Books you really hate ...

OK - so what books do you really hate ... and why?

I started reading Saturday by Ian McEwen a little while ago, but at page 49 I ended up throwing it down in outright disgust. After a promising start I found it to be smug and somewhat pompous. Grrrrr!

lol, that's a one I couldn't do either!

On the online book group I'm in we have a thread for abandoned books and I qutie happily contribute to that lol! I need to be taken with a book quite quickly.

My most recent abandoned book was Runt by Niall Griffiths, it just wasn't going anywhere. I thought it would be a great story and even with only 60 pages left to go I just couldn't bear finishing it! I've also just left TLS Short Stories edited by Lindsay Duguid as I just thought they were sooooooo boring.

My latest online book group read was The Spire by William Golding. All the other Golding's I've read I've enjoyed but I was furiously skimming towards the last third. The central character is a dean in the middle ages who's obsessive about having a very tall spire built. There are structural reasons why this shouldn't be attempted. However, the book is chock full of metaphor and symbolism relating to the dean's suppressed sexuality and this, as well as Christian themes I couldn't relate to, made this book for me a total struggle..

That's a pity Hazel, I have that and was looking forward to it. My online group are just about to do a group of Lord of the Flies, many have read it but others haven't.

#4:SmithSJ01 - I'd only be too pleased if you disagreed with me: I've pointed out I'm a real fan of Golding, The Inheritors especially. Do let us have your opinion of The Spire.

I will when I eventually read it. With a considerable number of unread books it'll be a while lol.

I've had an awful reading month, so far I've only read two I've enjoyed. The rest have been abandoned - think I've left 6 unfinished now.