and had trouble getting through it for that reason.
    Posted by Elle1036[/QUOTE]
    <span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:'Calibri','sans-serif';">Ya.<span>  </span>Idk it just feel wrong and weird.<span>  </span>I don't buy the translation thing.<span>  </span>There are plenty of wonderful books that are translated</span>
    "Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained"-C.S. Lewis

    Married! May 27th, 2012

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  • Peaseblossom55Peaseblossom55 mod
    First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    I hated Wuthering Heights, I know so many loved it.  I just didn't at all.

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  • ravenrayravenray member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_ever-hated-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7f583fb-9533-44d3-a676-0857d122d076Post:6a7feb64-e5f7-49b7-a5ac-bd3bbcf647d8">Re: Have you ever hated a book?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I hated Wuthering Heights, I know so many loved it.  I just didn't at all.
    Posted by danser55[/QUOTE]
    Oh me too!  I couldn't get past the first ten pages and I tired many many times.
    "Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained"-C.S. Lewis

    Married! May 27th, 2012

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  • jorja86jorja86 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    1. The Memory Keeper's Daughter. It is probably the single most depressing thing I've ever read. 2. Anything and everything by John Steinbeck. Especially Grapes of Wrath. I'm sure there are plenty more, but those are the two that come to mind.
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  • heyimbrenheyimbren member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Lunar, you're actually the first person I've talked to who hasn't liked One Thousand Gifts! I started reading it, but then I had other books I had to finish reading first, so it ended up getting buried under other TBR books. I actually like it, but the writing style is hard to adapt to I find. Did you ever read her blog beforehand? Also, it's definitely a Christian book, so if you aren't into that then you might not have liked it overall even if you had finished reading it.

    I actually read most of the books I read. But I really, truly hated Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma. Along with some other ones like Catcher in the Rye, Heart of Darkness (ughhhhh)...

    I really think taste in books is subjective. Which is kinda nice since there is SO much out there.
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  • Elle1036Elle1036 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_ever-hated-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7f583fb-9533-44d3-a676-0857d122d076Post:e29dfd5b-c3f4-445f-9670-f46f1a7ef049">Re: Have you ever hated a book?</a>:
    [QUOTE]<strong>1. The Memory Keeper's Daughter. It is probably the single most depressing thing I've ever read.</strong> 2. Anything and everything by John Steinbeck. Especially Grapes of Wrath. I'm sure there are plenty more, but those are the two that come to mind.
    Posted by jorja86[/QUOTE]

    Ugh.  Yeah, I wasn't a huge fan of that book either.

    And OMG BREN!!!!

    *flying leap hug*

    Where have you been, woman?!?!
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  • heyimbrenheyimbren member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_ever-hated-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7f583fb-9533-44d3-a676-0857d122d076Post:6cf8e784-d6bb-4967-80ec-044bf690b970">Re: Have you ever hated a book?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Have you ever hated a book? : Ugh.  Yeah, I wasn't a huge fan of that book either.<strong> And OMG BREN!!!! *flying leap hug* Where have you been, woman?!?!
    </strong>Posted by Elle1036[/QUOTE]

    Oh, hey!
     :)

    I've occasionally been lurking to try and keep up, but I've just been so BUSY - it's my last year in school, law school applications are due in a month, and my book blog has taken off so much faster than I ever thought it would! I miss all of you though! *hugs*
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  • jemmini6jemmini6 member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_ever-hated-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7f583fb-9533-44d3-a676-0857d122d076Post:417f8a85-9579-4cbe-838f-9d78611e9685">Re: Have you ever hated a book?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Have you ever hated a book? : Oh me too!  I couldn't get past the first ten pages and I tired many many times.
    Posted by ravenray[/QUOTE]


    Me too!  Granted, I tried reading it on my iPhone, which is no easy task (I did it with Jane Eyre) and I just couldn't get into it.
    Anniversary
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