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Overrated Books

colinglithero, your formatting is all weird. Did you post from TapaTalk or something?

And I agree about Catcher in the Rye.
 
As others have said, I found the Harry Potters books very overrated, I also find the huge love for Twilight and 50 Shades to be beyond my understanding. I've never read such rubbish in my life before listening to a friend and putting myself through the pain of those two particular books.
 
'The Turn of the Screw' by Henry James. It was recommended to me as a brilliant work, but I found it very difficult to read and keep track of where the story was going, if there was one.
 
colinglithero said:
Leading to a kind of "cultural correctness". You're SUPPOSED to like these books (or paintings, music) and if you don't, this is a reflection on you, to be pointed out in condescending tones.* If you don't think it's anything special, that's because you can't understand it, and maybe won't make the effort. (This argument can be true sometimes, even quite often, but nowhere near as many times as it used in patronizing comments.) Austen, Harper Lee, Salinger. If you don't love Jane Austen, I don't share your opinion but I don't think any less of you. I can see why many people love To kill a Mockingbird, but it doesn't move me as it does them. Catcher in the Rye is, for me one of those (music/ paintings/movies etc.) which make a big impression the first time, but lose their power with repetition. The best things don't.

*NOT in this forum. But you know what I mean.
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FYI I edited the formating which was all messed up.

I'm guilty of an incredulous 'WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ...[book/movie]' on occasions because it is a shock to discover some one doesn't like .....[book/movie] at times.
 
Hedwig said:
I agree about "50 Shades" - what a load of utter rubbish, badly written and full of clichés.
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I'm not sure who ever overrated 50 Shades of Gray. I've only heard total condemnation of it, here and elsewhere, even from people who have never read it. I would say it is one of the most hated books ever.
 
Peder said:
I'm not sure who ever overrated 50 Shades of Gray. I've only heard total condemnation of it, here and elsewhere, even from people who have never read it. I would say it is one of the most hated books ever.
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Peder, I think 50 is the perfect example of over-hype vs. over-rated. Now everyone feels they have to read it to see how bad it is, in this case it lives up to the hype it was horrible, haha.
 
Peder said:
I'm not sure who ever overrated 50 Shades of Gray. I've only heard total condemnation of it, here and elsewhere, even from people who have never read it. I would say it is one of the most hated books ever.
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I wish I could say the same. So many people I know love the books, unfortunately.
 
sparkchaser said:
colinglithero, your formatting is all weird. Did you post from TapaTalk or something?

And I agree about Catcher in the Rye.
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sparkchaser,
thanks for hiding my techno-dummy
status. Computers and me, we
just don't get along nohow. So I'm
typing really short lines to see if
that works.
 
Meadow337 said:
FYI I edited the formating which was all messed up.

I'm guilty of an incredulous 'WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ...[book/movie]' on occasions because it is a shock to discover some one doesn't like .....[book/movie] at times.
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My apologies, Meadow337. I'm quite sure sparkchaser has done something recently that deserved thanks, but YOU were the one who cleaned up my twisted text. Thank you.
 
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Instead of bemoaning their content, I think it would be more useful to wonder why their popularity. I think it can be argued she did something "right," to get the attention (and hard money purchases) she did. Perhaps Harlequins don't hack it anymore. Or perhaps story trumps style in any book, or in any titillating book. Anyone seen anything lately speaking to the question "why?"

[And maybe this belongs in the Gray-bashing thread, but too late. Sorry :( ]

[or maybe a BOTM discussion. :eek: ]
 
That's a good idea. If we can figure out why it became so popular then maybe we can prevent it from happening again.
 
Peder said:
Instead of bemoaning their content, I think it would be more useful to wonder why their popularity. I think it can be argued she did something "right," to get the attention (and hard money purchases) she did. Perhaps Harlequins don't hack it anymore. Or perhaps story trumps style in any book, or in any titillating book. Anyone seen anything lately speaking to the question "why?"

[And maybe this belongs in the Gray-bashing thread, but too late. Sorry :( ]

[or maybe a BOTM discussion. :eek: ]
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I have a theory on this actually :D

It all goes to the hype-machine that is the media and the fact that most people are sheep. The media goes into a frenzy drumming into peoples heads that something must be read, is fantastic, cannot be ignored. Consider the fact that the book has actually been available for a few years - originally as Twilight fan fiction *resists the urge to throw up* - and it was only when the media circus turned its attention to the books that people started insisting it was amazing.
 
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