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.
Like, for movies–I can acknowledge that Citizen Kane is a tour de force and is all sorts of wonderful, cinematically speaking, but . . . I just don’t like it. I find it impressive and quite an accomplishment, but it’s not my cup of tea.
So . . . what book (or books) is your Citizen Kane?Hmm...there are a few.
One was Life of Pi. I know, I know, it won the Booker Prize and everyone raves about it (though I've noticed that a lot of us bloggers didn't like it). But the descriptions of the animals eating one another just made me nauseous and I found it boring.
Another was The Bluest Eye. I'm not sure why, I just really didn't like it. At all.
I've already talked about how I don't like William Faulkner, so you can add The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying to that list.
Things Fall Apart - just found it to be eh.
That seems to be all I can think of. What about you? Did you like/dislike any of the books on my list?
13 comments:
I admit that I quite liked the Life of Pi - although in parts it was quite graphic. I don't think that I have ever read anything by William Faulkner and perhaps, based on your comment, I won't bother!
I didn't like Life of Pi either. For a long time, I thought I was the only one.
Middlemarch by George Eliot is the book that comes to my mind. I found its plot and many subplots incredibly complex, and I admired Eliot's skill, but I came away at the end feeling that it was simply a very well-written Victorian soap opera. Siddhartha is another book I struggled with.
Bluest Eye was readable. Things Fall Apart had a disappointing ending.
I can agree with your evaluations.
I've listed more. Come visit.
Happy BTT.
hmmm Life of Pi didn't do anything for me either. My friends brother raved and raved about this book. But I just couldn't read it. It's there on my 'to try and read again' list though :)
Life of Pi never interested me. Fiction about animals rarely interest me. Neither does hype.
By the way, I really, REALLY love your header picture!
I agree about 'Life is Pi'. I loved the very beginning and chapter 92, but I absolutely despised the rest of the book.
Happy Thursday. Thanks for visiting my blog.
I'll have to think on this one before I do mine but I agree on Faulkner-I simply cannot read anything by him.
Interesting . . . I recently bought Life of Pi and now I'm really curious if I'm going to like it. Middlesex was kind of like that for me. I tried to like it, but it was hard for me to get thru.
The Bluest Eye didn't do it for me, either. I appreciate Morrison's work very much, but I don't really enjoy her. She's someone I read when I want to have a Meaningful Literary Experience.
I was puzzled by The Life of Pi - I didn't really understand it! I haven't read any of the other books you mentioned.
Anna Karenina. I just couldn't get into it. I normally don't like to leave a book unfinished, but I never finished this. It was pure torture.
I've read quite a few by Toni Morrison and while I love her writing style, I have never loved her books that much.
I am halfway through Life of Pi, enjoying the story so far, but not sure it should have been so hyped.
Post a Comment
I welcome comments and read each one I receive. If your comment needs a response, I will provide it in a timely manner, as I read every comment I receive.
Please keep your comments civil and polite! I reserve the right to delete any comments that are rude or inappropriate.
Because of spam, I have to moderate comments on old posts. Please be patient - I will approve your comment quickly.