Which popular books do you think are overrated?
Which popular books do you think are overrated?
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A Little Life – I hated it. Couldn’t even finish it. It was so gratutious in it’s misery.
The title sounds not very interesting! What was it about?
50 Shades. Abuse covered up as romance. Yuck.
That’s what I heard and that it was a twilight fanfic. Lol!
Yup, it is true that it’s a Twilight fanfic. Doesn’t make it any better, though! *shudders*
I don’t care if that character consented or not, abuse is abuse.
My thoughts exactly. I don’t want these books in my house. At all.
@Christine I’m 26 and I don’t want to read something like that. I can handle sex in books but not when it’s like that.
@Bianca you and me both. Also had a sexually abusive partner so i avoid these kinds of books like the plague. Sure, i can handle erotica and BDSM up to a certain point but nothing like 50 Shades. 50 Shades isnt even *proper* BDSM.
Aw I’m sorry you’ve been through that.
I despise those books.
I’ve read 4 out of 5 of the books I’m ashamed to admit.. ?
Me & a friend were trying a “book club”. Every time that’s what she picked!!! I felt those books were very unrealistic..
She got a bf so our book club ended.. Im not sad about it ? we have VERY different tastes.
@Bianca thank you for your kind words. It was a pain in the ass. And i still struggle with it. But it’s getting better, slowly but surely.
The Goldfinch.
What’s it about? I got it for someone for a Christmas present. Was it that bad? Lol
The first half is okay but then it just won’t stop. Boring very long and drawn out. Unbelievable plot line. It was just bad.
Sometimes when a book is that boring I either won’t finish or skip to the end ??
I hate quitting books and after all the time I invested I just finished it.
I kept waiting for something to happen & didn’t see what all the hype was about.
I loved The Goldfinch! I didn’t feel any lack of things happening
[SPOILERS COMING]
[SERIOUSLY]
Spoilers: The people who attacked them in the parking structure?? The intrigue?? The travel around the world?? Even hiding out in the desert with the Russian guy — that’s not un-exciting, surely?
@Mary it just wasn’t my cup of tea, but I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Game of thrones
Twilight
Yeah I read the first three books to see what all the hoopla was and yeah they weren’t something I’d reread again.
I avoid popular books.
Lol! I can understand that because there are books that I’ve read that not everyone else has that are better than the “popular books.” Hehehe
FSOG
Harry Potter
Yes girl!!! ?
Grishaverse, the ending ruined it for me..
Twilight series
Zoo
Fault in our stars…..anything by John green really
Baby Teeth.
Gone Girl, Room, Flowers in the Attic…
Omg Flowers in the attic is my fave!!!! ?
I can def see though why it wouldn’t be someone’s cup of tea
The girl on the train, girl with dragon tattoo-I didn’t finish gwtdt boring.
I dont understand why people liked girl on the train… ?
Boring and predictable
All the light that I can see
Loved that book
I enjoyed it but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea lol
Harry Potter
The Twilight series……………horrible!
Totally agreed
Outlander
Just finishing the first one and there are some aspects of it I really liked; but yes, I would agree that overall it is overrated.
harry potter series
Thank you! I am not the only one.
@Serenity I lost interest in the later books and they became hard to understand.
Anything by Dan Brown
Amen to that! Horrible writing.
The Bridges of Madison County, The Davinci Code, and everything by Nicholas Sparks.
What’s the bridges if Madison county?
Bianca Margaret Rose Vandenbos a book by Robert James Waller. Everyone one I knew just loved the book. I just thought it was ok. I couldn’t really understand why people were so passionate about it.
After seeing the movie bridges of Madison county & hating it i couldn’t see torturing myself with the book ?
I feel u on that boo
@Jaimie I thought the movie was better than the book but I think it’s because I could watch Meryl Streep stare at a wall for 2 hours and still feel entertained!
@Beth so agree. Although i did love the movie version of Bridges.
@Cynthia it was 50 times better than the book wasn’t it?!?
