Thursday, March 19, 2009

Booking Through Thursday




How about, “What’s the worst ‘best’ book you’ve ever read — the one everyone says is so great, but you can’t figure out why?”

Recently I read In the Woods by Tana French and was disappointed. I heard so much about how fantastic it was that I finished the entire book and felt that it didn't deserve the hype. The story is two mysteries rolled into one with interesting characters that just seem to deconstruct in front of you. The story is slow moving, the crime is something that you would see on an episode of Criminal Minds, and over the course of the story I went from enjoying the characters to finding them annoying.


A few years ago I tried to read A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. I read a hundred pages and then walked away. To this day, I have no idea what this book is about -- but I am told it is great. Here's a summary from the Barnes and Noble website:

One of the 20th century's enduring works, One Hundred Years of Solitude is a widely beloved and acclaimed novel known throughout the world, and the ultimate achievement in a Nobel Prize–winning career.The novel tells the story of the rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendía family. It is a rich and brilliant chronicle of life and death, and the tragicomedy of humankind. In the noble, ridiculous, beautiful, and tawdry story of the Buendía family, one sees all of humanity, just as in the history, myths, growth, and decay of Macondo, one sees all of Latin America. Love and lust, war and revolution, riches and poverty, youth and senility -- the variety of life, the endlessness of death, the search for peace and truth -- these universal themes dominate the novel. Whether he is describing an affair of passion or the voracity of capitalism and the corruption of government, Gabriel García Márquez always writes with the simplicity, ease, and purity that are the mark of a master. Alternately reverential and comical, One Hundred Years of Solitude weaves the political, personal, and spiritual to bring a new consciousness to storytelling. Translated into dozens of languages, this stunning work is no less than an accounting of the history of the human race.

So what about you? What is the worst 'best' book you have ever read?

25 comments:

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I have In the Woods on the shelf. Sorry to hear you didn't care for it. That's the first negative review I've heard.

I agree about 100 years... I couldn't finish it. Just couldn't get into it.

Blodeuedd said...

Oh no I have wanted to try Marques, ok I will him a go, at least now i know that he might not the that great...or perhaps I will like him.

And I do must try Pullman, everyone tells me to

JoAnn said...

I included One Hundred Years of Solitude in my answer, too!

Unknown said...

I added 'In the Woods' to my bookmooch wish list yesterday! I noticed on Amzon that it does seem to polarize people. I'm looking forward to finding out which side of the fence I fall on this book!

Lisa (Southern Girl Reads) said...

I've heard the same thing about In The Woods from a few people. I hate abandoning books so I always try to muddle through. My answer is here:

http://soutehrngal-lisa.blogspot.com

Savidge Reads said...

Completely agree with you with Into The Woods, I cant understand what the author was playing at. It had such a good premise and she just let it fall flat and made a nothingness from it!

Melissa said...

I'm about halfway through In the Woods, but it's probably been a year since I set it aside. Who knows if I'll ever get back to it...

S. Krishna said...

Aww, I really liked both these books! However, I understand what you mean about In the Woods - once a book becomes so over hyped, it diminishes the end product once you finally get around to reading it. I had the same problem with the book I picked for this week's question!

Desert Rose said...

I have In the Woods on my tbr, but I guess I'll slide it a bit down the pile.. the other book I don't know about but I read another book by Garcia and didn't enjoy it at all, just read it to see what happens in the end, but it was disturbing!! So I don't think I will consider reading another book by Garcia again! just not my style :)

Jeane said...

I think the only reason I got through Hundred Years of Solitude is because I read it in school and we analyzed it an all. I never would have finished it (or comprehended anything!) on my own.

Unknown said...

Hello! I haven't read either of these, so I'm not sure what my opinion of them could be. I'll have to check them out, and see if I can attempt to read them. Thanks for stopping by my blog :)

Kelly said...

I'm one of those that loved In the Woods. The first chapter alone made it worth the read for me!

My choice for the "worst" best book would be Life of Pi. I thought it was pointless, uninteresting and painfully sloooow. I think I'm the only one in the world who didn't get it.

Marie Cloutier said...

to each his or her own. Love Marquez myself, but he's not everyone's cup of tea:-)

Kerri said...

I was curious about In The Woods - the cover made it look so good.

Kaye said...

I had In the Woods on my readar screen but then I happened across a few negative reviews and figured it could go to the bottom of the list.

My BTT is here

Susan said...

Oh no! Into the Woods is near the top of my tbr list! Now I'm not sure...

I am not a fan of Marquez at all! I read Love in the Time of Cholera several years ago -yuck!

Kristine said...

Oh no, I wanted to read In The Woods since an elderly lady I had a conversation with recommended it to me.

I don't remember if it was Love in the Time of Cholera or One Hundred Years of Solitude that I tried reading. I just remember there were way too many characters for me to keep up with already in the first couple of chapters, that I just gave up. Maybe another time.

Monique said...

I haven't tried anything by Marques yet. But I do have "Love in the Time of Cholera" on my list. Hopefully, whenever I get to it I will like it.

Never heard of the first book.

Chrisbookarama said...

Wow, Marquez really gets around!

Sherrie said...

Hi!
Haven't read either one of your books listed. It doesn't sound like I would like them. Thanks for stopping by my place. Have a great evening!!

Sherrie

avisannschild said...

I'm sorry to hear you didn't like In the Woods. I've only heard great things about it so far (so it's on my wish list).

Yvonne said...

I haven't read those yet.

Anonymous said...

I wish you would have stayed with '100 Years of Solitute' I felt the same way you did and almost put it down but I just knew there was something great in that book. It was very weird but I'm so glad I finished it. It really was a great book! I haven't read the other book you mentioned. Have a great week.

Anonymous said...

Marquez is in my to-read-list but I've never gotten around to get any of his books. I guess there's no hurry.

Anonymous said...

I haven't read the first book but as you know I loved '100 Years of Solitude' It was difficult read I think because of the cultural differences. I almost put it down too but as I continued reading it became easier to understand. It really is a great book. One I would like to read again. I also read 'Love in the Time Of Cholera' and really enjoyed that too.