DISAPPOINTING BOOKS

[rapa]

Have you ever looked forward to a book and found it personally disappointing?  For months I'd looked forward to George Saunder's collection of short stories TENTH OF DECEMBER.  Unfortunately I didn't realize that he was a satirist.  I tried all ten of the stories and couldn't understand any of them!!!  Guess I'm too much a realist.  Am hoping that some of our members, especially Mandy Muffin, who enjoys short stories, read the book and explain to me what I missed.

Anyone else been disappointed in a long awaited book?

[Carci]

I guess that falls into the category of books others have been raving about and then you finally get it after a long wait at the library and it just isn't for you.  In my case that would have been The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo series.

[Carci]

I'm still a Baldacci fan but I totally agree on the 'Pillars' sequel...

 

[Serenity]

Absolutely - the only Follett book I've liked was Pillars of the Earth

[Flowergram]

I started out not liking the book but as I got into it, I discovered that I really liked it and went on to finish the series.  I have not seen the movies but I think the books are probably better than any movie could do justice to.  I am sorry that you did not like it.  Guess that is what good reading is all about - not everyone agrees on every book. 

[Carolyn Tewell]

Perri - I agree with you on the last Ken Follet's book as well.  Winter of the World...boo hiss.

[tnbopeep]

I used to so enjoy Patricia Cornwell but she disappointed one too many times. I think most any author turns out a stinker at some point, but she just (IMHO) continued to decline. Permanently in the Penalty Box.

[Carci]

Maybe it's a good thing Margaret Mitchell only wrote 1 book...  lol

[Mandy Muffin]

As a rule I don't read an entire book of short stories at a time.  I do pick out a particular short story about once a month or so.  I have a collection of the short stories of Joyce Carol Oates, Ogden Scott Card, Stephen King, Trevanian as well as many others.  I occasionally read a Poe, who was the master of the short story. 

As far as disappointment is concerned, I was completely turned off by "A Visit From the Goon Squad" by Egan.  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7331435-a-visit-from-the-goon-squad  I understand the  book comprised of a series of short stories by the author that were strung together to make a complete novel.  Just check the first review from Good Reads and the comment reflects my sentiment.  It was piece of junk.   

[Teddybear67]

I love Micheal Palmer's books but the next to the last one I believe it was A Heartbeat Away was the name of it. I finally quit it half way through. I gave it to a friend and she did the same. very disappointed . Have not read his latest yet. Has any one else read it and was it better. I know one of the characters is in the new one that was in the one I didn't like..

[Flowergram]

I was very disappointed in Nevada Barr's book Burn.  I usually like her books because she does such a great job of describing the National Parks she includes in her books.  This one was really a weird story and no great background descriptions and I did not care for it.  I have one more book to read in her series and I hope it is better and more like the ones she has done in the past.

[Carolyn Tewell]

Consider that I listen more than actually "read" books a lot of the time. Tossed The Accident Man into the pile going back to library...also 3 audio books by James Grippando who does the lawyer/mystery and Young Filbey which I abandon after about 10 minutes on the 1st disc (boo hiss!)~~~all of which I had high hopes...sigh...I'll keep "shopping"

[Crousseau]

I don't usually like short stories, mainly because I really like to get involved with the characters, etc.

I was disappointed in Silver Linings Playbook. Probably will see the movie because I really like Jennifer Lawrence and maybe they made it more interesting (sometimes the movie is better than the book). It was just too Catcher in the Rye without the emotional depth for me. And the baby talk really got to me-it was condescending to the mentally ill, IMO.