Books that defeated you!

There are books that I think are really well written and engaging but I would never want to read them again because they are so grim and depressing, eg:

1984
The Handmaid's Tale

Thanks grandnaderby - I’ll stick with it 👍

I still haven't finished Hilary Mantel's 'The Mirror and the Light' and I also struggled, but did finish, with CJ Sansom's 'Tombland' - I loved the other books in the series but couldn't engage with this one

Rubysong
I read The Great Gatsby when I was about fifteen, and loved it, but I don’t think I would feel the same about it now, and I agree with you regarding Catcher in the Rye.
A Place called Winter is a really lovely book, but I couldn’t get into The Essex Serpent.

We just read The Great Gatsby for book group. Pretentious, shallow and boring. There wasn't a likeable character in the whole book. Only one person in the group enjoyed it.
I also disliked Catcher in the Rye, for more or less the same reasons.
I loved The Essex Serpent (Sarah Perry), A Place Called Winter (Patrick Gale), and Once Upon a River (Dianne Setterfield).

Sara1954

Grandmarderby
I have read a couple of Ali Smith novels, I haven’t enjoyed them at all, I don’t know what all the hype is about.
Ok, so now someone is going to come on and say she’s the greatest living writer, takes all sorts doesn’t it?

It won't be me Sarah I didn't enjoy the two Ali Smith's I read, I don't understand all the fuss either.

Chardy, I struggled a bit with The Ink Black Heart, particularly all the on line conversations, but once I got into it, I enjoyed it, but nothing like as good as Troubled Blood, her best imo.

Pixieboots Yes definitely worth it. I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all those so called “Brody” novels, they are very entertaining and thoroughly absorbing. I really enjoyed the BBC tv series of the books too. Jason Isaccs ?

Grandmarderby
I have read a couple of Ali Smith novels, I haven’t enjoyed them at all, I don’t know what all the hype is about.
Ok, so now someone is going to come on and say she’s the greatest living writer, takes all sorts doesn’t it?

springishere

The last "Strike" book, by G K Galbraith. I enjoyed all the others, but this one defeated me. Richard Osman "The Bullet that Missed" and Howard Jacobson "Mother's Boy" (presents at Christmas) both have bookmarks halfway through, as they became so boring. Anything that won the Booker Prize.

Having really enjoyed the first 5, I struggled with Ink Black Heart, listening to it on Audible. Got to the end. I then bought the book, deciding that as it was the social media bits that threw me, I'd listen again, but read those parts. I enjoyed it much more 2nd time around.

I found Ali Smiths’ novel “The Accidental” literally unreadable 😖

I persevered with one of the Thursday murder club books but didn't really enjoy it. Too many tangents about jam making or something along those lines. So I wont be reading the others. I couldn't continue reading the hundred year old man who went out the window and disappeared. So bizarre! Im currently struggling with Kate Atkinson's started early took my dog. Has anyone read this and is it worth persevering with?
Ive just bough Ann Cleaves book introducing detective Venn. Fingers crossed it will be enjoyable.

Grantanow

The Silmarillion by Tolkien. Boring after his other books. Probably a first novel issued after success of the others! I gave it away.

Not that so much as publishers cashing in after Tolkien's death with personal notes and background material he never meant for publication.

Sparklefizz
Oh I agree, hes wonderful in the role, not physically how I imagine Cromwell to be honest, but I can’t imagine anyone else playing the part.

Sara1954

Grandmac
All this chat about Wolf Hall inspired me to find it on TV. I started watching last night, really good adaptation, still got a soft spot for Cromwell.
As for Midnights Children, I did finish it, but I thought it was a load of nonsense, my copy says it was voted the best of the Bookers, well what does that tell us?

Sir Mark Rylance is wonderful in the part, I think. He can convey so much by his expressive face and eyes without saying a word.

Perfume by Patrick Suskind - just awful
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

springishere

With Captain Corelli you need to skip the first couple of chapters, then it gets really interesting.

Not to me! 😬

Grandmac
All this chat about Wolf Hall inspired me to find it on TV. I started watching last night, really good adaptation, still got a soft spot for Cromwell.
As for Midnights Children, I did finish it, but I thought it was a load of nonsense, my copy says it was voted the best of the Bookers, well what does that tell us?

Ooh, I loved The Time Traveller's Wife and Madame Bovary.

Good thing we're all different, eh?

This is not a pity memoir. It became too depressing

Sparklefizz

Sara1954

I loved Wolf Hall
I liked the style it was written in, and I fell a little in love with Thomas Cromwell.

Me too Sara1954. Hilary M made him human, and I love her writing style.

Me too! Loved the trilogy and Thomas Cromwell.

Couldn’t get past page 3 of Midnight’s Children
Tried to finish The Poisonwood Bible but don’t know why as it was dreary rubbish
The Shadow of the Wind

Gave up on Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Midnight's Children, Cloud Atlas, and Wolf Hall.

Love The Wild Sargasso Sea, Donna Tartt's books, Captain Corelli's Mandolin and surprisingly War and Peace though I do skip most of the war bits.

Maggierose

Gave up on Wolf Hall, The Time Travellers Wife, Madame Bovary, Proust, Cloud Atlas - currently struggling with Demon Copperhead - anyone else read it?

Hi MaggieRose, I'm reading Demon Copperhead and loving it, best book for ages.

Would agree with you about Cloud Atlas and The Time Travellers Wife though.

Gave up on Wolf Hall, The Time Travellers Wife, Madame Bovary, Proust, Cloud Atlas - currently struggling with Demon Copperhead - anyone else read it?

Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak - so disappointed.

I loved The Book Thief though, well, after plodding through the description bit at the beginning - glad I persevered. Loved the film too.

I managed Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies but failed to finish The Mirror and the Light. So I still don't know why Cromwell was beheaded! Didn't understand the title either.