@Beth for sure
Twilight, Harry Potter, Jodi Picoult/Nicholas Sparks
Anything by Nicholas Sparks or Danielle Steele…50 shades was stupid…
Gone with the wind
I will never understand how that became so popular. Scarlett was so nasty.
Never read it but watched the movie and yes scarlet was so unlikeable.
Agreed. Was very off putting.
Characters in classic novels aren’t required to be “likeable.”
I’m really sorry you feel that way. I’m sure it wasnt anyone’s intention to cause stress or discomfort to you or anyone else. People have really diverse opinions on what they read. I dont think anyone is meaning to insult anyone else by saying they think a book is overrated. For instance I Love the Twilight and Harry Potter books. But I understand they aren’t for everybody. In general we keep things positive. But occasionally people like to give an honest opinion on what they don’t care for as well as for what they DO like. Life would be boring if we all only liked the same things.
@Beth the question started the dialogue – we need to be mindful of what the responses might be – and I have no argument with varying opinions – that is why there are so many different views — but why ask a question that will cause dissension and upset? Think what the repercussions might be before you ask and the manner in which you ask.
I just move on whenever someone says something disagreeable. On this site, anyway! I like the following attitude…
Well I hope there are enough posts that you DO like and enjoy here to make up for what you dislike. We have a great bunch of people here.
Twilight, the book thief, the fault in our stars
I liked the entire Twilight series. I believe that the reason many people don’t like it is the “voice.” It is written in a somewhat naive, almost backward voice that turns many people off. Okay, that makes sense. To me, that was the realism of a young girl telling her story. No, she’s NOT sophisticated. She’s clumsy and not really all that bright. That’s realism. I am a retired teacher who worked with young girls exactly like that, and I think the Twilight writing captured it magnificently. (I think the same was true of The Hunger Games, and Divergent, to a great extent.)
Anybody see it like I do?
I don’t like twlight simply because im not into vampires & werewolves & all that jazz. I know plenty of peeps who are though & don’t knock them for their taste. I think your observation is spot on though also.
I haven’t read it so maybe I shouldn’t comment, but from some of the critiques I HAVE read (by people who have read it and seem to have really thought it through) it sounds like it presents a pretty sick, controlling relationship to young girls as something “romantic” and desirable.
Outlander, and The Name of the Wind. I still liked the latter though! I just didn’t find it as amazing as I expected?
I believe that overrated and underrated books are totally a matter of your view. I have books that I love that other people hate and vice versa. It’s cool to see other people’s prospective sometimes. It’s always fun, for me anyway, to discuss those different opinions.
I really enjoyed the Twilight series in my youth, more so books one and four the middle two were okay just not as appealing to me. I completely understand why they’re considered overrated by most.
I also enjoy a good quick John Green read when I’m feeling like reading YA.
I love Stephen King, but I understand why he’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
This is the reason why billions of books in hundreds of genres exist. We are all unique, and that’s what makes reading such a wonderful experience, I believe. Two people can read the same book and take away two completely different meanings, and I think that’s wonderful.
I love talking about books one may find overrated/underrated cause then u might find yourself a new fave book ?
I also have a book I found this year that I loved & no one else did.. Made me sad but whatever. Totes underrated imo but its my gem.
@Jaimie what book?
@Beth my fat dad ? by Dawn Lerman
Twilight although her other books are actually good and 50 shades of grey. Never read the books or watched the movies. Over hyped. But to each his own. I don’t expect everyone to like what i read
Girl on the train… Not worth the paper it is written on
Ruud Verplancke i didn’t mind this book, it was simple and easy. But the problem is the hype it receives as if it is a really good thriller. It isn’t, just loads of people read it due to the marketing being ramped up at summertime. If it has been released earlier i doubt anyone would have given it a second thought. Same with The Miniaturist. It wasn’t a bad book, but as far as historical fiction goes, wasn’t one of the best, even though i still enjoyed it. I hate hype!
@Fiona I think that’s why I find a lot of popular fiction to be overrated. I go in with such high expectations that almost no book can live up to. If I randomly selected these books without any knowledge of their popularity, I might actually like them better.
TWILIGHT
The Alchemist
Catch-22.
