However there are a number of big named books that have had lots of publicity and lots of rave reviews that I have yet to read, and probably never will.
They are:
10. Twilight series of books.
Vampires are not my thing and I left teen romances behind when I was a teenager.
9. Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy.
I think it's fairly to safe to say that I will NEVER read these books, ever. I skimmed the first one purely for work purposes as our customers were asking if any of us had read them. I felt compelled to at least dip in so I could chat knowingly with our customers.
8. Life of Pi
I've tried to start this book several times, but fail to get past page two every time. I enjoyed the movie, but not so much that I wanted to plough my way through the book.
7. Eat, Pray, Love
Vomit!
6. Catch 22
I love this book for the first third or so. Then it just stops being funny. The joke gets tired. I get tired. I have now given up on this book three times.
5. The Shadow of the Wind
meh!
4. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
I may get to this one day, but it kind of feels like I missed the boat on it somehow.
3. Wuthering Heights
Hysterical, gothic and supposedly a romance? But Kate Bush does a killer song of the same name !!
2. Madame Bovary
Uggghhhhh!
1. Game of Thrones series.
This is one I am not ready to say 'never' to, but at the same time, I'm not sure when I will ever be ready to commit the time and energy into reading them all. Mr Books has though & he provides me with the extra details that the TV series is missing out and/or changing.
This post is part of Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and Bookish.
A list I can identify with although I am fond of Wuthering Heights but that is probably because it was the right book at the right time for me and all that dysfunction proved enlightening. Burial Rites is worth the effort though but a bit of bleak read.
ReplyDeleteSHADOW of the WIND is amazing. Give it a second try. It is so atmospheric and what is not to like about a book about books?
ReplyDeleteI wanted to love it Anne, but I got about half way and couldn't see the point.
DeleteSince working in a bookshop I have found out that it is one of those books people either adore or do not finish.
Wuthering Heights is a great classic. I'd say it's a bit more horror than romance actually. :)
ReplyDeleteCheck out my TTT and my current giveaway.
Maybe I should try it again one day - I love the other Bronte sisters...
DeleteI don't think I will commit to the Game of Thrones series. It's much too long! My TTT!
ReplyDeleteOne does need a LOT of energy for Game of Thrones!! XD I just started it and am absolutely in looove with it all (the world is so detailed!) I don't think it's nearly as violent as the shows either, which is weird. >_> But yes. I love those books!!
ReplyDeleteHere's my TTT!
Great list Brona. I've only completed 3- Madame Bovary- just fascinating. I've read Wuthering Heights a few times and never enjoyed it- the last time I tried it I only got through about 20 page I hated it so much. I loved Life of Pi until about 10 pages from the end at which time I wanted to throw it across the room- can't remember why though, a plot twist from memory. I only ever got 20 or 30 pages into Catch 22, rubbish. I have no interest in Twilight either, although somehow the first book made it onto the 1001 list so I will have to suffer through it at some stage. I'll be able to avoid Game of Thrones indefinitely- I can't imagine starting the first book knowing that there are six more doorstops to get through.
ReplyDeleteI think Emma Bovary reminded me of Fontaine I knew (& I didn't like very much) so I found it difficult to read a whole book about her!
DeleteCuriously it was the twist (in the movie end of Life of Pi) that piqued my interest in trying the book again!
Weird - I don't know how preemptive text got Fontaine out of 'someone', but there you go ?!
DeleteThat is funny, I figured it was a reference I didn't get!
DeleteI never enjoyed Wuthering Heights until I read it once more this past year. I definitely do not see it as a swoony romance between Cathy and Heathcliff; they are both psychopaths, though that's not entirely their fault. I had to broaden my perspective and see the whole picture of all the generations in order to get through that part. That said, I don't think even the greatest classics have to be for everyone.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment on Catch-22. That's one that I've long felt I "ought" to read but have never made the plunge.
I haven't read Wuthering Heights either, but I LOVE the song!
ReplyDeleteI've been singing it in my head ever since I wrote this post (and maybe a few times out loud, to Mr Books chagrin :-)
Delete"Burial Rights," "Catch-22," "The Shadow of the Wind" and the Game of Thrones books are all ones I hope to get to someday! I totally feel you about the time commitment when it comes to GoT. Before I started blogging and working at a library I never would've thought that, but now I just want to read everything I can get my hands on, and I could probably read three other books in the time it would take me to get through one GoT book. But I do hope to read them someday! I love the show, and I think that'll help me get into the books (I can't imagine going in with no knowledge of the characters -- all those names, all those subplots!) and in turn I think the books will help me appreciate the show more.
ReplyDeleteYes Mr Books knowledge of the books is helping me a lot with the series, but some of the more dramatic TV moments have been dulled for Mr Books by his prior book knowledge - swings and roundabouts :-)
DeleteI confess to reading the first Twilight book just to see what all the fuss was about. Then I felt like I had read quite enough of that! :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I skimmed the first one too when my (then) 12 yr stepson wanted to read it...but like you, that was enough of that!!
DeleteI get you with The Shadow of the Wind. I had to read it for school and was the only one in class who didn't like it. Ever since, I'm wary of voicing my opinions of that novel, so it's great to find another reader who isn't in love with it! Yay :)
ReplyDeleteI loved Wuthering Heights though. But could never see why everyone thought it was romantic. It is clearly a gothic novel, depicting very dark and twisted feelings.
Maybe I should try WH again with my gothic glasses firmly in place :-)
DeleteHow bizarre - I'm listening to Kate Bush's Kick Inside album and Wuthering Heights is about to come on!
ReplyDeleteI've read a few of these titles - Fifty Shades of Grey (I had to see what the fuss was about, and on finishing I still didn't know, so...). Life of Pi - I think I quite liked that, but I can't remember. Catch 22 - God, that one was deadly boring. Shadow of the Wind - dire. Wuthering Heights - I loved it, and I think it's been misrepresented over the years. If you do ever read it try and forget everything you've ever been told about it! And Madame Bovary - it's been a while since I read it (ten years maybe) but I do remember liking that one :)
I'm planning on seeing the Madame Bovary movie this w/e and hope it gives me an 'in' to the book and the character that i haven't been able to find on my own.
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