Candy House
Goldfinch

Not so much disliked, but I find Franzen's works to be extremely forgettable. More like something you buy at the airport because you forgot to bring a novel than the *literature* they're made out to be. To be fair, I only read Freedom and Corrections, so maybe he's written something memorable since then.

Anonymous wrote:Klara and the Sun. So extraordinarily dull.

Same. Couldn’t get through it.

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Anonymous wrote:Where the Crawdads sing. I’m a huge reader, but I just couldn’t make myself read it.

The Crawdad book just screamed Oprah, and seemed directed toward people who generally don't read. Loved Goon Squad but could not get into Egan's recent Candy House. Agree with The Sellout hater - I just didn't see it.

I loathed that dumb Crawdad book. I opened ths thread on.y to see if anyone else would mention it. So dumb. Totally agree it's for nonreaders.

Hated the Crawdads!

I did love A Little Life, though.

Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

And yes, I feel guilty for not liking it.

Hated The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Ok, juxtaposition of World’s Fair “intrigue” and serial killer, but…what are we doing here?

Tolerated but was not wowed by Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann. A tragedy told with tragic pacing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where the Crawdads sing. I’m a huge reader, but I just couldn’t make myself read it.

The Crawdad book just screamed Oprah, and seemed directed toward people who generally don't read. Loved Goon Squad but could not get into Egan's recent Candy House. Agree with The Sellout hater - I just didn't see it.

I loathed that dumb Crawdad book. I opened ths thread on.y to see if anyone else would mention it. So dumb. Totally agree it's for nonreaders.

Anonymous wrote:I avoid Oprah’s recs after she recommended The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and a couple of others I hated.
Also could not finish A Gentleman in Moscow and don’t understand the love for it.

I avoid her recs too. Her choices are very depressing... always about abused women or children - hardships etc

Anonymous wrote:The Goldfinch

I bought it and couldn't get into it. I was the. On vacation a few years later and bought it again. Forgetting completely that I hated it. Started it and was so irritated. The reviews and back cover are so good. When it came out as a movie I was floored. Movie is terrible too!

I listened to it on audiobook. It was something like 30 hours. I drove to Pittsburgh. I drove back. I started questioning the role an editor plays.

I avoid Oprah’s recs after she recommended The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and a couple of others I hated.
Also could not finish A Gentleman in Moscow and don’t understand the love for it.

Couldn't stand "The Push" but it gets a lot of good reviews. Not sure what the critics say. I hated it.

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Bad news for me since it's on my list to read. Just curious to know if we share the same taste, what are your couple of other examples that you liked and disliked?

Here's my quoted favorites list from the other thread (edited for brevity purposes). Also, this thread names one of my all-time favorite books several times, A Little Life. Was also a big fan of The Goldfinch, which is mentioned here several times.

Anonymous wrote:Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby van Pelt

And honorable mention to The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne, not because it didn't deserve to be in the top 5 but because I finished it on 12/31/2021.

Thank you PP! I'm removing The Rabbit Hatch from my ridiculously loooong To-Read List. I loved A Little Life and The Goldfinch. I did enjoy T&T&T but to be honest, it's not among my favorite ones. Remarkably Bright Creatures has been on my To Read list and looks like is staying.

DP with similar taste but I did not enjoy Goldfinch (loved Secret History) and a Little Life. I would add Shuggie Bain to this list too.

Anonymous wrote:There are so many. For some reason, people think that books that are depressing or full of trauma are "important" and more worthy than books that give a positive ending or make you feel good.

I'm not saying I demand a fairy tale ending (though I don't object to happily ever after), but "happy for now" works.

Same here. Real life is depressing enough. I don’t mind being made to think but I like coming out feeling better than when I sat down to read. So most books critics like are not for me. 😂

Didn’t love:
The Dutch House
The Secret History
Little Fires Everywhere
The Many Lives of Afong Moy
Manhattan Beach
The Little Stranger
Utopia Avenue
The Glass Hotel
The Vanishing Half

I enjoyed:
Cloud Atlas
The Goldfinch
Goon Squad
A Gentleman in Moscow
Station Eleven
The Old Drift
The Shadow King

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Anonymous wrote:OP here. I also really disliked “Little Fires Everywhere.” I really don’t get what critics see in that one.

Agree. I also didn't care for "Everything I Never Told You." I guess Celeste Ng isn't for me.

I liked Everything I Never Told You, but it made me so sad. In little ways- mainly the kids, and little things that happened that crushed them a little bit during their childhoods. It made it hard for me to enjoy because of those little sadnesses.