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Oct
02
BTT: The book I should have loved
2008 at 3pm Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
What, in your opinion, is the best book that you haven’t liked? Mind you, I don’t mean your most-hated book–oh, no. I mean the most accomplished, skilled, well-written, impressive book that you just simply didn’t like.
When I read this question, I knew that I’d had the experience, but nothing came to mind immediately. After consulting my LT library, I found several books that everyone else seemed to love, and that are accomplished, skilled, well-written, and impressive, but that I just didn’t get into.
Atonement by Ian McEwan: I don’t know what it was, but I just didn’t like this book. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t have that feeling of awe and wonder that so many people mention when they talk about it. I’m not very familiar with European geography or World War II history, so there were a lot of places I couldn’t picture and references that didn’t make sense to me, but I also didn’t find the story all that compelling. I dunno, it was just “meh.”
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer: I loved the writing and the language of this book, but again, I didn’t find the story very compelling. Interesting? Yes. Unputdownable? No. I did read it during a very busy time in college, though, so I’m thinking a re-read might be in order because according to all other accounts, I should be totally in love with it.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck: I read this for summer reading going into my junior year of high school. I was cooped up in my grandparents’ house in south Georgia for a week that miserable for a variety of reasons, and this book didn’t make things any better. I did love the turtle chapters, though. I just couldn’t get into it. That was almost ten years ago, so I will definitely do a re-read because I really feel like this is one I should love or at least enjoy.
On the Road by Jack Kerouac: Is it just me, or can you tell by reading this book that he wrote it during a three-week drug binge? I suppose that might be part of its charm, but I don’t get it. I trudged through this one a few summers back after one of my best friends read and loved it. I feel like loving this book would make me cooler, but I can’t do it. I’m not sure a re-read would make any difference. Someday, I suppose.
And not that I consider her accomplished, skilled, well-written, or impressive, but tons of people I know LOVE Jodi Picoult, and that, I just don’t get.
What’s the book you should have loved but didn’t? Do you love one of the ones I didn’t?
No related posts.
You know, I used to really like Jodi Picoult. Not because she was great, but because her books were entertaining. By the time I read her most recent one, though, I was so over her! Seriously, they’re all the same formula.
I think another part of the problem was that LibraryThing was leading me to read better and better books, instead of what I picked up randomly, which led me to see her work for the not-so-great stuff it is (book snob, anyone?).
Oh, and I DO love Grapes of Wrath. I definitely think that you should try a re-read. Although, I wonder if I would be disillusioned somewhat with GOW after so many reads of East of Eden.
I did love The Grapes of Wrath AND Atonement. I tried to love On the Road, but I know what you mean. And I do NOT love Jodi Picoult!
Happy BTT!
Did you read Jonathan Safron Foer’s *Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close*? I liked this much more than *Everything is Illuminated*. I didn’t hate *Everything is Illuminated*, but I read it after *Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close* and had a high benchmark because of that.
I’m running into the same problem with Ann Patchett’s novels. The first I read was *Bel Canto*, and *The Magician’s Assistant* and *Run* aren’t hitting it for me. I’ve delayed a review for about 10 days now because I can’t get past the comparison …
*Grapes of Wrath* I loved! Both the turtle chapters and the people chapters
I totally agree with you on Atonement. Or at least I would, but I only made it through 50 pages! :–) I even also hated the movie! (But I think the movie was more about just looking at Keira Knightley.)
nbmars AT yahoo DOT com
None of your books made my list…although for the life of me I cannot remember much about the Grapes of Wrath and I know I read it…oh wait I think I used the Cliff Notes…hehe.
My list can be found here:
http://www.apooobooks.com/apooos-booking-thursday-october-2nd-2008/
“Unputdownable” new word? Good one! I listed three different titles, but after thinking about it, I could create a long list of do-not-want-to-read-at-any-cost books. Please come visit me.
I’m a huge Grapes of Wrath hater. The whole book just makes me think of dust, dirt, squalor, and not in a good way.
And On the Road is so overrated. I think I read it after passing some sort of age limitation, because I was…21? instead of 15. And I just thought it was awful, crappy aesthetically and morally repellent.
I didn’t care for Atonement either. For me, I think it was the ending.
I didn’t get why everyone was so gaga over The Corrections. I found it whiney.
We read On the Road in high school junior English – I know, weird – of a class of 30 or so, only two of us liked it. I loved it. It’s the freedom I envy, not the drugs, but the hitching cross country and staying up all night drinking coffee and discussing important things.
For me, it would be A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. I just cannot get on board with Dave Eggers and what he has to say.
I haven’t given Jodi Picoult a chance myself, mostly because I’ve been told her books are very… upsetting? A friend of mine told me she couldn’t sleep after finishing several of them. I have enough stress in my life at the moment — I better wait until I’m calmer to check those out!
And “Everything Is Illuminated” is one of my favorite books ever!
Definitely pick it back up if you get a chance. I read it one summer when I was interning in D.C. and had an hour and a half commute, one way, every day into the city . . . I became totally engrossed in the “past” of the story, though wasn’t as into the “present-day” scenes. Still, a very worthy read. His next book “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” was also great, I thought.
I read “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy because a colleague raved about it. It was boring, boring, boring. They walked. It was difficult and they walked some more. I couldn’t love it no matter how hard I tried. I didn’t tell my colleague that I hated it because she loved it so much that I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
I really liked the Grapes of Wrath, even though I had to read it in high school (which meant analyzing it to death) and that book lead me to enjoying many more by Steinbeck.
But I totally agree with you on Jody Picoult. I read a few books of hers, and now feel like aside from changing what issue she’s writing about, the plots and characters are all just repeating over and over again. Boring.
Atonement was recommended so highly, but I couldn’t get past the first 50 or so pages.
I totally agree with Picoult – I read one by her and liked it alot but the next three were pretty much the same. She seems to only change the plot to reflect whatever stories are big in the media/news at the time.
Actually I like Picoult’s lesser known books like Mercy and Salem Falls.
My BTT post!
I did like Atonement, but really really didn’t like On the Road. I just got bored.
MWAH! I didn’t like Atonement either. I LOVE to find people who didn’t like it either, ’cause all I hear is how great it was. *gag*
I feel the same about Atonement, except I couldn’t even get past the first couple of chapters.
I enjoy Picoult. I used to pick up James Patterson’s books when I needed a quick read, but his haven’t been very good as of late. So now I choose Picoult. But it’s hard to put my finger on why I like her; her books aren’t great literature or anything, but they’re enjoyable.
I completely agree with your comments about On the Road. I liked it for the first 50 pages or so but after awhile I just had the feeling that he was high while writing and found myself very frustrated with it.
This year’s “book I should have liked but didn’t” for me was Three Cups of Tea. Everyone loves it and I just…didn’t.