Really Rubbish Books

I didn't like the first book of Ann Cleves new series either, it was really depressing I thought. So memorable I can't remember the title.

I have finally stopped feeling guilty for giving up on some books. I really wanted to like Grown Ups by Marion Keyes. She seems such a lovely person when I've heard her on the radio or read articles about her. Too many characters and relationships, none of which I could be interested in. I tried twice with it but it's now in the charity bag. Not sure if it was the book or my lack of stamina.

Sara1954

I’ve not read 50 Shades of Grey, but I can’t imagine I’d enjoy it very much, but read Great Gatsby when I was in my late teens, and loved it.

Oh dear, that's made me laugh. What a juxtaposition! 50 Shades of Grey v The Great Gatsby ?

I read an awful lot of books, especially now, and sometimes I will judge quite quickly if it's badly written. So every now and then I reread a classic novel just for the pleasure of the language and plot.

Vampirequeen.. You made me laugh " now I'm going to hide behind the sofa" bless you. ?

I'd like to share my experience about a book I bought, that had " and" written nearly every other word. At first I thought " is there something I'm not understanding here?" but as I read on, non of it made sense, I became really irritated as it was obvious this book hadn't been proof read. It was all in sequences of " and she fell into the water, and she shouted, and she grabbed a branch, and she got out, and she dried herself off, and she walked back, and she made it home, and she put the kettle on, and that reminded her, and she took action, and she finally gave up, and she fell asleep, and she couldn't stay asleep and she got up, and paced the floor". ..... I thought it was just an error or there was some point to it, so I skipped to the middle pages, it was the same again. Then I skipped to the back, and yes it was the same again . So I emailed the publishers at penguin books with my findings, and asked them if they actually proof read the books before they're printed and sent out. To which I got a rather curt reply saying " we can't be expected to proof read every book that comes our way, as we have hundred of books to publish and some are bound to slip through the net" I never replied because I was unsure who's job it was to proof read the books. But what a waste of paper and resources to send books out like that. I also don't understand what was going through the authors mind, sending in a book like that. Is that how books are written? , and is it the publishers job to make a story out of one liners?. Sorry but I really don't understand. I'm neither author nor publisher. Needless to say I binned the book.

Yorki All books have an editor, who performs a substantive ( plot, pacing etc) edit and often a line edit (where what you're talking about should/could be picked up) then, when those edits have been responded to by the author and the book is deemed ready, it's submitted for proof reading and copy edits. The author will always have final say. What you have described above might be a literary device rather than dodgy syntax. Depends on the author, Cormac McCarthy was a fan of it in The Road. Chances are your reply came from an overworked unpaid intern who wasn't entirely familiar with how it works. Of course, self published books aren't subjected to the same rigours. Having said that, editors seem less concerned with 'good' writing these days, and much more invested in what will have the biggest hook and make the most money. 50 shades set a low, low bar.

My daughter gave me a copy of “The Hunting Party” last year because she said it had good reviews. It’s about a bunch of shallow, unlikable yuppies who get snowed in at a hunting lodge they have rented in Scotland, and one of them is murdered. Half way through I would cheerfully have volunteered to help the murderer see off the rest of them too, in short order. Stereotyped characters, poor writing and more holes in the plot than a Swiss cheese!

As a character in the (so-so) book I am currently reading has just told me rather pompously, there are no rubbish books, just bad taste. With that in mind, my taste might be rubbish, but I gave up on The Time Traveller's Wife, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Shadow of the Wind - life's too short. Was baffled as to what I was missing in The Catcher in the Rye and On Chesil Beach. And groan whenever I've to tackle anything by C J Sansom and Victoria Hislop, who are unfortunately great favourites of my reading group.

Oh, and how could I have forgotten the horror that was The Slap?! Though I have tried, believe me.

As an aside, I was talking to a friend recently who said she that a friend of hers had passed onto her a copy of “Woman” magazine recently. She said it was more 50 Shades of Grey than knitting patterns and recipes these days! Our mother’s would have been shocked! ?I nearly put my coat on and headed for the newsagents!

Greyduster
I agree, such horrible characters, I remember saying when I read it, that I didn’t care who was murdered, preferably the whole lot of them!

I didn’t enjoy “On Chesil Beach” either. I came to the end and thought “is that it then? What a waste of time!” Fortunately it’s not a very long book!

No. I found that really disappointing, because I was looking forward to it, but strangely I thought the film was lovely.

I loved C J Sansom's books Maggiemaybe I liked the character of Matthew Shardlake.
I don't think there will be any more as I heard he had a terminal illness sadly, not sure if has died now.
I thought Victoria Hislop was over hyped as well.

Maggiemaybe

As a character in the (so-so) book I am currently reading has just told me rather pompously, there are no rubbish books, just bad taste. With that in mind, my taste might be rubbish, but I gave up on The Time Traveller's Wife, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Shadow of the Wind - life's too short. Was baffled as to what I was missing in The Catcher in the Rye and On Chesil Beach. And groan whenever I've to tackle anything by C J Sansom and Victoria Hislop, who are unfortunately great favourites of my reading group.

I totally agree re Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. Boring book. Ditched it after 3 chapters.

Vicky
I disagree with everything apart from Catcher in the Rye , I’m not sure why it was such a ‘must read’ book. I think I read it in a day, while home with a sick child, and was completely underwhelmed.

Sorry, that probably should have been in reply to Maggie

You have to persevere with Captain Corelli, past the first 100 pages, then it gets into its stride and is worth reading.

Never been able to enjoy Thomas Hardy, which is sad as I live in Dorset, and know people who wanted to call their children Eustacia and Bathsheba, or even Jude.

Greyduster

My daughter gave me a copy of “The Hunting Party” last year because she said it had good reviews. It’s about a bunch of shallow, unlikable yuppies who get snowed in at a hunting lodge they have rented in Scotland, and one of them is murdered. Half way through I would cheerfully have volunteered to help the murderer see off the rest of them too, in short order. Stereotyped characters, poor writing and more holes in the plot than a Swiss cheese!

That did make me laugh ??

Maggiemaybe I think I must have rubbish taste too - so many classics and prize winning books I just can't get on with.

And like some other posters if the book is badly written with numerous spelling and grammar mistakes I get distracted from the plot and find myself rewriting it in my head.

Eazybee

I am one of those people. I wanted to call my daughter Eustacia, she thinks she had a lucky escape.

I think I’m inclined to agree with your daughter there, Sara1954.

Sara1954 and Maggiemaybe



As I said to my friend, You could have shortened it to Stacey.

eazybee
I don’t think she would have liked that either

I’ve decided to abandon The Three Body Problem for now. I’m sure someone much brighter than me will understand what on Earth is going on, but I really can’t. You can’t win ‘em all.