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Romeo and Juliet
Dracula, I suppose?
I’m fond of some of the vampire lore the story created that pop culture has completely forgotten… but after Dracula goes on a cruise, the book becomes criminally repetitive and goes absolutely nowhere.
The Fault in Our Stars
The Secret History by Donna Tartt, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (no, I’m not reading anymore Donna Tartt), Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Gone Girl wasn’t good for me either
Ready Player One. It has a lot of really problematic stuff in it, the entire plot was “This kid remembers the 80s so he’s the chosen one,” and countless people you used to respect love it
Had to read Little Women at school and found it unbearably boring. So boring I almost forgot everything in it, which is unusual. Only thing I remember is that Jo was an interesting character. My classmates seemed okay reading it and some even liked it, but for me every page turned was “oof there’s still more pages still, oof”.
Three Body Problem
I agree- I found it disjointed and shallow.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
It wasn’t terrible by any means. But I kept being told how-fast paced and gripping it was.
The fastest the pace went was the main character ducking behind a barrier in a very brief firefight.
I’m not one of those action junkies, but I was kind of expecting more.
I heard a lot of people liked Watership Down, so I got it digitally. I tried to like it, I really did, but I just couldn’t… I don’t know, care? It just started feeling like a labor to read it so I stopped about 20% of the way in.
Idk maybe one day I’ll give it another try.
Anything Cormac McCarthy.
The Old Man and the Sea. A junior high teacher assigned it as an individual project, and I was bored out of my mind. After one of my own university students recommended it a few months ago, I tried it again. Forty years has not improved my opinion of it.
Come to think of it, even teaching an intro lit & philosophy course, I still think any book that’s only in print because it’s on a reading list is probably garbage.
I do beg to differ. I went through a period when reading “reading list” books was about all I wanted to do.
Pearl Buck “The Good Earth” Zora Neale Hurston “Their Eyes Were Watching God”
Just two faves if you want to try them out.
I should’ve noted that YMMV. :)
Thanks for the recommendations. When there’s time to read for fun, I’ll try to check them out.
Oh, well you did say that’s only in print because it’s on a reading list. I think these books would be in the print regardless so… your point stands.