The Book Thief! ?
Lol thought I was alone in that opinion 😉
@Tim yay, i thought i was too!
Same!
Girl on a train. I thought it was terrible
The Book Thief. ?
Fifty Shades but some really like it so to each his own. Happy reading!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
the da vinci code
The woman in the window
I keep trying to read this and I can’t get interested. My sister says it gets better and she liked it but then again it took her a year to finish A Man Called Ove which I liked but she said wasn’t that good. Different tastes I guess ?♀️
@Dana I’m trying to read a Man Called Ove. I’m on chapter two and it’s not grabbing me
I have that book but havent tried it. The woman in the window is good just very slow paced and u feel like ur drunk the whole time lmao
Different opinions from different book lovers, that is why so many different books are written…..I just like hearing from other bookworms…..
The Alchemist
The only book I ever read that actually disgusted me.
@Chris how come it disgusted you?
I think I would anger too many people if I explained here.
Oh it’s a controversial thing? See I never read the book. You wouldn’t make me mad but I can understand you not wanting to post it here so it’s cool. ?
The Help
A Confederacy of Dunces
A Catcher In The Rye….The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy
Catcher in the Rye for sure!!!
@Jaimie what’s it about? I never read it XD
I’m with you on The Catcher in the Rye. But I do love the Hitchhiker’s Guide! Lol
@Bianca This dumb kid Holden & how he is just angry at the world & how he deals with it.
@Jaimie That really IS all it’s about though, that’s the funny thing! ?
@Beth to this day, I still dont understand why I didn’t like HGttG. I just couldn’t get into it for some reason. I may try it again some day, as I still own the Ultimate one with all the books inside, but I’m definitely never going back to CitR lol.
@Jaimie oh well glad I didn’t read it then lol!
@Jaimie that description made me laugh!
@Beth me too lol!
Some people really love Catcher in the Rye & I’ve never understood it…
It also seems to be a fave for like seriel killers which I also don’t get.. ?
Uh oh lol
And those are two of my favourite books ever…lol!
I think “Catcher” represents a particular period and class in American society; the further away from that milieu they are, the harder it is for many readers to really resonate with the book.
Harry potter…#hurries and sneaks out#
Im with u girl. Never been a fan. We’ll get stoned together lol
@Jaimie the newer books became hard to understand and I eventually lost interest lol
@Bianca I did try to read the 1st book a couple times & just couldn’t get into it..
@Bianca…I thought i was a weirdo when i felt that way and actually forced myself to read it…
@Divine nope you’re not a weirdo
Alas Shrugged and Catcher in The Rye.
I think Catcher in the Rye maybe suffers from the fact that all you Americans are forced to read it in school. I think it’s easy to overlook just how radical it was to write in that specific teenage idiom at the time.
I didnt read it until I was an adult.
The Night Circus and Eat Pray Love, The Guernsey whatever it was,.
Agree on the first 2, but loved Guernsey.
I thought gurnsey was just alright. It was a read it once book for me. The Night Circus has an interesting concept and the writing was beautiful but it just dragged on.
That’s what I love about the question. So many diverse views, but so many new titles to explore!
@Dianne ?. I’m so glad because I love to know what people think of different books though I know sometimes some will take it to heart.
Girl on a Train
Catch 22
The twilight series.
A Canticle For Leibowitz and The Planet of the Apes. Those books were painful to read! I personally love reading about religion, but Canticle was one of the worst novels I’ve ever read.
Really? I found “Canticle” truly fascinating, as a “what if” story. While there were parts of it that dragged a little bit, and it had a deep feeling of sadness at the events that unfolded, I still really enjoyed reading it.
The Alchemist.
Anything by Jodi Picoult
Pretty much anything hyped as psychological suspense.
@Leslie Have you read “Foe” by Iain Reid?
No, but about 90% of the ones I have read have been disappointments. I’ll look for that one, though.
50 shades
One good thing came out of 50 Shades….it got a bunch of 50 year old women buying books and reading again 🙂 which is great for the bookstores. That series might have saved the publishing business 🙂
@Rhonda never thought about it that way!